News Update

Week Ending 4th November 2005

Interim Contracts Register

Framework Agreements workstream members have requested that an area be created for authorities to list the contracts that they would be going out to tender for in the near future. A table is now available for all local authorities to complete, and this can be found under the Framework Agreements section of the Members Area.

This table can be used to list any forthcoming contracts that local authorities are going out to tender for that can be opened up for use by other public bodies across the North West. This will give everyone an opportunity to see what is happening in the rest of the region, and encourage more collaborative procurement.

Please complete the “contact name”, “telephone number” and “e-mail address” columns, to ensure that those authorities that would like further information on your contract are able to contact the relevant person easily.

If you have amendments or improvements please contact Olly Baker at the Centre.

Library of Documents now live on NWCE Website

The library of documents is now live on the NWCE website.  This facility will be continually updated.  If your local authority has any documents/guidance notes etc that you think may be useful for the region please forward to Beverley Brooks at the Centre.

Documents currently available are : -

Developing a Compact with the Voluntary Sector - produced by the NWCE Local Economies Workstream
Equality in Procurement - produced by Gareth Venebles of Tameside MBC
Framework Agreements
Model Clause for Contracts to facilitate sharing with other public bodies
Model Contracts Register
Process Benchmarking Presentation - produced by Jane Smith of the Local Economies Workstream

Feedback regarding any documents within the library, or the NWCE website in general, is always welcome.

Interim Annual Efficiency Statement Analysis

Following the Forward Looking Annual Efficiency Statements that each local authority in England submitted to the ODPM in April, the NWCE has collated all the information from local authorities within the North West and performed some high level analysis to identify common areas of activity.

Our website now contains a document which consolidates all of the AES in the North West and contains 13 individual spreadsheets – one for each main service heading (Adult Services through to Transactions and Miscellaneous).  Each spreadsheet categorises the areas of work and actions that have been identified as one where efficiency savings are expected to occur for easy comparison.  The document can be found here.

We are consulting on a more comprehensive spreadsheet.  This consolidates all of the AES information, including the lists of strategies and actions underlying the AES savings, onto a single spread sheet for easy analysis.

If you want to take part in this consultation please contact the Centre.

Purchase Spend Analysis

The application form for funding towards Purchase Spend Analysis is now available.  The form can be found via our website, or by clicking here.

EVENTS

North West Centre of Excellence and OGC Buying Solutions Collaborative Event

Early Savings for Christmas!

Date and Venue: Thursday 1^st December, Manchester Conference Centre, Sackville Street, Manchester - 9.30am – 3.00pm.  The event is aimed at raising awareness of how both OGC Buying Solutions and the Centre can assist Local Authorities in various procurement activities. It will be a great opportunity to bring together all Local Authorities within the North West remit in one session and explain the collaborative partnership.  If you or any colleagues would like to attend the event please email Shelley Timpson at the Centre.

December 2005 – EU Procurement Directives Training – click here for further information

GovNet Events - 2nd Annual Procurement Conference
Within procurement it is no longer good enough just to demonstrate that we can deliver economies of scale and cost savings through good purchasing practice.  Click here for more details

Procurement in Action - Delivering Effective Partnerships

Tuesday 24 January 2006, Victoria Park Plaza, London.  Click here for further information.

AGMA JOB OPPORTUNITY

Recruitment of Fixed-term Project Manager; 1 Year

Vehicles Procurement, Management and Maintenance Project

The Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) is looking to achieve efficiencies and improve service delivery in a number of service areas by developing collaborative/shared services, one of which is the Procurement, Management and Maintenance of Local Authority Transport Fleets.

To support this work, AGMA is now looking for a dynamic, tenacious, forward thinking Project Manager, who can contribute to and influence decision makers at all levels.

We are open to suggestions as to where the Project Manager will be based.  If travelling to Wigan will be an impediment for a candidate that fills the necessary selection criteria we are willing to work around this.

If you would like further information about this post please contact Sheela Vara, Partnership Policy Officer, AGMA Policy & Research Unit.