PASA agreement - some insidious effects

The National Telecare Framework Agreement "is freely available for use by all government bodies involved in healthcare, including local authorities, social care, NHS trusts, strategic health authorities, voluntary and charitable associations, independent sector providers and non-departmental bodies for health and social care delivery. It offers a comprehensive selection of services from 13 suppliers eliminating the need to tender locally." (Current website.)

However, as I heard it - and perhaps someone more knowledgeable can confirm or deny this - the really insidious things about it are:
a) prices, whilst negotiated to be discounted from list prices, may still be above what could have been negotiated if the NFA had not existed.
[It's actually illegal without retendering to negotiate lower prices. Q16 page 33 of the Contract Award Information Pack, download it here (PDF): "If organisations wish to secure lower prices than currently offered via the national framework agreement, legally, an organisation would be required to undertake their own EU procurement exercise, if the anticipated volume of business exceeds OJEU thresholds."]
b) it is possible for companies not on the main list to get in by being 'hosted' by a company that is listed, at the price of a commission on sales.
[ah yes... have just found it - they call it 'subcontracting' see page 15 of the Contract Award Information Pack.]

Preparations are even now underway to set up a new framework agreement for when the current one expires in May 2010. (See link above.)