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News UpdateWeek Ending 14th October 2005
FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS
As one of the deliverables from the Framework Agreements Workstream we have access to good quality Framework Agreements which can be used by Local Authorities. The Agreements and Links to them are listed below.
There are 11 Commodity Streams and 28 Agreements within them. Further Agreements will be let over the coming months and we will keep you updated. Authorities may need to waive or amend standing orders to allow use of Framework Agreements. For further information advice and model standing orders please contact us via e-mail (nwce@tameside.gov.uk).
Use of these Agreements will enable councils to make significant savings.
Travel/Hotels/Transport
Office Consumables/Supplies
I.T.
Soft F.M.
Finance
Temporary Labour
Consultancy Services
Despatch, Postal and Courier Services
Business Services
Telecommunications/BT Premier Value
Energy
OGC Buying Solutions Framework Agreements
Framework Agreements OGC Buying Solutions is a Government Purchasing Agency linked to, but not part of, the office of Government Commerce. Its role is to let Purchasing Agreements for use by the wider public sector and all its Agreements have been properly let through the correct EU Procurement Directives Procedures. The range of Agreements which cover goods and services is enormous. The Agreements include Framework requests for IT Hardware, IT Software, IT Consultancy and General Consultancy and Legal Services. These are covered by the GCat, SCat and LCat Agreements. Other agreements cover almost everything that Government Organisations buy including grounds maintenance. Some are regionalised.
OCG Buying Solutions Agreements are for quality products and services and are with quality suppliers. The overall value for money varies, with some representing excellent value for money and others less so. During the coming months we will be identifying and publicising some of the Agreements that represent particularly good value for money.
We recommend that before any Local Authority considers letting a Contract or Agreement, they consult the OGC Buying Solutions catalogue. This could eliminate the need for and cost of tendering and letting contracts.
To access the OGC Buying.Solutions catalogue, click here then click onto ‘Register’ at the top of the page. This leads to the ‘Catalyst’ page and follow the registration procedures. Registration takes 24 hours. Once the application is accepted, a password will be e-mailed together with instructions on how to log-on to the secure part of the website. This section includes full details of Agreements and Prices.
The biggest ‘Catalogue’ is ‘Portfolio’ which covers a general range of products for Building and Related Services. The Construction Workstream this week recommended that people should consult the OGC Buying.Solutions catalogue.
Seminars The North West Centre of Excellence is holding a number of seminars with OGC Buying Solutions. The first is on 1st December at the Manchester Conference Centre with a second on Purchasing Cards in Mid-December.
PURCHASE SPEND ANALYSIS
As part of the support for Purchase Spend Analysis, NWCE will sponsor individual councils with grants available for authorities in the North West who wish to take part in their own spend analysis exercise. Unless groups of authorities negotiate flat rates with suppliers, this amounts to £2,000 for District Authorities, £3,000 for Metropolitan and Unitary Authorities and £5,000 for County Councils.
Several Councils have already introduced spend analysis that meet the criteria and they will be able to apply retrospectively for funding. Provided that their data can be shared within the region. Those who wish to do their own spend analysis exercise can download a Grant Application from our web-site www.nwce.org.uk from the end of next week.
The criteria requires that it must be possible readily to aggregate analyses across the region to develop a picture of expenditure by region, sub-region and local groupings of councils. Providers must be able to produce analyses by supplier, number of transactions, commodity, and expenditure with SMEs and companies based in the North West. This will provide an economic footprint of purchasing for the North West, sub-regionally and by council and enable the impact of procurement decisions and policies to be assessed.
For further information, please contact Olly Baker or Viv Greatwich at the Centre (0161 342 4080/1).
EU PROCUREMENT DIRECTIVE SEMINARS
As mentioned in previous updates, the NWCE are holding sub-regional seminars regarding the new EU Procurement Directives, which come into force in January 2006. These events are being held due to popular demand. The events are aimed at all local authority people who may be involved in any procurement process.
These events are free of charge, but places for delegates are limited. Places will be offered on a first come, first served basis.
Details as at 14.10.05 are: -
6th December - Greater Manchester Area – Ashton-under-Lyne Town Hall 9th December – Cheshire / Merseyside Area – venue to be confirmed 16th December – Cumbria area – Kendal Town Hall
For further information please contact Bev at the Centre – bev.brooks@tameside.gov.uk
INFORMATION FOR COUNCILLORS: COUNCILLORS’ OWN ON-LINE COMMUNITY
The role of the portfolio holder is increasingly significant for authorities adopting the leader/executive model. Find out what responsibilities the role carries, how to think strategically, and how best to serve your community. This and lots more useful information is available using this link. http://list.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/t/796/77557/337/31/
EVALUATION OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AGENDA
ODPM has published the Baseline Survey Report in relation to the Evaluation of the Local Government Procurement Agenda. The report is the first major output from a four-year evaluation of the local government procurement agenda, which forms part of a programme of evaluations of the Local Government Modernisation Agenda. It provides a detailed baseline against which to monitor change and evaluate the impact of policies on local government procurement (including the National Procurement Strategy, the Efficiency Review and the Local Government Strategy). The research will also help local authorities and the Regional Centres of Excellence to benchmark their performance and learn from others' practices.
The report can be found by following this link: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/odpm_localgov/documents/divisionhomepage/030731.hcsp
SHARED SERVICES - OPPORTUNITIES FOR EFFICIENCY AND SERVICE IMPROVEMENT
Shared services are much talked about and encouraged as a means of achieving significant cost savings and efficiencies for corporate services like finance and HR, as well as citizen facing services from social care to waste management. The LocalGovTV programme “Shared Services - Opportunities For Efficiency And Service Improvement” is now available to request in DVD format, free of charge. To request your free copy of this Shared Services programme DVD, please register on LocalGovTV at:
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