Smarter Procurement Programme - new activities, support and funding

The Smarter Procurement Programme is a £1.5m three year programme covering both improvement and efficiency in the South West procurement sector. The programme is anticipated to yield cashable savings of at least £20m over 5 years and includes elements to support Local Authorities with procurement technology and the development of officer capacity. The programme is split into five work streams - further details of which can be obtained from the delivery plan.

1. Regional Capacity Programme
   
   Potential Authority Funding:
   Description: bid for funding to provide capacity for innovative, collaborative and difficult projects.
   Criteria: Collaborative bids that support wider public-sector working and a category-based approach. The Regional Capacity Programme has an indicative budget of around £750k for 2008-11. Bids will be accepted on a match funding or 'loan' basis with repayment in years 2 and 3. The 2008/09 funding bids will be evaluated at the Programme Board meetings in October, January and March.
   Funding schedule:
   2008/9: £394,000 - bidders will need to submit a Project Initiation Document to the Board for approval, click here for guidance on PID completion.
   2009/10:£502,000 (income £502,000) tbc.
   20010/11: £502,000 (income £251,000) tbc.
   

2. Technological Capacity - This includes a continuation of the existing eAuction programme, with an emphasis on helping authorities to transition to their own eAuction programmes.

   The programme will also supplement the existing spend analysis with resource to manipulate and analyse spend and transaction data to provide information to support collaboration and other projects within the regional procurement programme.

   The Contract and Opportunities portal in the South West will be further developed to allow sharing of contract details and allow businesses (including SMEs) to register to alerts in specific contract classifications.

   Potential authority funding: N/A - this is a centrally run programme. If authorities require support in any of these areas they should contact the Smarter Procurement programme manager in the first instance.
   Funding schedule:
   2008/9: £59,000
   2009/10:£100,000 tbc.
   20010/11: £100,000 tbc.
   

3. Support Activity - Two regional support officers/business analysts will provide a data gathering and information service and also work with authorities to meet the demands of responsible procurement with regard to sustainability, 3rd sector and local markets. Authorities and collaborative groups will be able to request support from these officers as necessary.

   Support will be provided for a collaborative programme working with the top 10 providers by transaction in the South West (covering about 130k transactions per annum) to aggregate billing and payment arrangements with authorities is being launched. The programme will work closely with regional agents of the DCSF Educational Procurement Centre (driving good procurement practice in schools) and national organisations such as OGC.

   The programme will continue to support the procurement helpline and contract evaluation service.

   Potential authority funding: N/A - this is a centrally run programme. If authorities require support in any of these areas they should contact the Smarter Procurement programme manager in the first instance.
   Funding schedule:
   2008/9: £50,000
   2009/10:£95,000
   20010/11: £95,000
   

4. Skills Development - Funding of training activities aimed at building capacity within the procurement sector.Local authorities have highlighted that additional skills and awareness for buyers in authorities are needed in the sector, and a programme leveraging the previously funded Avon sub-regional training programme will be funded to meet this need.

   Support will be provided for category management training helping to ensure projects supported by the capacity project are more effective, for example, training officers in other service areas to work together with procurement staff. This may also include part funding for the NVQ CIPS programme.

   There will be a continuation of the Bath University MBA purchasing and supply module (South East Improvement & Efficiency Programme led) course. Authorities will be asked to nominate individuals for the MBA training course and the mentoring scheme.

   Further training needs around improving strategic understanding of procurement by Chief Executives, senior staff and members in authorities will be considered later in the programme.

   Potential authority funding: N/A - this is a centrally run programme. Subsidised courses/training opportunities will be advertised via the website and the biweekly newsletter. For further information contact the Smarter Procurement programme manager.
   Funding schedule:
   2008/9: £30,000
   2009/10:£40,000
   20010/11: £40,000
   

5. Communication - Dissemination of information on processes, experiences, best practice and lessons learned both from the programme and from other initiatives in the UK.By using a variety of different media, including regional networking events, site visits, newsletters, bulletins, case studies, e-forums, and the web (LIFT SW RIEP site) the communications programme will help to ensure programme benefits are realised and sustained.

   Potential authority funding: N/A - this is a centrally run programme. If authorities require support in any of these areas they should contact the Smarter Procurement programme manager in the first instance.
   Funding schedule:
   2008/9: £15,000
   2009/10:£20,000
   20010/11: £20,000