North West Centre of Excellence

News Update

Week Ending 11th February 2005

1.      A ‘not for profit’ organisation called Committed2Equality has been given funding from central government to support, confirm and register SMEs commitment to equality. They are also developing ways that the benefits to organisations, economies and individuals can be measured. They are offering to take the top 10% of SMEs and top 10% of other suppliers of an authority in the North West and take them through an accreditation process. This would be offered free to SMEs, larger organisations would pay a small fee. They would then work with the authority to measure the efficiencies that had been gained through the process and this would be shared across the North West, there would be no charge to the Authority. For more information and to propose your organisation for the programme please contact Beth Loudon at the Centre.

 

2.      Some clarification is required following the email from the LGA regarding Member Reference Groups.  We are in the process of arranging a Stakeholder meeting which will take place in June.  The Centre needs the name of a nominated elected member with responsibility for working with the Centre and attending our Stakeholder meetings (or Member Reference Group as stated in the email).  Some of you will have attended the launch event on 17th May last year and we are hoping to hold a similar event in June - more information will be sent to you regarding this soon.  In the meantime I would be grateful if you could send me (viv.greatwich@tameside.gov.uk) the name and contact details of the relevant elected member from your Council. 

3.      OGC are due to award on a national purchase to pay marketplace procurement project called 'Zanzibar' next month. The Scottish Executive has already implemented the preferred suppliers solution. Our e-procurement workstream will be considering this system and how it could integrate with existing systems, and making recommendations as more information becomes available. In the meantime please use the following to obtain more background on the 'Zanzibar' project. Find out more about the Zanzibar Project at: http://www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?docid=1001430

Many thanks,

Colin Cram

11^th February 2005