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Welcome to the merged National Advisory Group (NAG) and SOPO (Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government) e-bulletin. Feel free to circulate this email to your colleagues and suggest that they sign up to receive it themselves. This bulletin is delivered through our corporate communications service through which you can create or manage your subscriptions and read previous editions of this bulletin.
Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework (CCIAF)
The Cabinet Office has been engaging with the LGA, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the wider local government working group, to better align the Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework (CCIAF) with the National Procurement Policy Statement. We are delighted to inform you that updated versions have been published of the Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework (which helps to drive continuous improvement in commercial practices across the public sector) and the Government Functional Standard – GovS 008 Commercial (which provides context for the framework). The documents have been co-authored by the Cabinet Office, the NHS, and the LGA. They can be used by any public sector organisation to benchmark its commercial capability.
Use of these documents is not compulsory; however, the functional standards were mandated for central Government departments in September 2021. If you have any questions relating to the CCIAF, the scoring tool or the Functional Standard, please email commercialstandards@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
The Government Commercial College has produced a guidance video on the self-assessment process.
New employment status guidance
The Government has announced new employment status guidance to provide businesses, individuals and other groups (including those in the gig economy) with a better understanding of which employment status they fall into for employment rights (including pay, leave and working conditions). The guidance also references updated guidance on calculating the minimum wage which outlines what counts as working time for National Minimum Wage purposes in the gig economy.
Digital Construction Working Group
The Digital Construction Working Group was created in 2022 to support local authorities to overcome preconceived obstacles related to various new ways of digital working in construction, procurement and supply chain services and programmes. The primary aim of the group is to raise awareness of best practice and explore low-cost proof of concepts to establish recognition and awareness of these ways of working. The group meets bi-monthly and we are keen for representation from all regions in England, Wales and Scotland. If you are interested in joining the group, please email tom.denham@local.gov.uk
Potential expanded pilot of support for councils undertaking complex sourcing projects
The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is currently considering an expanded pilot of support for councils undertaking complex sourcing projects. If commissioned, the project would provide up to 30 days of consultancy support to 10 councils. The support would be delivered by Local Partnerships and be focused on adding value to complex sourcing projects, in line with The Sourcing Playbook. Participating councils would be expected to share learning from the project and engage with the Cabinet Office's behavioural insights team. The support would start in Autumn 2022 and would need to be completed by the end of the financial year. If your council has a complex sourcing project (either at the start or the end of the commercial life cycle) and would be interested in receiving support, please get in touch with sarah-joy.lewis@localpartnerships.gov.uk by Friday 12 August.
Transforming Public Procurement learning and development programme
Cabinet Office leads on the Transforming Public Procurement learning and development programme would like to ask council procurement officers to put themselves forward as ‘superusers’ for the forthcoming training. A superuser is a procurement professional who has completed the Transforming Public Procurement online learning and deep dives who have a clear understanding of the new procurement regime and who can provide strong leadership within their departments / organisations.
Superusers will support the learning and development programme by:
- identifying common challenges and issues when implementing the new regulations in their business unit
- gathering case studies, best practices and innovative approaches implemented in the organisation
- being a key problem-solver amongst the learning population (the eyes and ears on the ground), by being a visible advocate of the implementation
- championing the communities of practice
- where possible, presenting case studies on community of practice meet-ups.
If you are interested, please email procreformspocs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Buying Social Justice Through Procurement project – now on social media platforms
We’ve been supporting Queen Mary, University of London's Buying Social Justice Through Procurement project which is looking at:
- opportunities for advancing employment equality in public sector procurement
- different legal frameworks and policy approaches for social procurement.
The research will help to develop guidance, recommendations and practical toolkits to help the public sector to promote employment equality. Follow the project on LinkedIn and Twitter.
CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply) level 6 apprenticeship Trailblazer survey
Currently in England there is a level 4 commercial procurement and supply chain apprenticeship. Research undertaken last year suggested that there is a real need for an apprenticeship pathway beyond that level. The Trailblazer group is currently developing that apprenticeship at the moment, with a view to have a new apprenticeship ready to go live in the first part of 2023. The Trailblazer group has established that procurement is a discreet profession outside of the generic management apprenticeship. We are now looking to establish whether the apprenticeship should mandate the level 6 CIPS qualification within it. CIPS would like those who work in the procurement profession to complete its survey on mandating level 6 CIPS qualification into the new Procurement Apprenticeship by Friday 19 August.
Free LGA training on retrofit action plans
Are you a council officer tasked with delivering your council's ambitions for retrofit? Our retrofit action plan training programme brings together officers of all levels to support them with developing the tools, skills, opportunities and capabilities required to help grow the retrofit sector in their region. If you have any questions, please see our FAQs, and if you cannot find the answer please email us at climate@local.gov.uk
Apply for our retrofit action plan training by Friday 9 September.
Sustainable procurement webinar
Tuesday 13 September, 10.00am–11.30am | Zoom
Procuring and Supplying Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) Unconference
Wednesday 12 October, 10:00am–4:00pm | techUK, 10 Saint Bride Street, London EC4A 4AD
The LGA Procurement team manages several LGA webpages dedicated to your needs. Please email guy.head@local.gov.uk if you would like any information added to our webpages:
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