Changes to our frameworks in August

Welcome to our monthly framework update to help you with your procurement planning. We will publish it online each month and also share it in our newsletters and on our social media channels.

The update provides a brief summary of what has been awarded, extended or expired during the previous month. It also outlines what is due to expire in the next 3 months.

Frameworks awarded in August

  • No frameworks were awarded in August

Frameworks extended in August 

Please note: the expiry dates on the framework pages will be updated shortly

Frameworks that expired in August 

  • No frameworks expired in August

Frameworks due to expire in the next 3 months

Further information

If you need further details about any of these frameworks please get in touch. 

If you don’t currently receive our monthly customer newsletter why not also subscribe to receive these updates and more directly to your inbox? Just fill in this short form.

Outsourcing transactional print and mail services led to a £1.6 million saving for the Student Loans Company

The requirement

In 2013 Student Loans Company (SLC) started a strategic programme of transformation. SLC started with an evaluation of the in-house facility providing transactional print and mail services, in order to explore outsourcing this function. SLC had never embarked on a business outsourcing on such a scale.

SLC print around 51 million images and produce and mail around 13.5 million packs per year with volumes that rise and fall with the academic intake. There are over 1,000 letter variants with data coming from 10 different systems. The letters are enclosed with one of 90 different envelope variants and 150 different inserts.

The long-term strategy of the project was to realise savings in the cost of staffing, technology and real estate while starting on a second phase transformation programme to simplify and rationalise complex processes.

Solution

SLC made the decision to use Lot 2 of our RM3785 Managed Print and Digital Solutions framework. The framework covers managed print products and services, including pre-production services, such as photo-retouching, secure printing, scanning, direct mail, storage and distribution.

Through the framework, Williams Lea proposed a solution delivered from a key operation centre in Livingston, West Lothian, which meant they could offer those getting made redundant the option to be considered for transfer to Williams Lea.

Williams Lea has championed continuous full-colour white paper Jetstream inkjet production for much of the transactional production, this method is very cost-effective and efficient while offering a fit for purpose quality of output.

The commercial proposal was formed to offer a scale of fees depending on the volume transacted through Williams Lea. This allows SLC to manage their future budgeting as they consider moving some communication to digital channels and with the introduction of any new products.

Williams Lea also arranged the sourcing of all raw materials including paper and envelopes. 

 They were able to offer a wide range of associated services available as part of a core print requirement providing a total print solution including Hybrid Mail and digital options.

Williams Lea manages the operational delivery of print requirements including supply chain sourcing and management through a designated Account Management Team based on supplier premises.  

Outcome

The services successfully went live in November 2014 following three phases of implementation. A flexible unit rate model gives SLC surety of pricing as well as protection if volumes increase or decrease.

The average pack price fell by 19.6% , which led to an estimated total of £1.3million in savings in the first year versus 2013/2014 budgeted total cost of ownership. The associated cost savings came through standardisation, rationalisation and aggregation of demand through Mailmark, Supply Chain Management and File Consolidation.

SLC benefited from this by bringing greater efficiency to the end-to-end process, including:

  • improved forecasting and reporting
  • adopting the most cost efficient method for automatic mail sortation
  • support to rebuild problematic letter templates
  • continual investment in production and infrastructure technologies
  • introduction of MailMark to benefit from reduced downstream mailing charges

This supported the SLC long-term strategy of the project in helping to realise savings in the cost of staffing, technology and real estate.

Let us bring power to your procurement

Our Print Management services framework offers the public sector an alternative to in-house services.

To find out how we can help you:

Discover how to use fire-resistant materials safely in your construction projects

There has never been a greater focus on the use of fire-resistant materials in the UK construction market. Since the wake of Grenfell, much legislation has been enacted and, of immediate importance to the building materials industry, was the establishment of a Construction Products Regulator (CPR). 

At CCS, we have taken account of this and included this legislation and anything future related into the fabric of our construction agreements. Whilst the CPR is still very much in its infancy, its establishment will transform the supply and certification of building materials over the coming years. The first real change will be the passing of the Building Safety Bill which is expected at some point this year. 

Whilst we are waiting for that bill to pass, we should consider other fire risks highlighted in inspections post-Grenfell, outlined in the article Post-Grenfell Inspections. Many risks with fire resistant materials involve cladding but the problems go beyond that with incorrect compartmentation, incorrectly fitted cavity barriers, lack of fire alarms and inadequate fire protection in the building frames.

It should be remembered that residential fires remain the number one cause of fire related deaths in the UK. In light of this the UK government introduced the Fire Safety Act 2021.

What safety measures should you take when using fire-resistant materials? 

Passive fire protection

This includes fire-resistant glass, fire doors, insulated walls and drywall. Whilst many see the primary purpose of fire doors as a means of escape, they are a crucial part of any building’s compartmentation strategy. When reinforcing them with either intumescent strips or a cold smoke seal, valuable minutes are added to fire resistance. The range of doors typically provides additional fire-resistant time of between 30 minutes to 1 hour although longer is possible.

Insulated walls can provide excellent fire suppression and this should be investigated thoroughly before deciding on your solution. This insulation can be battens, a blanket of mineral wool, fibreglass or stone wool insulation to achieve greater passive fire protection. Many of these solutions must be included at the initial build stage.

Whilst cavity walls are widely used to control moisture and to provide insulation they also pose a fire risk if due consideration is not given to cavity barriers or insulation.

A revision of the Fire Safety: Approved Document B outlines recommendations for buildings which states a cavity within a wall is acceptable so long as the wall is closed at the top and around any openings. Consideration must be given to the fire rating of any insulation boards and fire rated cavity closers.

Spray applied fireproofing, also known as sprayed fire-resistive material (SFRM), can be used as part of a building’s passive fireproofing strategy and can delay or prevent failure of steel and concrete structures exposed to high temperatures during a fire. Applied fireproofing is available as a wet or dry spray formula and can be troweled on. Modern formulas are asbestos-free.

Intumescent paints can be applied similarly and they provide between 30 to 120 minutes of fire protection depending on the specification and thickness of coatings. A large range of these paints are available via lot 4 of our Building Materials and Equipment framework, where we have leading paint suppliers in the UK. 

Flooring should be considered and consideration is given to BS 6853 and BS EN 13501-1 regarding flame retardants. Vinyl flooring is good for preventing the spread of fires and reducing hazards. Our flooring suppliers can provide fire-resistant flooring for most uses including commercial, residential or even industrial.

Active fire protection

Many active fire protection measures stray into the realms of construction activities, at which point you could use either our Construction Works and Associated Services (CWAS) framework or our Facilities Management framework. Measures could be fitting sprinkler systems or other methods of suppression and ventilation.

Looking specifically at building materials, the Greater Manchester High-Rise Task Force has recently imposed interim safety measures. These measures include additional fire alarms in high-rise buildings. You may want to consider this or even install combined fire/carbon monoxide alarms.

Through lot 1 of the Construction Works and Associated Services (CWAS) framework or our Facilities Management framework, you can procure fire extinguishers and associated fire fighting equipment. 

What support can our Building Materials and Equipment framework offer?

Through the 9 nine lots on our Building Materials and Equipment framework, there are many items that can be supplied, such as on lot 1, the one-stop-shop for the construction market, you can purchase the likes of spray fireproofing, fire resistant insulation, concrete, gypsum, stucco and bricks. You can also buy fire alarms and carbon dioxide monitors via lots 1 or via lot  3 – electrical products, where our specialist suppliers can sometimes add extra value. 

Similarly, as mentioned above, paint can be bought via lot 1 but lot 4 gives access to the UK market leaders in paint, offering in-depth specialist knowledge.

Let us bring power to procurement 

We understand that procurement can often be a complex process, particularly when finding the safety materials for your construction projects, that’s why our team of experts are on hand to guide you along your construction journey. 

All UK public sector bodies including NHS contracting authorities, local government, universities, charities and blue light services can use our construction frameworks.

 If you would like more information, please visit our website or get in touch to discuss your requirements:

A solution for the distribution of the Household Support Fund

The Voucher Schemes framework (RM6255) is available to help you quickly and efficiently set up voucher schemes to support citizens – particularly in times of need. It is very well suited to the distribution of the Household Support Fund, a central government fund to be used to support households in the most need with their food, energy and water bills. Advice from the Department for Work and Pensions states that local authorities “have the ability to deliver the scheme through a variety of routes including providing vouchers to households”.

The framework offers a fully managed service that includes the design, implementation and management of voucher schemes tailored to your specific needs – whether that is grocery or other retail vouchers for people in need or something simpler such as rewards for survey completions. Suppliers will work with you to put a scheme in place that meets the particular needs of you and your recipients. Local authorities are already using the framework to dispense vouchers for free school meals and fuel payments.

Why choose the framework?

Putting a voucher scheme in place through the framework has many advantages, including:

  • a fast and compliant route to market with a direct award option – a simple scheme can be set up in 2 to 3 weeks
  • discounts on the face value of the voucher based on the size and value of your scheme
  • no minimum scheme value required to use the framework
  • fast, secure voucher distribution 
  • vouchers are valid for a time period specified by you
  • unused or lost vouchers will be replaced or refunded
  • free helpline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

If you would like to offer vouchers for employee benefit, reward or recognition please take a look at our Employee Benefits framework (RM6133).

Let us bring power to your procurement

For more information on the framework and how to get started, visit the framework page on our website.

For further help, please get in touch:

  • call 0345 410 2222
  • email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk  
  • fill in our online form

You can also find a full list of all the commercial agreements we offer, alongside details of how we can help you build policy considerations into your procurement, in our interactive digital brochure.

Everything you need to know about postage price increases and how CCS can help

What is happening?

Royal Mail price increases will come into effect from 4 April 2022. This will increase the price of first class stamps by 10p (12%) to 95p. Second class stamps will also increase by 2p (3%) to 68p.

Why is this happening?

Royal Mail has outlined a number of factors for this considerable increase, including:

  • uncertainty experienced by the postal services market in recent times, suggesting a 60% reduction in letter volumes since the mid-2000s
  • the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the financial pressures on postal services
  • the growth in the number of delivery addresses it has to deliver to in order to fulfil its universal service
  • increases in fuel prices
  • changing customer needs, as well as the increase in online deliveries

How does this affect me and how can CCS help?

Public sector organisations are not exempt from the Royal Mail price increases.

We encourage you to consider, adapt and implement new ways of operating your posting practices to mitigate the tariff increase. These could include:

  • streamlining the amount of post you send
  • considering whether your mail output can be sent by second class
  • considering if you can apply a mailmark (a 2D barcode that can be scanned) to your mail output to further reduce the postage costs by making these items machine readable (see lots 1 and 2 of our Postal Goods, Services and Solutions framework)
  • reducing the size of your mail items, so that they fall into a ‘letter’ size rather than a ‘large letter’ (see lot 3)
  • implementing a hybrid approach to your mailing choices: using traditional and digital services (see lot 7)
  • running a further competition for your mail services through our framework to get better value for money
  • considering changing to courier services with added benefits such as delivery tracking and no size restrictions (our Courier and Specialist Movements framework can help you with this)

At CCS we have a team of market experts who can help you to save money and develop your wider postal strategy. We have a range of solutions and services available through our Postal Goods, Services and Solutions framework.

Benefits of using our framework

Our framework provides you with access to a full range of postal goods, solutions and services, from traditional collection and delivery through to security screening, franking machines, mailroom equipment and international mail. There are also a range of inbound and outbound services available to help you to transition from a paper-based mailroom to a digital environment. This includes hybrid mail solutions that incorporate new technologies and innovation. In addition to postal services, the framework offers audits, efficiency reviews and consultancy services to help you develop your complete postal services strategy.

By using the framework, you can expect savings of between 4% and 30% depending on where you are on your customer journey and the services you currently use.

With 36 suppliers on this framework, you have the choice to run a further competition to add greater value for money or direct award to a supplier of your choice. Our customer guidance document on our webpage will give you a step-by-step guide on how to buy through CCS and our team is also here to help.

Find out more

To find out more about our postal framework:

You can find a full list of all the commercial agreements we offer, alongside details of how we can help you build policy considerations into your procurement, in our interactive digital brochure.

The rising cost of living: how employee benefits can support staff

The rising cost of living could have a significant impact on your employees, our Employee Benefits framework may be able to help.

One of our suppliers, Edenred, offers a digital reward and recognition scheme through our Employee Benefits framework. They recently surveyed 2,000 UK employees and found that 38% would like help from their employer to improve financial wellbeing. Many worry that salaries are not keeping up with the cost of living.

But it is not just finances that worry employees. Employees would also like support with their mental and physical wellbeing.

How can you support your employees?

The survey demonstrates that UK employees would like training on money management. You could provide this with workshops and webinars. You could also review your reward and benefits schemes and consider expanding them, even in a small way.

You may currently offer gym membership, childcare vouchers or a cycle to work scheme. But you could also consider technology and smartphone discounts, or a green car scheme – helping your employees make the long-term transition to lower cost travel.

While these benefits are not the answer to severe financial problems, they may help the mental, physical and financial wellbeing of your staff. These small changes could form a key part of your employee support strategy.

Our Employee Benefits framework includes benefits such as a green car scheme, childcare vouchers and a cycle-to-work scheme. You can access the extensive range of benefits from one central online platform.

You can find out more about these benefits you from the Employee Benefits framework page on our website.

Read the full report on employee trends to find out what support your employees need and action points every business needs to take this year.

Get help buying for schools

‘Get help buying for schools’ is a free and impartial service, delivered directly by the Department for Education (DfE), to help you buy goods and services for your school. 

Since 2018 the DfE has been running 2 pilot school buying hubs, one in the North-West and one in the South-West of England. The learning from these pilots over the last 4 years has provided the DfE with valuable insight which has informed the development of the new service.

How can ‘get help buying for schools’ help me?

From 1 February all state funded schools and trusts can access advice and guidance on buying goods and services through a DfE approved framework.

From  summer this year schools will also be able to get advice for any route to market through the service, as well as ongoing support to help run a procurement process themselves. And, if a school or trust needs extra support, the service can undertake the buying process on their behalf, either through a framework or with quotes or bids through an appropriate buying process.

How do I access ‘get help buying for schools?’

Some schools will already be familiar with find a framework, which lists the 52 DfE approved frameworks for schools and explains the benefits of using them.

There are a wide range of goods and services available through DfE approved frameworks, from furniture, ICT and catering. Schools can choose from a variety of GCA (formerly CCS) frameworks including Supply Teachers and Temporary Staff, Education Technology and Office Supplies. Each of the frameworks has been approved for use by schools by the DfE, based on the quality of service and value they provide. Using frameworks also ensures that schools are buying goods and services in a legally compliant way.

Schools can request advice and guidance with buying goods and services by clicking the ‘request advice and guidance’ link at the bottom of each find a framework webpage where you will be asked to complete a few details.  Your request will then be sent through to the ‘get help buying for schools’ procurement team.

Let us bring power to your procurement

For regular updates about how DfE supports schools to make the most of non-staff spend, follow Buying for Schools on LinkedIn or sign up to follow the buying for schools blog.

To discover more about the work we do at GCA to support schools and academies, please visit our website. Or to speak to a member of our expert team, please complete our online form or call us on: 0345 410 2222. 

Changes to our agreements in February

Welcome to our monthly framework update to help you with your procurement planning. We will publish it online each month and also share it in our newsletters and on our social media channels.

The update provides a brief summary of what has been awarded, extended or expired during the previous month. It also outlines what is due to expire in the next 3 months.

You can also get an overview of all of our live frameworks in our interactive digital brochure.

Agreements awarded in February  

Agreements extended in February

Agreements that expired in February 

Agreements due to expire in the next 3 months

Further information

If you need further details about any of these agreements please get in touch.

You can also find out what new procurements we are working on by exploring our upcoming deals page.

If you don’t currently receive our monthly customer newsletter why not also subscribe to receive these updates and more directly to your inbox? Just fill in this short form.

Strategic financing for a strong future

With tight budgets a fact of life across the public sector, upgrading your organisation’s assets – such as technology, fleet, or building infrastructure – may be low on your list of priorities. 

However, this sort of investment can be essential for the continued delivery of world-class public services. New assets may also help you meet policy objectives, such as reducing your carbon footprint. 

The move to electric vehicles is just one example of the many types of asset upgrade that can benefit your organisation. 

Electric vehicles have fewer components and so there are less repairs. Diesel and petrol are also much more expensive than electric so, by investing in electric vehicles, you save on maintenance, you save on the cost of fuel and you also benefit from improved operational effectiveness with your fleet spending less time off the road. 

Considering the funding options

While it is clear that upgrading your assets can be beneficial, both operationally and from a long-term financial perspective, the challenge, especially in the current climate, is funding these investments. 

Often buying an asset outright may not be viable because of limited budget or it may not be the most cost-effective option. If this is the case, considering other funding options, such as leasing, might be helpful.

This is why we have developed a new commercial solution to help organisations access the right financing options, for a wide range of asset types.

The twin commercial solution: a choice of route to market

Our new solution consists of a framework (RM6146) for accessing specialist leasing advisors and a separate funding platform in the form of a Leasing and Loans Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). This provides direct access to lenders, offering a range of leasing arrangements and loans. 

The 2 solutions can be used independently or jointly to suit your needs. 

This choice promotes value for money. You can contract directly with lenders when an advisory service is not required, but, if you have a complex project, advice is available under this framework.

Here are just a few of the benefits of our asset finance solutions offer: 

Standardised terms and conditions

One of the challenges when considering finance options, particularly an operating lease, is evaluating proposals for leasing arrangements which are priced against a different set of terms and conditions from each supplier. The terms and conditions can affect the costs over the lifetime of the asset which complicates a pricing evaluation. 

We invested in producing bespoke terms and conditions to be used for all call-off agreements on our DPS. The terms were developed by a CCS appointed asset finance specialist law firm, in conjunction with suppliers in the marketplace and the leasing trade body, to ensure their suitability and fairness.

These terms and conditions differ from similar routes to market. Their key benefit is the simplified process for putting a lease in place. They also promote fair competition and transparency as suppliers who bid at further competition will be pricing against standard terms and conditions. 

Direct access to a wide range of lenders 

The DPS has been designed to attract a wide range of funders to deliver value for money through healthy and fair competition. We have developed the solution through multiple rounds of market engagement to ensure there is strong appetite for opportunities in the supply market. 

Specialist leasing advice when you need it

It can be  a complex process to determine the most cost-effective option when acquiring a new asset. 

The advisors on our Leasing Advisory Services framework can run options appraisals to identify the best option, while considering the whole life cost of the asset and your objectives. 

Our leasing advisors can also run an end-to-end procurement for you. This is often the preferred option for complex procurements

Cash savings on existing leases

Portfolio Reviews are also offered under this framework. A leasing advisor will review your portfolio of leases and identify where you can restructure lease arrangements and make savings.

This service is provided on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. You will only pay for the advisor’s services if they are able to generate savings for your organisation. 

We’re here to help 

If you have a lease portfolio where you would like to make savings, or you are exploring financing options for new assets, then please:

Helping you solve the public sector debt challenge

In spring 2020, in direct response to the coronavirus, the UK Government unveiled huge packages of support to lessen the impact of the virus on individuals and businesses. 

As these schemes wind down, levels of debt in the United Kingdom are expected to rise. For many public sector organisations, this is set against a backdrop of declining revenues from tax and business rates while the repayment of overpaid benefits and unpaid fines has also stagnated. 

As we begin to build back better, every pound is precious. The public sector must recover what is legitimately owed, generating much-needed income and providing the taxpayer with value for money. But it must be done in a manner that is fair to debtors who may be vulnerable or in hardship.

To help you strike this balance, we offer a range of innovative debt recovery solutions that, since their inception in 2015, have put £2.5 billion back in the public purse. 

Here to help you strike the balance 

At CCS, we recognise that value for money and commercial returns are a critical part of debt recovery.

We make this happen by offering access to a range of proven debt-related solutions, including:

  • managed panels of expert debt collection agencies currently delivering a ROI of £15 recovered for every £1 spent
  • skilled litigators
  • insolvency services
  • direct access to best in-class enforcement agents
  • access to managed enforcement service providers who can take the hassle out of managing procurements and simplifying your supplier management requirements

In the current climate – where every pound and every hour is precious – underpinning recoveries with the use of data and analytics is a proven way to reduce waste and increase ROI. 

To facilitate this, we offer easy access to a full cycle of data solutions to run a range of analysis and segmentation processes. This means you can direct your spend at worthwhile debt portfolios, increase the likelihood of successful collections by targeting those that can afford to pay and support the most vulnerable. 

This is in addition to standard credit checks, affordability assessments, and a range of fraud and error tools. 

Our solutions are also future-proofed, taking into account the many recent innovations in the area including digitisation, open-banking and vulnerability identification.

Fair and affordable recoveries

Not only do our customers see excellent commercial returns, they can use our services with confidence they’re doing the right thing. We abide by fairness principles, we also ensure that our solutions are aligned with central policy, such as delivering on social value. 

We are acutely aware that agreeing to pragmatic debt repayment solutions could help save individuals from crisis or a struggling business and the livelihoods that depend on it.   

For this reason, we work closely with a number of charities, including StepChange Debt Charity and Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, seeking their advice and guidance on current best practice within the debt market. We’re extremely proud that a number of charities have endorsed the solutions we offer.

Let’s see how much you can recover

The market expects the number of citizens and businesses in problem debt to increase, potentially forcing a huge increase in the number of your customers falling into problem debt, and therefore a surge in demand for services and advice.