Procuring goods or services for government departments, agencies and public bodies in the public sector can be a complex process. There are guidelines, policies and governance to adhere to and internal processes and procedures to follow.
This can lead to lengthy and costly procurement processes.
At eXceeding, we have a team of category experts who are dedicated to consulting on procurement within the Public Sector. We understand the steps it takes to manage a fully compliant Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) and OJEU procurement process.
To drive faster, flexible and compliant procurement in the public sector, we are approved suppliers of the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework for Multi-Specialism Services. Meaning all public sector organisations can access professional service, goods and works, including through direct award.
Aarun is a seasoned procurement transformation consultant. Her expertise lies within end-to-end procurement transformation, procurement visioning and strategy, category management implementation and sustainable procurement.
The eXceeding team were initially recommended to us to assist us with a contract exit negotiation strategy from our long-term outsourcer. It soon became apparent that the Trust required an experienced transition team. We asked eXceeding to fulfil that gap. They provided a team of experienced professionals which ramped up and down as the project ebbed and flowed, providing us with a highly flexible resource model. The project was a huge success and was delivered on time and within budget.
The eXceeding team was recommended to me by one of our own team who had worked with their consultants previously. We were not disappointed! We had access to multiple members of the eXceeding team and they kept us well informed throughout the process, but they managed every element of what could have been a very complex procurement process. We would be happy to recommend them to anyone struggling to manage OJEU processes like we were.
eXceeding utilised a number of SME procurement consultants that flexed up and down as the project hit peaks and troughs due to compressed project deadlines, delivering on circa 15 individual procurements. They were clearly subject matter experts who worked to our internal governance and slightly amended Green Book. We subsequently engaged them to work on a critical paper arching project.
Public sector procurement is responsible for some of the highest levels of spend in the economy, which is paid for by the UK taxpayer. So it goes without saying that it is subject to much stricter rules and rigorous governance. Critically that spend comes from public funds – meaning that the way in which money is spent on goods and services is scrutinised, to ensure the best possible value for money for the public purse.
Transparency is therefore a key part of the process and any department, office or authority should be seen to be open and upfront with potential tenderers. As part of any invitation to tender (or ITT), organisations must clearly state conditions for participation, selection criteria, award criteria and the reasons why tenderers were successful or unsuccessful.
There is also a requirement for notices of all procurements over an agreed contract value to be published to an online government system – now Find a Tender (FTS) – to ensure fair and open procurement for all. With penalties set for non-compliance, there is a high level of responsibility placed on public sector departments when procuring supplies, services or works.
The construction category is one of the public sector’s most complex and challenging areas of procurement. How can public sector procurement professionals develop a clear strategy and robust processes that will pay off with future service improvements and cost reductions?
By Aarun Bains on 13 April 2021
It is clear from these challenges that any public sector procurement exercise must be treated with care and carried out by informed parties who understand its complexities and who will follow a robust and totally auditable process.
Sometimes it’s easier to discuss your requirements directly. Contact one of our expert consultants now.
We know the word ‘consultancy’ can be a hard sell in the public sector. Contrary to the perception of those who see it as a waste of money, buying expensive external resource to do work you could perform in-house, consultancy offers public sector organisations the chance to deliver resource in a much more efficient way.
The great news is that procuring through the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework means you will be able to benefit from eXceeding’s considerable public sector procurement consultancy and delivery support at zero cost.
We understand how to advise contracting authorities on all aspects of their procurement processes, consider frameworks where appropriate and ensure that a compliant and auditable process is followed every time, whilst getting the desired best practice outcomes.
SEE ALL THE BENEFITS OF THE NEUTRAL VENDOR FRAMEWORK
We have a wide range of proven experience in public sector organisations such as Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, CRFCA (part of the MoD), Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, ECMWF, HASSRA, and Origin Housing. Our procurement specialists know what is needed for you to acquire your services, supplies or works under the scrutiny of compliance, transparency and value for money.
We provide full public sector procurement support, offering any or all of a full 360° service:
As well as the AEC Neutral Vendor Framework, we have also established a number of additional collaborative partnerships enabling public sector buyers to access our services through frameworks such as NEPRO, Crown Commercial Service (CCS) and G-Cloud, as well as authorised supplier status with Bloom, Bramble Hub and Consultancy+, which supports our credentials as a government supplier.
No matter what your requirements, we work with you to facilitate access to new products, services, efficiencies, innovations and markets. With all our clients, we take the time to properly analyse and define your requirements so that you can be confident that the proposed solutions and best practice guidance are tailored, and achievable, for your specific needs.
We have a team of experienced and highly knowledgeable consultants that can help you with your complex public sector needs.
Effective public sector procurement should not just tick a compliance box. Finding the right supplier needs the devotion of expertise, time and resource to ensure continuity of service or product supply and mitigate risks in your supply chain.
Running competitive tenders can be complex and resource heavy, but can also open up a huge amount of opportunity to drive down costs, extract value, innovate and diversity your supplier base. We can support you all the way.
People are your organisation’s most valuable asset. Finding the right people, at the right time, with the expertise and relevant knowledge you need, can be a lengthy process. However, it’s often crucial to your organisation reaching its full potential.
