A current contract between the Authority and its incumbent provider (which trades as 'NHS Supply Chain')relating to the procurement and supply chain of goods in the NHS is due to expire on 30 September 2018. As part of the Future Operating Model the Authority has conducted a procurement exercise in order to award ten (10) contracts for the provision of procurement services for each of the defined Category Towers. The procurement for these contracts was conducted in two (2) Tranches, this contract award notice relates to Tranche 1 only. A further contract award notice will be published in relation to Tranche 2 shortly. Each contract will be for an initial thirty six month (36) period (excluding the implementation period) and maybe extended for up to two additional twelve (12) month periods, subject to meeting the relevant criteria set out in the contract. The total operative period of the contract, following implementation, shall not exceed sixty (60) months.