Customers save more than £7 million on IT hardware

The requirement

Local authorities often have similar needs when it comes to purchasing IT hardware. Through our regular bulk buying opportunities, our technology aggregation team supports them by combining their IT hardware requirements with other public sector organisations. As the largest public procurement organisation in the UK, we are then able to use our collective buying  power to achieve competitive pricing and favourable terms from suppliers, to help local authorities save time and money throughout the process.

The solution

To attract suppliers, we ran a further competition based on the criteria set by our customers and competed using  our Technology Products and Associated Services framework(RM6068). An eAuction was used to attain the best cost-effective offer in the market while considering price-related factors as well as non-price related factors. 

Our  team of experts who deliver social and economic value on a day-to-day basis were on hand to guide the local authority customers along the way; taking care of the process for them to help achieve the best possible deals. This also helps to release internal resources so that customers are able to focus on other areas of their business or on more complex procurements.

The results

As a part of an aggregated competition we held in August 2021, we brought 28 customers with a total requirement of around £20 million (market value) of IT equipment. It enabled economies of scale to increase leverage and achieve the best value. This eAuction consisted of 9 lots, and from various lots, 3 suppliers won.

This  saved customers an average of 36% in comparison to market pricing, which equates to a total saving of 7.3 million by participants (based on the market pricing). 

 

Neeraj Mittra, Senior ICT Officer of Lambeth Council commented,

“The CCS Technology aggregation team was excellent and provided a comprehensive and professional managed aggregation service for our requirements of laptops and associated services. They guided us through the process, keeping all stakeholders fully informed and engaged.  We always felt re-assured with the process and were always confident of achieving the intended outcomes. Mick and the rest of the team responded to all queries promptly and provided all information that we needed to cover our internal governance process. We will certainly be using technology aggregation again.”

 

Let us bring power to to technology procurement 

The public sector has saved a significant amount of money by participating in different aggregated national competitions. It is free to participate and all of the procurement management is done on your behalf. For you, we’ll take care of everything from beginning to end: paperwork, project management and procurement, all managed by CCS commercial expertise and best practice support.

If you would like to get involved in our latest aggregation for IT hardware, please complete our online form and a member of our team will get in touch.

Or, to find out more about our future opportunities please visit the aggregation webpage; 

 

The role of data and analytics in digital transformation – improving the lives of citizens and driving a new era of growth

As we recover from the pandemic, data and analytics remain in sharp focus. Having seen its potential across some important use cases, it is now seen as a significant enabler for the efficiencies and economic growth needed within the UK. It is also central to the delivery of a range of vital public services and societal goals, from tackling climate change to enhancing critical citizen services. Read more in the National Data Strategy 2020.  

But data and analytics is not an isolated function. It is an integral element of digital transformation programmes with data strategies being placed at the core of organisations. 

What does this mean for local authorities?

The data opportunity is now recognised as vast and local authorities sit at the heart of it. Whether it’s protecting vulnerable children, collecting the bins, fixing housing repairs, gritting the roads, or helping local businesses to grow, data can help local authorities to perform these tasks more effectively.

By placing data at the heart of digital transformation, local authorities have the potential to deliver some important and exciting outcomes:

  • services designed around user needs
  • citizens engaged and empowered to build their communities
  • efficiencies through public service transformation
  • local economic and social growth 
  • enhanced transparency and public accountability

How integral is data to local authorities?

In 1 word – extremely. Local authorities are constantly managing and responding to information. As digital transformation journeys continue, they are collecting more and more data sets from a variety of newly digitised sources. These, combined with more conventional data, can offer valuable insights on the wide variety of activities that authorities perform. By using analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, decision-making can be enhanced and used to improve public services. For example, data-backed decisions can reduce crime, lower traffic congestion, improve the environment and provide more efficient services for citizens. 

What is needed to exploit the potential?

Embracing data’s enormous potential doesn’t come without its challenges. It requires fresh thinking, continued democratisation of technology, interoperability between systems, cloud migration, and employees equipped with the necessary digital and data skills. And it’s no secret that we have a UK data skill gap, which only adds to the challenge. Many public sector organisations are grappling with squeezed budgets alongside the increasingly urgent need to train their existing employees and recruit new ones with the right skills. 

Having a clear data strategy, alongside technology and infrastructure strategies is key. And lies at the heart of any digital transformation programme. According to Gartner, best practices to deploying an effective data strategy include:

  • executive buy-in and change management
  • an appreciation that data isn’t perfect
  • embracing of data sharing and data exchange
  • a diverse pool of data talent
  • trust in compliance to improve data quality 
  • and a commitment to data ethics

What support is there for the public sector to improve data use, drive efficiency and improve services?

We have recently launched a  ‘first of its kind’ Big Data and Analytics commercial agreement, which is designed specifically to support the creation of intelligent data and analytics functions across the UK public sector. 

It offers a range of specialist data and analytics services and software. Local authorities (like the rest of the public sector) can procure a variety of requirements – from niche reporting and analytics projects to complete data service transformations. This will help them harness data, drive efficiencies and improve citizen services. 

As well as helping ensuring excellent value for money, Big Data and Analytics ensures compliance with all appropriate procurement policies, for example, tackling modern slavery, social value and carbon net zero. 

Its terms also allow for improved knowledge transfer between incumbent suppliers and buyers, when required by the buyer. For example, a local authority could procure a supplier to help design or overhaul their data strategy. Under the terms of the agreement the consultants would work with and upskill internal staff. If required within the specification, the supplier delivering that requirement will also be responsible for ensuring a full briefing and handover. By upskilling existing staff, the local authority improves capability and reduces the dependency to outsource key skills in future. 

Big Data and Analytics’ simple 2 lot structure covers a wide range of capabilities across a strong pool of suppliers. Of the agreement’s 50 tier 1 suppliers, 46% are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). And all tier 1 suppliers are also able to sub-contract.

An optional down-select mechanism has been introduced within lot 1 for Design, Build and Run Professional Services that offers buyers the ability to create a shortlist of suppliers by 1 or more of the 6 pre-evaluated capability areas, assisting with agile call-offs. 

Want to find out more?

If you would like to have a discussion with our data and analytics category team, please get in touch by completing our online form quoting ‘Big Data and Analytics category team’ and we will get back to you. To find out more about how CCS can support with other areas of digital transformation, download our new guide.

Changes to our agreements in September

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 September  

Agreements extended in September

Agreements that 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.

We want to hear your thoughts on our Furniture & Associated Services framework

Our furniture framework agreement, RM6119 helps you buy furniture for use in office, residential and education settings. Central government organisations have traditionally been the largest users of the framework. to date. However, over the last year we have seen an increase in usage from other organisations. 

The framework is due to expire in March 2024 and we would like your help developing the replacement solution to ensure it meets  the needs of all customers.

What does procurement in the current market look like?

Since the pandemic, the way we work has changed. 

Many of us are in different stages of finding that new normal. In terms of office furniture, hybrid working is being adopted by many, but not all organisations suit this way of working. 

In particular, we want to know what procurement in this market looks like for our local government customers.

Our furniture offer is broad, covering areas such as:

  • residential, office and classroom furniture
  •  industrial storage solutions 
  • secure storage solutions
  • bespoke fitted furniture

Help us shape the new agreement

We are in the early market engagement stage of this procurement.e would like you to get involved and help us shape how the new agreement looks. We would like to listen to your thoughts on:

  • products and services
  • policy
  • access
  • value 

Get in touch

To get involved please email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk stating you are interested in early market engagement for the new furniture agreement.To find out more about our Furniture and Associated services RM6119 visit our webpage.

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.

Richard Carter, Commercial Agreement Manager – Furniture 

Demystifying the key terms and abbreviations in procurement

NB: This article was originally published on 4 October 2022. All information was correct at the time of writing, but may not be fully applicable following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023.

Running a procurement can involve technical language that can sometimes be a little daunting. Whether you’re an experienced professional or new to running procurements, we want to help you understand some of the common terms and abbreviations you may come across. 

Our new glossary

With this in mind, we’ve produced a new glossary of the most common terms and abbreviations, to be used as a useful reference when buying goods and services for your organisation.

The entries are arranged alphabetically and you can search for specific terms using the search bar. This is a new service and we will be adding to it iteratively over the coming months to make sure it’s up to date.

Find out more

Download our latest digital brochure for the latest information on our agreements and how we can help you add power to your procurement.

Local authority partners use Digital Marketplace to deliver service transformation for management of housing repairs

The background

Since 2018, the London Borough of Southwark and the City of Lincoln Council have received 4 tranches of funding from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Local Digital Fund to carry out a discovery project and deliver a new digital service for housing repairs. 

The discovery project’s aim was to define a common service pattern for housing repairs in socially rented properties and to understand the barriers to the adoption of digital repairs services. In September 2021, the minimum viable product (MVP) for the service moved into beta testing and in August 2022, the Housing Repairs Service prototype was made publicly available for other interested councils.

The solution

At each stage, the partners have commissioned suppliers through our Digital Marketplace. The marketplace enables public sector buyers to find technology or people for their digital projects quickly, easily, and efficiently. Users are able to access everything from data centres and hosting individual technology specialists such as developers or user researchers.

In this case, the individual procurement processes have each resulted in the appointment of different suppliers to handle specific elements of the project according to their expertise. Many of them are SMEs with a particular focus on producing innovative outcomes.

Fraser Trickett, Organisational Change Lead at City of Lincoln Council, has been pleased with the results of using the Digital Marketplace:

We had a good response rate to each of the adverts we published on the marketplace from a wide range and variety of suppliers. This variety meant we were always able to award to a supplier with the skills and culture that we were looking for, as both the project and team evolved. As we were working with multiple councils, we found the clarity of the documentation and templates were extremely useful too, taking any ambiguity out of what could have been a complicated process.

The ambition of the partners is to produce something designed for user needs that is scalable and easily adopted by other local authorities or housing associations. Administration costs for managing housing repairs services using traditional ‘offline’ methods can run into millions of pounds for an organisation, so the potential savings innovation can deliver are significant.

How we can help

To find out more about how the Digital Marketplace and our other technology solutions could help to support your digital transformation projects, you can:

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.

Supporting the public sector to improve data use, drive efficiency and improve services

We know data and analytics enables faster, more accurate and more relevant decisions in what can be very complex contexts, and we are beginning to see this act as a catalyst for digital transformation. So it’s no surprise to see data being placed at the core of organisations.

Our newly launched Big Data and Analytics agreement can help give a huge boost and add power to your data and analytics procurement.

  • Power #1 – breadth: a total of 50 suppliers are accessible via the agreement, 46% of which are SMEs – providing access to a range of capabilities across the market
  • Power #2 – depth: use the agreement to access all these suppliers who not only have proven experience and capabilities, but are also equipped to understand, define and deliver your data and analytics requirements
  • Power #3 – flex: buy with flexibility and agility while ensuring value for money – sift a large pool of suppliers to find the data and analytics professional service capabilities you require and run mini further competitions

What data and analytics solutions are available?

Two lots for the agreement have been designed to help organisations access a range of data and analytics products and services. Whatever your needs – whether you want an individual niche work package, an entire data service transformation, a new service build, or a specific product from commercial-off-the-shelf software offerings – you can choose from our set of solutions.  In doing so, you can be sure you’re getting the right products, at the right price and helping to use data more efficiently.

Lot 1 : design, build and run professional services, includes:

  • advanced analytics and cognitive
  • data management and acquisition
  • data risking
  • platforms services
  • reporting and dashboards
  • search and discovery services

Lot 2 : commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software, includes:

  • big data management
  • machine learning and artificial intelligence
  • reporting and analytics
  • data mining, risking and science
  • search and data discovery

How do I buy through the agreement?

You can buy from this agreement using direct award and further competition. 

Direct award catalogue listings are available on the government eMarketplace. If this is your first time using the platform, you will need to register for an account. This listing is growing with new supplier service offers being published.

There are three options for running a further competition:

  • use the down-select matrix followed by a further competition to those suppliers who fit your shortlist based on the 6 capabilities (lot 1)
  • run an Expression of Interest (EOI) followed by a further competition to those suppliers who have responded as interested in the opportunity (lot 2)
  • run a further competition to all suppliers (lots 1 and 2)

We recommend that you take part in pre-market engagement before beginning the buying process, as this will help refine your requirement and increase suppliers’ awareness and interest in your potential procurement. 

Our data and analytics category experts are here to help

We’re here to help you select the most suitable products and services for your requirements. 

We want to hear your thoughts on our Furniture & Associated Services Framework

Our current furniture framework agreement, RM6119 helps you buy furniture for use in office, residential and education settings. Central and local governments have traditionally been our largest users of the agreement, and have helped shape the framework.

Over the last year, we have also seen an increase in the number of users across the wider public sector. The framework is due to expire in March 2024 and we would like your help developing the replacement solution to ensure  it meets the needs of all customers.

What does procurement in the current market look like?

Since the pandemic, the way we work has changed. Many of us are in different stages of finding that new normal. In terms of office furniture, hybrid working is being adopted by many, but not all organisations suit this way of working. We want to know what procurement in this market looks like for all our customers. 

Our current furniture offer is broad, covering areas such as: 

  • residential, office and classroom furniture
  • industrial storage solutions 
  • secure storage solutions
  • bespoke fitted furniture 

Help us shape the new agreement

We are in the early market engagement stage of this procurement. We would like you to get involved and help us shape how the new agreement looks. We would like to listen to your thoughts on:

  • products and services
  • policy
  • access
  • value

Get in touch
To get involved please email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk stating you are interested in early market engagement for the new furniture agreement.

To find out more about our Furniture and Associated services RM6119 visit our webpage.

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.

Richard Carter, Commercial Agreement Manager – Furniture 

Decarbonising the logistics sector: fueling a greener public sector

The role of logistics in the supply chain

The rise of international trade has increased the negative effects of climate change, making supply chain logistics a large contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Now more than ever, it is clear that emissions in the logistics sector need to be assessed and reduced. 

The Public Procurement Notice (PPN) 06/21 is directed at all suppliers bidding for public sector contracts over £5 million. Since September 2021, providers have been required to demonstrate their commitment to the carbon net zero pledge with a carbon reduction plan. This includes logistics service providers who are bidding in the open market. 

What are the alternative fuels?

One method to reduce logistical carbon emissions is by exploring the use of alternative fuels to diesel. Benefits include reduced pollution, but also allow for new investment in UK produced alternative fuels.

Biofuels

One of the more readily available fossil fuel alternatives on the market is biofuel. Biofuel is produced from a variety of organic matter and comes in different forms, depending on how it is produced and its biological source. Common forms include bio-diesel, a sustainable alternative to regular diesel; ethanol, a bio-alcohol alternative to petrol; and biogas (methane produced from decomposition of organic matter). A common form of biodiesel production in the UK is the repurposing of vegetable fats. 

Now, large logistics providers are using biofuels, and more carriers are experimenting with further use of biofuels and gas as an alternative to fossil fuels. Biofuels are seen as an immediately available and carbon-reducing intermediary that logistics providers can use to bridge the gap between fossil fuels and future zero-carbon fuels such as green electricity or hydrogen. 

Natural Gas (methane)

Methane is a naturally-occuring gas and can be harvested from underground fossil fuel reservoirs, or produced from organic matter. Whilst methane is a greenhouse gas in itself, it burns cleaner than other longer-chain petrochemicals and is less polluting. 

Natural gas is used in its liquified or compressed form as a vehicle fuel and gas-powered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) are available on the market.

Going greener

The power of electric 

Even though biofuels are renewable and less polluting options to their fossil counterparts, they still require the combustion of hydrocarbons and so they still carry a negative environmental impact by producing carbon dioxide. 

Greener fuel options include electric and hydrogen fuel cells. The automotive industry has been developing electric vehicles (EVs) for the domestic market for some time and there are estimated to be over 740,000 EVs licensed in the UK. Electrifying road freight is more problematic due to longer distances travelled and carrying heavy loads at high speed but despite the challenges, electric HGV (eHGV) options are available on the market. 

Other experiments in electric freight movement are underway across Europe. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced last year the UK government would be funding a scheme to install an electric road system on a stretch of the M180 near Scunthorpe. The scheme would see the construction of powered catenary lines running above the road, similar to above a train track, from which electric HGVs would draw power using an extendable pantograph arm located on the roof. Similar systems are also being trialled in Sweden and Germany. 

Hydrogen

The greenest fuel currently available may be hydrogen. Combustion of hydrogen has only one byproduct, which is water, and advocates view hydrogen fuel cells as the ideal fuel source of the future but hydrogen fuel has its complications. The extraction of hydrogen currently requires high volumes of green energy to power the process, often by electrolysis from methane. Further energy is required to compress and cool the gas to the point where it can be safely stored for transport. As a result of these complications, it is unlikely that widespread use of hydrogen will happen in the short term.

How can we help? 

In 2020, we launched our first ever Logistics and Warehousing framework. There are 25 suppliers registered to the agreement and all, like many in the industry, are seeking to implement their own changes to support the net zero pledge. Speak to our suppliers to see how their use of alternative fuels can support your supply chain carbon reductions. 

Additionally, if you are considering switching to EVs, telematics data can help you in the transition to an electric fleet and inform what type of vehicle will fit your commercial requirements. The Vehicle Telematics: Hardware and Software Solutions framework can help inform business decision making and ensure that the steps you take towards greening your fleet are aligned with your organisation’s fleet policy.

Let us bring power to your procurement

To find out more about how we can help you decarbonise your logistics, get in touch:

Safe data storage: how to use electronic systems to securely manage your HR records

This blog on safe data storage has been written in conjunction with Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO), our partner on the RM6175 Records Management framework, and Ricoh, one of the suppliers available on the framework.

Why are HR records suddenly an issue in schools and academies?

As schools convert to an academy status they take on the responsibility that was previously held by a local authority to hold and maintain HR records, in a compliant way. The grouping of academies into multi-academy trusts (MAT) means that lots of these records are suddenly in one, unsecure place and are often in paper form.

What does that mean for a MAT?

There is a responsibility under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Agreement (DPA) legislation that these records are safe, accurate and recoverable on demand. The difficulty with paper records is that they typically:

  • take up a lot of expensive office space
  • are vulnerable to damage like fires or flooding
  • are at risk of misfiling and can go missing
  • can only be searched on the criteria they were filed under (for example, a name or employee number)

What is the solution?

There are options available that will support you in meeting legislation rules. Adopting an electronic document management system (EDMS) means that:

  • the paper can be securely destroyed after being scanned to electronic format
  • the data is accurate and as secure as all of the MATs other data
  • the records become searchable using multiple fields, making records easier to find (for example, finding diversity data)

How do you go about implementing this?

Using a supplier on lot 5 of our RM6175 Records Management framework provides a variety of benefits. These include scanning existing records to digital format in bulk, secure destruction of paper records, and hosting of the data within a cloud platform that is licensed as Software as a Service (SaaS).

This means there is no expense of providing servers to hold the data or paying for licences you don’t need.  The benefit of this is that you can flex your licensing as the trust grows or shrinks.

Find out more

If you would like any further information about records management, please get in touch: