Crown Commercial Service announces partnership with key buying organisations to strengthen procurement of temporary workers in schools

The partnership with Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO), Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), and North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) marks a significant step forward for the Supply Teachers and Temporary Staffing (STaTS) agreement and will contribute to the continued delivery of exceptional support and procurement expertise to the education sector.

The STaTS agreement currently offers the following benefits to your organisation: 

  • background screening of workers and safeguarding that complies with Department for Education (DfE) Keeping Children Safe in Education standards
  • option, after 12 weeks in post, to transfer a temporary worker to a permanent role at no extra cost (subject to 4 weeks notice)
  • compliance with Public Contracts Regulations 2015
  • consistent pre-negotiated terms and conditions
  • transparency of costs: you can see how much the worker is getting paid each day and how much the agency or supplier is charging
  • access to dedicated support from the category teams at CCS, YPO, ESPO and NEPO
  • completely free-to-use service

What does the new partnership mean for schools?

Over the past 5 years, we’ve worked to improve knowledge of the procurement of temporary workers in schools, and this partnership underscores our commitment to its success. By bringing together our collective strengths, we hope to further the impact of the STaTS agreement and provide even more value to the education sector, framework users, and our suppliers.

For example, additional step-by-step support will now be available to all customers to enable them to more easily identify the most cost-effective solution for their school. Further robust and efficient analysis of spend will also be carried out so that we can continue to add considerable commercial value and use our aggregated strength to control market rates.

Clemmie Smith, Deputy Director, Health & Education Workforce at CCS, said:

CCS is committed to supporting its customers across the public sector. We have worked with the education sector to develop an agreement focused on the needs of schools, enabling access to supply teachers and temporary staff with the right skills, qualifications and compliance checks and at transparent rates. This new and innovative partnership with ESPO, YPO and NEPO means that we can provide even better support across the country, ensuring more schools prosper from the excellent benefits the agreement offers.

Agnieszka Gajli MCIPS, Strategic Procurement Manager – Professional Services at YPO, said:

We’re proud of our strategic alliance with CCS, ESPO and NEPO. As public sector buying organisations, we share the same vision of helping support and deliver the best service to the education sector. Recruitment is a high challenge that the sector is currently facing and by collaborating with others we’re able to meet the changing needs of the sector and bring greater flexibility through the solution.

Through this partnership, we’re not only combining resources but also multiplying our capabilities. Together, CCS, YPO, ESPO, and NEPO are able to offer comprehensive, end to end support to framework users.

Richard Skelton, Procurement Service Manager at ESPO, commented:

ESPO is proud to be part of this collaboration and with four framework providers now joining forces, there will be even more opportunity to provide our customers with more support, helping them to save money and demonstrate spend transparency.

The agreement has already supported almost 3,500 customers, with combined commercial benefits of over £8.6 million – we hope to help even more framework users realise these benefits by using the agreement. With the partnerships in place and resources quadrupled, we’re in a great position to make this ambition a reality.

Joanne Leask, Procurement Manager at NEPO, said:

This is an exciting partnership that will help ensure the education sector continues to benefit from high quality, qualified teaching staff at short turnaround times. This solution will help address the challenges the sector faces whilst delivering benefits across the country. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues at CCS, YPO and ESPO to deliver a solution that works for all our customers.

Find out more

Find out more about the STaTS agreement on our website, or read some real life examples of how the framework has supported schools already.

With the continued growth of the agreement, we’re in a great position to build on the successes of the last 5 years.

Whether you’re an individual school, a Multi-Academy Trust, a local authority or any other educational establishment, we’re keen to discuss how this agreement can help. Together, we can ensure a compliant, robust route to market for schools and academies.

To hear more about the agreement and how it can support your organisation, please register for our free webinar in conjunction with the Department for Education Buying for Schools team, where we’ll be discussing the framework and the partnerships in more detail.

For more information, contact the CCS Service Desk at info@crowncommercial.gov.uk or 0345 410 2222.

How your buying decisions can help put an end to modern slavery

NB: This article was originally published on 3 November 2023. All information was correct at the time of writing, but may not be fully applicable following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023.

What is modern slavery?

Around the world, right now, millions of innocent men, women and children are being forced into various forms of modern slavery. Evidence suggests that the risk of modern slavery affects every industry, from electronics to agriculture, manufacturing, construction, and transportation.

There are many different types of modern slavery and it’s often used as an umbrella term. Some of the forms of modern slavery are:

  • human trafficking: the act of recruiting, transporting, or transferring a person through coercive means for the purpose of exploitation
  • forced labour: work or service taken from a person under the menace of a penalty and for which the person has not offered themselves voluntarily
  • debt bondage: a worker pledging their labour or the labour of others under their control as security for a debt; when either the real value of the work undertaken is never applied to repayment of the debt, or the length and nature of the work that must be undertaken is never fully defined or limited
  • sale and exploitation of children: the sale and exploitation of children involves situations where children are transferred by one person to another for remuneration or other consideration

Eradicating modern slavery in public sector supply chains – the challenges

Modern slavery is so pervasive that it is likely to exist in the supply chains of the goods and services purchased by governments across the globe, from the technology we buy to the construction projects we fund.

Within the UK public sector supply network there are tens of thousands of suppliers, many of whom have complex global supply chains, making effective oversight difficult to achieve, especially in the lower tiers of subcontracting. But, with gross spending on public sector procurement totalling £379 billion in 2021/22 across the UK, the public sector can use its extensive buying power to help mitigate the risks of modern slavery occurring in its supply chain.

What the law currently says

Public sector suppliers must comply with all the applicable human rights and employment laws as set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Under the act, procurement regulations have been amended to make certain modern slavery offences, such as child labour and human trafficking, grounds for the mandatory exclusion of bidders from public procurements. Section 54 includes provisions that make suppliers accountable for slavery and labour abuses in their whole operations, including their supply chains.

Suppliers who have a turnover of £36 million (or more) and carry out their business (or part of their business) in the UK are required to publish a modern slavery statement on their website and update it annually. The statement must include details of their organisation’s modern slavery policies and due diligence processes, and provide details of the steps taken to assess and manage any risks in their business and supply chains.

On 13 February 2023, the Cabinet Office published a new Procurement Policy Note (PPN) dealing with modern slavery in Government supply chains. Procurement Policy Note 02/23 looks at how contracting authorities can tackle the issue of modern slavery in their supply chains. Cabinet Office has also published a guidance note to accompany the PPN.

The PPN applies to all central government departments and their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies and NHS bodies (In-Scope Organisations). All In-Scope Organisations must apply the actions set out in the PPN to both existing contracts and new procurement activities from 1 April this year. Other public sector contracting authorities are also encouraged to apply the approach set out in the PPN.

PPN 02/23 sets out 4 key areas of activity for buyers to prevent modern slavery in supply chains: identifying and managing risks in new procurements; assessing existing contracts; taking action when victims of modern slavery are identified; and training.

Identifying and managing risks in new procurements

A robust approach to pre-procurement activity will ensure that modern slavery risks are appropriately identified and mitigated at the earliest stage.

As a starting point, organisations should consider which category of risk their procurement falls under, using the PPN 02/23 guidance note. For example, certain industry areas, including construction, manufacturing and electronics, and healthcare and social care, are identified as being high-risk. To better understand where your organisation may be at particular risk The Responsible Sourcing Tool is a good first step.

Using the example of construction, local authorities undertake a significant volume of construction work ranging from repair and maintenance programmes to major refurbishment and new build projects across various sectors including schools, social care, housing, infrastructure and highways. Construction workers, particularly those provided by agencies, can be vulnerable through a range of factors, such as the absence of proper contracts or terms and conditions. This can sometimes result in non-payment of minimum wage or holiday pay and a general lack of employment protections. To add an extra layer of complexity and risk, for the majority of construction contracts procured across the public sector, buyers are often not directly involved in the procurement of subcontractors. These are carried out by the prime contractors and the supply chain tiers beneath them, potentially exposing workers to unethical practices.

In the case of a new, high risk construction procurement, considerations at specification, evaluation and award stage could include:

  • have the Social Value Model Themes and Outcomes been considered? Have you tested this with the market to ensure it is not burdensome or likely to deter SMEs/VCSEs from bidding?
  • have bidders been asked more detailed questions on how they will address the requirements set out in the specification. For example, where subcontractors are used, bidders should be asked how the supply chain will be managed and monitored for modern slavery supply chain risks (such as paying workers below minimum wage) and their action plans for tackling cases as they arise.
  • how will you verify that there are no offences or evidence of modern slavery which give rise to grounds for exclusion from the procurement? For example, have you carried out your supplier due diligence? Crown Commercial Service (CCS – now GCA) has worked with Home Office and Cabinet Office to develop a dedicated modern slavery assessment tool (MSAT), which provides a focused and detailed question set that asks organisations to provide answers and evidence relating to the due diligence processes that are in place within the organisation and its supply chain.

Assess existing contracts

At this stage it’s crucial to check if the terms and conditions of the contract have been set out. Do they meet your needs to address risks of modern slavery? Again, using the example of a local authority construction project, where relevant, you should set out your rights to conduct site visits, audits and/or receive management information. Other considerations include:

  • agree KPIs including actions to identify modern slavery
  • contract management meetings: review performance and embed continuous improvement, using tools such as the MSAT to assist.

Taking action

Action should always be taken by public sector buyers when instances of modern slavery and human rights abuses have been uncovered in the supply chain, but contracting authorities should work openly and proactively with suppliers to try to resolve issues and change working practices collaboratively.

Terminating a contract is often not the best course of action as it can leave victims more vulnerable.

Training

All commercial staff involved in managing contracts should be given appropriate training. This will help to raise awareness of the issues and identify risks and ensure that suspected instances of modern slavery are handled correctly.

As part of Government’s efforts to tackling modern slavery in global supply chains, the Home Office’s Modern Slavery Unit and Joint Security and Resilience Centre have produced an e-learning course, available on the Government Commercial College website, for public sector commercial staff on the practical steps they can take throughout the commercial lifecycle to identify and mitigate modern slavery risks.

How GCA is helping tackle modern slavery

At GCA (formerly CCS) we want our customers to be able to use our commercial agreements with the assurance that we use the best due diligence methods available to us. Find out more about how we’re helping customers tackle the modern slavery risk in their supply chains.

CCS provides a further £2 million of funding to enable the continued development of the Contract Management Pioneer Programme to support local government

Working in collaboration with Local Partnerships, the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Government Commercial Function (GCF), we’ve provided a further £2 million to the wider programme, which supports the Government’s agenda of investing in capability by ensuring that contracting authorities are able to effectively manage the key stages of commercial delivery.

Since it was launched in November 2021, approximately 400 learners from 56 councils who are required to manage contracts as part of their duties have commenced training on the programme. CCS support will enable many more commercial procurement colleagues to receive training over the coming year. 

The Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) is managed in collaboration with Local Partnerships,  Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the LGA. Training is delivered through the Cabinet Office and the GCF.

From October 2023, the CMPP will be co-delivered by DLUHC and Local Partnerships, a public sector consultancy owned by the LGA, Welsh government and HM Treasury.

The councils and learners already on the CMPP will continue to work towards their accreditation, attend networks and support transformation work as normal.

Local Partnerships will be responsible for onboarding new councils and new learners onto the programme and DLUHC will continue to manage the progress of councils and learners onboarded onto the programme before July 2023.

David Bemrose, Crown Commercial Service’s Head of Account Strategy for Local Government says: 

We are delighted to continue our collaborative work with Local Partnerships, the Cabinet Office and the LGA to invest in and build commercial capability across the sector. We look forward to continuing the expansion of this programme in the coming years to further help councils build and retain skills and capability to drive better outcomes.

Emily Chomicz, Corporate Procurement Manager, Procurement & Contracts | Directorate of Resources at Reading Borough Council says:

The CMPP has been an excellent CPD opportunity for Reading Borough Council as part of our evolution of the procurement and contract management activity across all categories of spend. The different levels in the programme have allowed us to support different grades of officers to develop their own knowledge and understanding of the importance and practice of good contract management, helping us to deliver better value from our contracts and improve governance council wide

Developing commercial capability

Boosting the commercial capability of the public sector is at the heart of the Government’s National Procurement Policy Statement.

The statement requires all contracting authorities to consider whether they have the right policies and processes in place to manage the key stages of commercial delivery it sets out, where relevant to their procurement portfolio.

The 56 councils with learners currently on the programme have benefitted from training that helps inform and drive organisational change around contract management. Identifying good practice, sharing evidence-led best practice, and embedding stronger behaviours for local authorities that manage contracts worth billions of pounds every year. 

The programme

The aim of this programme is to enhance skills and capabilities across the sector through:

  • offering funded training opportunities for commercial colleagues on the practitioner-level accreditation course
  • inviting each council to take part in a Learners Network and an SRO Network to build a community of practice for both learners and senior managers
  • a commitment to applying the principles learned and knowledge of good practice gained by the local authorities engaged in the programme back in the workplace, so as to make demonstrable improvements across the sector
  • direct contract management transformation support and organisational development from commercial specialists at Local Partnerships
  • evaluating the critical success factors of, and improvements made through, participation in the programme

You can find more resources about our work to support local government on our website. To speak to a member of our expert team, please call us on 0345 410 2222.

Digital Outcomes 6 framework extension

What is happening?

The Digital Outcomes 6 (DOS 6) framework agreement is going to be extended.  The DOS 6 framework will now expire on 27 June 2025. 

Why is the DOS 6 agreement being extended?

The extension will maintain service provision so customers can continue buying the services they need.  The extension will also facilitate the development of a replacement framework that delivers the optimal customer and supplier experience.

When will the replacement agreement for DOS 6 go live?

In due course, we will provide further updates on the replacement framework, including anticipated go-live dates.

Advice for customers 

What should current/prospective customers of DOS 6 do now?

DOS 6 will be available until 27 June 2025 therefore, no further action is required. 

When and how will CCS communicate further on this?

Further updates will be posted on the relevant agreement web pages and through CCS’ usual channels, including customer newsletters.

Advice for suppliers

What should current suppliers of DOS 6 do now?

CCS will issue a contract variation through Gov.Notify to all DOS 6 suppliers. The variation notice is issued for information only therefore, no further action is required.   Unless we hear otherwise, we assume that suppliers are content with the variation.

When and how will CCS communicate further on this?

Further updates will be posted on the relevant agreement web pages.

Digital Specialists and Programmes framework extension

The Digital Specialists and Programmes (DSP) framework agreement will be extended.  The DSP framework will now expire on 07 March 2025. 

Why is the DSP agreement being extended?

The extension will maintain service provision so customers can continue buying the services they need.  The extension will also facilitate development of a replacement framework that delivers the optimal customer and supplier experience.

When will the replacement agreement for DSP go live?

In due course, we will provide further updates on the replacement framework, including anticipated go-live dates.

Advice for customers 

What should current/prospective customers of DSP do now?

DSP will be available until 7 March 2025 therefore, no further action is required. 

When and how will CCS communicate further on this?

Further updates will be posted on the relevant agreement web pages and through CCS’ usual channels, including customer newsletters. 

Advice for suppliers

What should current suppliers of DSP do now?

CCS will issue a contract variation through Gov.Notify to all DSP suppliers. The variation notice is issued for information only therefore, no further action is required.   Unless we hear otherwise, we assume that suppliers are content with the variation.

When and how will CCS communicate further on this?

Further updates will be posted on the relevant agreement web pages.

Customer newsletter for October

Welcome to our monthly newsletter.

Read the October issue of our customer newsletter.

If you don’t currently receive our monthly customer newsletter, you can sign up by completing this short form. Each month, we’ll send you our latest news stories and case studies, as well as information on upcoming aggregation opportunities, events, webinars and much more.

You will 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.

Our new ‘sustainable’ technology products and services agreement launched

Technology Products and Associated Services 2 [RM6098] builds and expands on the success of the previous iteration of the agreement, which is due to expire in December 2023. 

The scope has been enhanced to incorporate new and future technologies alongside key elements such as sustainability options, sector specific lots for health and education, an off-the-shelf catalogue, and standalone services for supporting technology.

The agreement is a consolidation of three CCS frameworks (Technology Products and Associated Services, Education Technology and Technology Online Purchasing Content). This means that, for the first time, public sector organisations can procure their technology devices and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software in one place from CCS. It will continue to deliver value and provide public sector customers with a flexible, quick and compliant way to buy all their technology product and services requirements, including end user devices, technology infrastructure, network and security devices, peripherals as well as their software needs. 

There will be a much stronger focus on sustainability under this agreement, including the introduction of a dedicated Lot for recycling, data wiping and secure disposal. It also includes suppliers focussing on extending product life cycles, giving public sector access to refurbished and remanufactured products and services specialising in upgrading existing equipment to extend the usable life. 

Significant improvements have also been made to customers’ buying options, providing alternate ways to buy and specific guidance on leasing, utility, and “as a service” models. This gives buyers opportunities to fund and simplify the procurement process, for example they will have the option to pay only for what they use or spread the payments, saving on initial outlay costs. 

172 suppliers have been awarded a place on Technology Products and Associated Services 2. The agreement is expected to go live on 31 October 2023 and run for an initial term of 30 months with the option to extend by a further 18 months. 

Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Technology Procurement Officer, Crown Commercial Service says: 

This agreement offers public sector customers a new sustainable solution to their IT requirements through refurbished hardware combined with additional services. Moving towards circular IT and reducing the environmental impact plays a crucial role in the path towards carbon net zero.

The new agreement also aims to build on the progress made by CCS on making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to become suppliers, levelling the playing field and supporting the government’s agenda.

Innovations

  • expanded scope to encompass the full market offering to further improve upon our “one stop shop” framework strategy
  • the new structure reduces the need for customers to separate their technology requirements across multiple agreements. Three technology agreements have been consolidated and reduced down to one
  • all suppliers are automatically added to Lot 8 (catalogue), making it quicker and easier for them to upload products and for customers to purchase low value items
  • the new agreement aims to build on the progress made in making it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises to become suppliers. It includes 172 suppliers, these are made up of sector specific suppliers, value adding resellers, OEMs, market leaders and SMEs

Lotting structure

The lots will comprise of (all of which include services):

Lot 1 – Hardware and Software

Lot 2 – Hardware

Lot 3 – Software

Lot 4 – Information Assured Technology

Lot 5 – Health and Social Care Technology

Lot 6 – Education Technology

Lot 7 – Sustainability and Circular I.T.

Lot 8 – Technology Catalogue 

Find out more

To find out more about Technology Products and Associated Services 2 visit the agreement webpage or contact the CCS Service Desk at info@crowncommercial.gov.uk or 0345 410 2222.

Don’t forget, 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.

Changes to our agreements in September

Welcome to our monthly agreement 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 agreements in our interactive digital brochure.

Agreements awarded in September

No agreements were awarded in September.

Agreements extended in September

Agreements that expired in September

No agreements expired in September.

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.

Crown Commercial Service announces a new Memorandum of Understanding with Cisco, offering a discounted baseline on products

This gives public sector organisations access to an extensive portfolio of IT solutions.

The new MoU will give access to solutions that help to improve security, enable faster digital acceleration and deliver more value for money to the public sector.

It covers all areas of Cisco’s portfolio including cyber security, digital transformation, critical infrastructure and hybrid working enablement with, software solutions and collaboration tools, including Webex solutions, which provides a high quality video and calling experience.

Every eligible public sector organisation can benefit from the value for money this MoU represents. This ranges from central government to the wider public sector, for example Local Authorities (LAs) and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs).

Along with offering competitive rates and discounts, the new MoU will make it easier for public sector organisations to buy, consume and manage technology purchases relating to security services. For example, customers will have access to a suite of security solutions including Cisco Talos – a commercial threat intelligence network and Secure Firewall – which helps organisations close gaps in their security architecture and recover from breaches. A limited number of free cyber assessments will be made available through the MoU to enable them to explore the benefits of Cisco technology in critical areas of their infrastructure.

Simplifying the technology buying experience

In working together with Cisco CCS recognises the value in identifying commonly bought Cisco technology across the public sector and forming bundles which will simplify the purchasing process, drive additional commercial benefits for all parties and start to move towards greater standardisation.

Additionally, CCS customers can benefit from Cisco’s digital skills acceleration programme, helping to stimulate skills within government. The comprehensive training programme aligns with the work of the new Digital Skills Council and Government Skills Campus. 

Philip Orumwense CBE, Commercial Director and Chief Technology Procurement Officer at CCS explains: 

The new MoU with Cisco will give the government and the wider public sector access tocompetitive rates and discounts, allowing them to maximise commercial benefits whilst enabling our cyber security capabilities. Moreover, Cisco’s digital skills acceleration
programme will help improve public service capability and expertise. MoU’s allow all public sector customers to be treated as one customer and to benefit from discounts based on aggregated spend.

For example: an NHS Trust or local authority can now access discounts previously reserved for large government departments.” MoUs are a preferential pricing agreement negotiated by CCS on behalf of the public sector and are available to all eligible public sector customers through any route to market used for technology procurement. They are carefully designed to compliment Public Sector frameworks and critically don’t replace any terms or conditions in place.

Customers can access the Cisco discounted pricing by going through Cisco registered resellers on Technology Products and Associated Services framework or from Network Services 3.

Let us bring power to your procurement

Discover how your organisation can benefit from this new MoU. Register for our customer webinar on Thursday 2 November.

You can also speak to one of our technology experts to find out how we can support your specific requirements. Please complete our online form quoting ‘Cisco MoU’ and we will be in touch.

Crown Commercial Service provides over £700,000 of funding to help councils tackle climate change

A new Sustainability Sector Support Programme, funded by CCS, was launched on 1 October to assist councils in reaching their local carbon reduction and adaptation targets. 

Over the next 2 years, it will provide councils with the tools and opportunities they need to help build capability and capacity in sustainability and the environment. The programme will offer data-driven and consistent approaches for the sector to prioritise the actions that will help them achieve their sustainability, efficiency, and improvement goals.

The training programme supports the Government’s agenda to decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050. It aims to help councils effectively manage their carbon reduction through:

  • building capability – providing learning, skills, and guidance to help councils meet their climate and adaptation targets, through masterclasses and workshops that will highlight key sustainability themes and upskill participants
  • tools – a greenhouse gas accounting tool and waste emissions calculator will help councils baseline their data and assist with internal emissions reporting
  • networks – an online sustainability hub, a monthly sustainability bulletin and an officer communities of practice network

Eddie Gibson, National Account Manager for Local Communities and Housing at CCS said:

CCS is delighted to be working with the Local Government Association (LGA) and investing over £700,000 on this 2 year programme. Councils are a vital part of moving their communities towards net zero – this programme will enable knowledge-sharing and spread good practice across the sector, placing sustainable outcomes at the heart of council decision making.

Cllr Abi Brown, Chairman of the LGA’s Innovation and Improvement Board said: 

As the leaders of local areas, only councils can lead targeted local climate action in our villages, towns, and cities. 

Councils are at the forefront of local sustainability action and through this programme and partnership with CCS, the LGA will be able to support councils with carbon reduction and adaptation measures.

If you would like any further information on any aspect of our new sustainability programme, please email sustainability@local.gov.uk.