The Construction Playbook: building social value into the recovery

The Construction Playbook sets out how the public sector can build social value into the foundations of our procurement processes.

The Build Back Better plan – published at a crucial period during our response to the pandemic – sets out the Government’s aspirations for growing our economy in a way that levels up all areas of the country. 

In doing so it highlights the need for high quality infrastructure, skills investment and innovation. 

With the Government planning £100 billion of capital investment during 2021/22, there has never been such a strong focus on how we can add community social value into our infrastructure projects – themselves major drivers of local growth.

The Construction Playbook sets out how the public sector can get projects and programmes right from the start, building social value into the foundations of our procurement processes.

Download our step-by-step guide to the Construction Playbook

The Construction Playbook and social value

The Construction Playbook states that central government tenders must include a minimum of 10% of their evaluation criteria dedicated to social value. The priority themes and outcomes are set out in 2020’s Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 06/20 – Taking Account of Social Value in the Award of Central Government Contracts.

The opportunities are endless: organisations may be looking at providing apprenticeships and local skills training, supporting disadvantaged groups in your community, or boosting local sustainability, to help you to get closer to your carbon net zero targets.

All central government departments and their arm’s length bodies are expected to follow the Construction Playbook’s recommendations on a ‘comply or explain’ basis – if necessary, explaining why their unique circumstances mean they go their own way.

How to build social value into your construction procurement

Whether you are a central government department, arm’s length body, or working in local government, health, education, housing, charities, or the blue light sector, you will need to consider how your project will make the most of the opportunities presented by the Playbook. 

That could mean engaging with local community groups like social enterprises to understand how to tailor your project to achieve particular social outcomes.

It will also mean considering how every part of your supply chain is pulling in the same direction to deliver on social value – considering sub-alliancing, and sharing accountability out to encourage partnership working. 

Each stage of the procurement process will present you with opportunities. 

Look at the guidance you provide for your project managers: does it reflect the priority level you’re giving social value? Make sure your social value is embedded into the requirements for your full professional services team, so that they are all working to shared social value goals. 

When assessing bids, think about the language the prospective supplier is using, and if it demonstrates that they understand your priorities. 

And don’t forget to make sure your chosen supplier or suppliers are contractually obliged to deliver the outcomes you want – then monitor their performance.

Help and support

There is incredibly useful guidance around model questions, how to evaluate them and how to then enforce and manage your contracts provided in the annexes to the Playbook.

You can also seek advice from your framework provider. At Government Commercial Agency, our Construction category team works hard to understand social value requirements from the earliest stages of the process, and our frameworks allow customers to embed it in the way most appropriate to their own circumstances. 

Drawing a ‘golden thread’ through your work on the built environment has never been easier – with modular buildings, refurbishment, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and low carbon building materials all factors to consider. 

You can also use social value calculators such as TOMS, or the PPN 06/20 reporting metrics. Our Social Value and Modern Slavery alliance group lays the foundations for customer and supplier collaboration and shared learning from industry leaders.

Find out more about social value

To find out how to access estates services through GCA, visit our webpage or fill in our contact form. 

Visit our social value webpage or get in touch with our expert team to find out more about social value and how it’s embedded into our agreements.

This article was originally published in Public Sector Executive.

Changes to our agreements in August

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 August

No agreements were awarded in August.

Agreements extended in August

Agreements that expired in August

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.

Our Supply and Fit of Tyres agreement helps the North West Ambulance Service stay on the road during COVID-19

North West Ambulance Service used our Supply and Fit of Tyres (RM3767) commercial agreement to fulfil their tyre requirements and ensure that their operational fleet stayed on the road, maintaining a ‘business as usual’ approach, during a time of unprecedented demand.

The requirement

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) requires a supplier that can meet the challenging task of maintaining a 1,050 strong fleet of vehicles that need to be on the road, providing crucial frontline services, as much as possible.

Furthermore, NWAS need to be sure that their vehicles are reliable and safe, as they often have to travel at speed, in all weathers, to their patients. 

The solution 

Using our agreement, NWAS have been able to benefit from competitive prices for their tyre needs – meaning more money to be redirected towards other priorities. 

Once NWAS engaged ATS as their supplier, they have been able to count on rigorous levels of service, to ensure that their fleet can be kept on the road and safe at all times.

This has been especially vital in 2020, which has been an especially challenging year for blue light services as they played a critical role in the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The result

NWAS have been impressed with the constant and consistent level of service that they have received. Their tyre needs and expected service levels have been met and maintained.  

ATS have been able to provide excellent customer service and updates throughout this challenging time. As well as the budgetary benefits NWAS have enjoyed, ATS have been able to respond effectively to their unique and changing needs.

A NWAS Fleet Manager said: “I have to say how impressed I have been in their delivery of service to NWAS. With the number of tyre jobs that we carry out, nobody could expect them to get every job right, and there will always be the occasional issue, which I have to say are few and far between. Through ATS’s excellent customer service, they have been able to resolve issues very quickly and effectively and always offer feedback to the cause of the issue.”

Get involved

If you would like to learn more about this agreement visit the framework page or email our team of experts. 

Crown Commercial Service announces the next-generation Demand Management and Renewables Agreement

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has awarded a new Demand Management and Renewables Agreement (RM6314), which aims to accelerate the UK’s net zero goals by helping improve the public sector’s energy consumption and efficiency. This new framework is one of 2 replacements for the current Heat Network and Electricity Generation Assets (HELGA) DPS Agreement. The other replacement is Demand Management and Renewables DPS Agreement (RM6313).

The new Demand Management and Renewables Agreement (DMR) provides a route to market for all UK Public Sector organisations to support their decarbonisation strategies. It is the first traditional framework within CCS’s wider construction and decarbonisation offering.

Decarbonise the public sector with renewable resources and energy efficiency

Our new agreement builds on the progress in helping hundreds of public sector customers, putting energy efficiency and renewable power at its centre. The agreement will support customers within the following 5 energy efficiency areas, including: 

  • Lot 1 – Solar photovoltaic projects
  • Lot 2 – Battery energy storage 
  • Lot 3 – Heat pump projects (air source and ground source) 
  • Lot 4 – Heat network (design and build) 
  • Lot 5 – Carbon Net Zero / Sustainability consultancy 

It will also include consultancy services, allowing our customers to gain access to sustainability expertise to help them maximise the potential of their decarbonisation strategies. 

The new DMR agreement, like our Construction agreements, uses FAC-1 Framework Alliance Contract terms and conditions that allow public sector organisations to establish alliance contracts for certain projects. 

Reduce emissions and consumption in the built environment

The built environment is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. The public sector will continue to play a significant role in the country’s journey toward net zero by providing buildings for millions of citizens accessing public services. 

The new DMR agreement supports heat decarbonisation strategies by allowing customers to install heat pumps to reduce an estate’s gas consumption and heat network design and infrastructure for more extensive heat decarbonisation strategies.

Choose alternative electricity generation

Solar PV panels offer an economical alternative to generating electricity, from public and residential buildings to park and ride buses. The cost of solar PV has significantly reduced over the past 15 years, with the payback period on the initial investment decreasing too. 

Solar projects can support electricity demand across your estate and generate potential income if you export to the grid through your energy supplier. 

Using the new DMR, our customers will have access to suppliers that can support solar projects that can help reduce electricity costs over a certain period while supporting decarbonisation targets and increasing the security of energy supply, explains John Welch, Deputy Director for Construction at Crown Commercial Service.

The new DMR RM6314, combined with our Dynamic Purchasing System (RM6313), will provide effective routes to the market for varying decarbonisation projects that can support public sector decarbonisation strategies.

Climate change and social value

Social value in procurement is about making sure that what you buy creates additional benefits for society. To get it right, you need to start thinking about how to apply it to what you are buying as early as possible.

Our DMR agreement and Dynamic Purchasing System can help you meet critical sustainability goals by reducing emissions in the areas that contribute the most to your carbon footprint. For example, you can improve the energy performance of your existing estate by:

  • including plans for solar power generation and battery energy storage in your estate’s infrastructure
  • installing heat and air source pumps to improve the energy performance of your buildings
  • integrating environmental standards as part of the tender process for contracts to promote sustainability in your supply chain

Build social value into every step of the procurement process, from project scoping to contract award, to achieve wider financial and non-financial outcomes, including improving the wellbeing of individuals, communities, and the environment.

Access to a diverse and innovative supplier base

Access to innovation is critical to meeting the UK’s carbon emissions target. Our new agreement is designed to attract a supplier base that keeps pace with an expanding sustainability market. 

Our DMR agreement includes a blend of large Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) and specialist SMEs. Many of our ESCOs are supported by their specialist SME supply chain for specific projects, says John. 

Offering innovative funding options

To help overcome the challenges of funding public sector decarbonisation projects, customers can take advantage of the new DMR agreement through direct awards and Government and grant funding. 

Find out more

Start reducing your energy consumption, carbon, and costs with us today.

Our dedicated team of industry specialists are on hand throughout the procurement process helping you save time, energy and money, so you can put more focus on your organisations’ needs.

Learn more about our new Demand Management and Renewables Agreement (RM6314) by visiting the agreement 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.

Levelling the playing field: The benefits of working with SMEs and how public sector organisations can make it easier for them to bid for work – Procurement Essentials

NB: This article was originally published on 12 May 2023. All information was correct at the time of writing, but may not be fully applicable following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023.

At CCS we understand how important it is to have a diverse range of suppliers working with the public sector. We’re committed to taking positive action to make sure that the SME sector is well represented in our agreements. Our 2021 action plan reaffirms our role in enabling customers to increase the proportion of their procurement spend that goes to SMEs.

The success of this commitment is measured using SME spend through public sector contracts. £2.2 billion was spent directly with SMEs through CCS’s commercial agreements in 2021/22. An additional £687 million compared to 2020/21

This article outlines the benefits of working with SMEs, such as, but not limited to, opportunities to achieve greater social value through your procurement, access to highly skilled workforces and greater localisation, and how to encourage SMEs to bid on your procurements. 

What is an SME?

In relation to its procurement activities, the UK Government currently defines Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in accordance with the below:

Size of business Staff headcount Annual turnover
Medium Under 250 Under £44 million
Small Under 50 Under £9 million
Micro Under 10 Under £2 million

Source: GOV UK 

The benefits of working with SMEs

SMEs make up an essential component of the private sector business landscape. According to the 2022 Business Population Estimates there were almost 5.5 million businesses in the UK at the start of 2022. SMEs accounted for 99.9% of the total number. Importantly SMEs employed 61% of the private sector workforce which was 16.4 million employees. They also earned 51% of the turnover in the UK private sector.

There are many benefits of working with SMEs such as good customer service, due to highly skilled and experienced workforces and smaller chains of command. SMEs are often more adaptable and agile to situations than larger organisations due to their smaller nature, which allows them to respond quickly and flexibly to changing requirements and provide the most suitable solution (ideal for tight timescales). 

SMEs can also support greater localisation, which can reduce carbon footprints associated with delivery helping to support public sector organisations in reaching net zero. They also create local jobs, and can contribute to the local social value agenda in other ways, as they are more committed to the community they live and work in.

Barriers to public sector procurement for SMEs / public procurement reforms

Historically, small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have faced a range of barriers in accessing procurement opportunities and in winning contracts. These barriers include but are not limited to: contracting authorities being unaware of SMEs and the types of goods and services they can potentially provide; SMEs viewing the procurement process, often rightly, as overly bureaucratic; SMEs not having the capacity to bid for opportunities and compete with large business; and the process of procurement often being undertaken on the basis of cost therefore ruling out the ability of SMEs to demonstrate their wider value.

The government is in the process of shaking up and transforming our procurement system by changing existing procurement rules in the Procurement Bill which is currently being debated in Parliament. The upcoming procurement regulation reform, Transforming Public Procurement, aims to make it easier for businesses to enter public sector supply‑chains and this will benefit SMEs and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), both of which have historically faced barriers in working with central government and wider public sector. The Procurement Bill represents an opportunity to make it easier to do business with government such as including a new duty that will require contracting authorities to pay due regard to the barriers faced by SMEs, removing these where possible.

How CCS is supporting SMEs to access public sector procurement opportunities

CCS published our last SME Action Plan in 2021. Since then, we have made good progress, working to reduce barriers for SMEs to work with us and simplifying our public procurement processes. 

For example, we know that suppliers spend a lot of time reading and completing bid documents and that these can be complex and long, which can be problematic for those organisations which are too small to have in-house procurement knowledge.  

To help to address this we created a CCS standard template for framework contracts for common goods and services. The Public Sector Contract (PSC) is shorter which makes it simpler to use and easier to understand what is required, in terms of the bid and rules of engagement. An updated version has recently been published that has capped liabilities on GDPR (it was previously uncapped) further reducing the barriers for SMEs.

Other ways we aim to support suppliers is by publishing information and guides on our website and using commercial agreements that are easy to enter at any time. Our recently updated information for buyers and suppliers pages have guidance for SMEs about bidding for public sector contracts as well as where to look for opportunities and how bidding works. It sets out what you need to do to register to get alerts, how to respond to opportunities and outlines the process of supplying through CCS.

How can Dynamic Purchasing Systems help SMEs?

As explained in a previous article, Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPSs) offer the ability for suppliers to self-certify making joining quick and simple at any point through the life of the DPS. 

In addition DPSs have unlimited numbers of suppliers offering buyers unrestricted access to smaller suppliers and they are not limited to a maximum term of four years. 

We currently have 25 of these open, which can be viewed on our upcoming agreements page that cover a wide range of varied services, such as learning and training, emerging technology products and service, geospatial services, research and insights, financial services, transport, utility and fuels, construction professional services and building cleaning.

How can the public sector continue to work and support SMEs in the future?

It’s important that the public sector continues to remove the barriers and increase opportunities for SMEs.

Some of the ways this can be achieved are through:

Communication

Pre engagement communication and dialogue with the supply base allows you to discuss upcoming opportunities and understand their individual business capabilities. It may highlight new solutions not previously considered in your public procurement which are more suitable and provide better value.

You should also provide feedback when a bid is not successful so they understand how to improve.

Keep things simple and streamline documentation

When you are drafting your Invitations to Tender (ITT) use clear and simple language, always writing in plain english where you can.

The best way to attract SMEs is by making your opportunity easily accessible. Although SMEs undergo the same procurement process, there are a number of things you can do to make the opportunity more attractive. Take into consideration a number of your procurement requirements and how restrictive they may appear e.g. not over specifying and adding unnecessary cost, creating suitable lotting structures, and incorporating only relevant policies and procedures.

Considering award weightings

Social value is incorporated within most tender evaluations, but you may look to amend the weightings to reflect its importance to your own organisation, just remember to not make your stipulations too onerous, as this can just add cost.

Ensure all opportunities are fair and open

Opportunities, where it is appropriate, need to fit the capacity of SMEs. Although we do acknowledge that some requirements will be too large for SMEs to respond to, you should consider SMEs responding using a consortia bid. Consortia bids offer SMEs the opportunity to work together to join commercial agreements. You can share consortia bidding guidance, which will increase understanding and provide clarity on navigating the procurement process when bidding as a consortium. 

Learn more

Visit our social value webpage or get in touch with our expert team to find out more about social value and the benefits of working with SMEs.

More: You can now find all of our Procurement Essentials articles in one place on our website.

Social value in procurement: what it means

NB: Ahead of the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, Cabinet Office updated the Social Value Model for implementation by October 2025, meaning that Central Government departments must check which model applies to each contract, and comply with the relevant requirements

Social value in procurement is about making sure that what you buy creates additional benefits for society. To get it right, you need to start thinking as early as possible about how to apply it to what you are buying.

What is social value and why is it important?

The Social Value Act 2012 states that all public bodies must consider how what they are proposing to buy might improve economic, social and environmental wellbeing. The legal requirements of the act are quite limited, and many public organisations choose to go further than just ‘considering’ social value, and actively apply the principles across their procurement activities. 

Please note: central government bodies must also comply with the requirements contained in Policy Procurement Note 06/20 for agreements published under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, or Policy Procurement Note 002.

Social value is traditionally applied as part of a community, local, or regional contract. A local authority commissioning a built environment regeneration project may require the companies bidding for the work to state what social benefits they would offer to the area, should they win the contract. These could include a commitment to employing local people, offering a number of apprenticeships, or supporting the growth of responsible local businesses.

Before you start any procurement, you should think carefully about whether the goods or services you’re going to buy, and the way you are going to buy them, will secure social value benefits.

Early preparation is key

Consider social value as early as possible, ideally when your requirement is still in the pre-procurement / development phase. The decisions you make during this stage will be integral to the final contract and the type of suppliers that will perform it. It needs to be right from the start.

As a first step, consult with your key stakeholders, supply market, and customer base, to reach a common understanding of what social value might look like for your contract.  Many organisations want to be effective contributors to social value and will be happy to start a conversation with you. Some public agencies and commercial companies may be able to provide you with case studies or other supporting evidence to show how they have delivered it in the past. 

The procurement will be more successful if you have a clear understanding of what your social value ‘ask’ is. Use this when drafting your specification and evaluation questions to avoid any sense that social value is arbitrary. 

Be specific about the themes you’d like bidders to focus on – whether that’s creating new jobs, protecting the environment or tackling inequality. Clearly state your objectives and the social value outcomes you want to achieve for each theme. 

How to evaluate bids for social value 

We have discussed ‘how to evaluate bids’ in another article in this series. The core principles are the same for social value, but the following specific advice applies:

Take time to get your questions right

Writing a great social value award question is a skill.  While you can ask as many questions as you want, often one straightforward question in plain English is sufficient. The most effective social value questions are forward-looking and have a clear link to the contract specification – asking a supplier what they will specifically do over the life of the contract, in support of the identified outcomes.  

Include clear evaluation criteria so that suppliers know what you’re looking for in a response, and set a word or character limit that gives bidders enough space to make a meaningful proposal. Ideally, you should choose evaluators who have some understanding of the topic. 

The Government Commercial Function has produced  guidance on model evaluation questions, criteria and reporting metrics aligned to PPN 06/20 and PPN 002.

Outcomes over outputs

Social value should always be evaluated for quality and not quantity.  A large, national company might have the capacity to create an apprenticeship whereas a smaller business may partner with other local organisations to create specialist training, using their unique skills.  Both contribute to the development of new skills, but in ways that suit the bidders’ skills and capacity. Evaluating proposals based on how well they contribute to the desired outcome, rather than on how much they promise, levels the playing field and encourages innovation.

Consider your weightings

Central government departments are required to evaluate social value, applying a minimum overall weighting of 10%. For other public bodies this can vary.  A higher percentage won’t necessarily drive more social value, so balance your weightings carefully. See the social value model for further guidance on this.

Monitoring

Once you’ve completed the evaluation process and chosen a supplier, the social value deliverables should be incorporated within the contract in readiness for managing them throughout the life cycle of your procurement. 

It’s important that you’re clear on your reporting criteria at the specification stage so that you can measure social value impact effectively. For example, you could include ‘the supplier shall report on social value progress and impacts monthly / 3 monthly / 6 monthly etc.’ These will be your key performance indicators.

Finally, remember that evaluating social value doesn’t stop once the contract is awarded. You need to be consistent in collecting, recording and monitoring your KPIs.

Learn more about social value

Visit our social value webpage or get in touch with our expert team to find out more about social value and how it’s embedded into our agreements.

Customers save over 39% on Adobe software

The requirement

Following the success of our previous Enterprise Term License Agreement (ETLA) with Adobe, which was co-termed to expire at the end of March 2023, we needed to provide a replacement solution for existing customers that would also be open to new customers.

The solution 

We negotiated directly with Adobe to establish pricing of commonly purchased products such as Acrobat Pro, Acrobat Standard, and Creative Cloud. Adobe then made this pricing available to all their Platinum Partners for the CCS aggregation.

The aggregated procurement used lot 3 of our Technology Products and Associated Services agreement (RM6068). The most economically advantageous offer in the market was obtained by taking into consideration both price and non-price factors. The further competition was concluded with sealed bids.

The results 

The pricing negotiated with Adobe is based on the aggregate demand across the 93 customers who took part in the aggregation. This amounted to £24.6 million in market value.

The new ETLA runs from 30 March 2023 to 30 March 2026 and offers savings on average of 39.9% compared to market pricing. This is equivalent to a saving of £9.8 million against market pricing for the customers who took part.

Let us bring power to your procurement

Even if you didn’t join the aggregation, you can still take advantage of the pricing we have negotiated with Adobe by joining the ETLA during its term. To register your interest or find out more, please complete our online form quoting ‘Adobe ETLA’ and one of our team will be in touch.

National aggregated further competitions are a fully managed service provided and funded by us. You can count on us to help you save time and resources. We will draft all the documents, build the specification and run the procurement for you. If you are interested in making savings by aggregating your requirements with other customers for commodity goods and services, we’d love to hear from you.

Explore all our upcoming aggregations.

Customers save over £3.5 million with mobile voice and data aggregation

Our latest mobile voice and data services aggregation helped customers achieve savings of over £3.5 million.

What is the mobile voice and data aggregation service?

The aggregation service combines the mobile voice and data requirements of multiple customers, taking much larger volumes to market. This helps us achieve savings that individual customers are unlikely to achieve on their own.

How do aggregations work in practice?

We provide each customer with a savings and cost analysis based on their individual requirements. It shows them the minimum guaranteed savings and the maximum amount they will pay. Suppliers compete on the overall volume, and bids must not exceed the prices set for each participating customer or the overall aggregated maximum price.

We draft all documentation, build the specification (which is shared and approved by customers) and run the further competition on behalf of customers. The competition identifies the supplier who is able to offer the best quality and price for the requirements. Each customer contracts with the successful supplier individually. We host initial introductory meetings between the supplier and each customer.

The results

The most recent mobile voice and data aggregation took place in April 2023:

  • 9 local authorities saved £3 million or 75% on average
  • 5 health customers saved £500,000 or 73% on average
  • a university and a non-departmental body saved £49,000 or 71% on average

Alicia Wydell, Senior Procurement Specialist at Kirklees Council said:

Kirklees procurement team is always striving to achieve value for money within every procurement they undertake, especially on essential year on year contracts.

Joining the CCS aggregation for mobile voice and data has provided a 51% saving against the previous contract which under the current economic climate is essential. The aggregation attracted 16 buyers which increased the buying power, encouraging the suppliers to pass on savings because of the volume of the collective connections and data volume requirements.

From the point of view of the process and instructions provided by CCS it is a seamless process. All the instructions are clear and concise and easy to follow as a procurement officer. The time saved, as it is led entirely by CCS, is also a huge saving on resources and this is valued in a very busy procurement team. I would highly recommend the aggregation process to other buyers.

Let us bring power to procurement

Our next mobile voice and data services Aggregation is now open. You have until Friday 13 October 2023 to submit your requirements, with a formal contract award set to take place in January 2024.

If you would like to take part, please complete our online form quoting ‘mobile voice and data aggregation’ in the comment box and a member of our team will be in touch.

If this timetable doesn’t work for you, we are also offering another aggregation with a closing date of Friday 15 March 2024.

How local authorities can harness the power of national procurement to meet local objectives

NB: This article was originally published on 14 August 2023. All information was correct at the time of writing, but may not be fully applicable following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023.

Local authorities are at the forefront of regeneration and placemaking, delivering projects which support a thriving local economy or address other priority needs of the locality such as skills development and decarbonisation. Such activity is often complex, consisting of multiple, diverse projects that may be interrelated or overlapping, and require substantial investment. 

The challenges

Access to resources, procurement expertise, and commercial routes to market is critical to any regeneration scheme’s success but local authorities may lack the necessary experience or capability in these areas. 

In this article, we explore how effective regeneration procurement can support the complex needs, goals, and priorities facing local communities and provide our top tips for where local authorities can begin with their regeneration project to help guide your team to the best possible outcome.

What are regeneration and placemaking, and why are they important for local authorities?

Local regeneration projects can help to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life for citizens. For many projects, central themes are stimulating local economic activity and improving the built environment. 

Programmes to revitalise town centres and former industrial buildings can help attract investment for commercial landmarks while introducing valuable quality-of-life improvements for residents. For example, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council are using our solutions to reinvent and reinvigorate the Nuneaton town centre completely. Their regeneration programme features the Grayson Place project, an exciting new family-friendly meeting, eating, drinking, and entertainment destination currently under construction. 

According to a report by the UK government, adopting a placemaking approach to regeneration can generate value for residents and the local community through improved neighbourhood pride, a locally informed housing offer, better connections to local opportunities, and improved services.

Placemaking is the collaborative process of designing and shaping public spaces to create vibrant, inclusive, and attractive environments. Placemaking focuses on creating places that people feel connected to, that promote social interaction, well-being, and a sense of belonging within a community.  

Take a phased approach to regeneration procurement

If you need help determining where to begin with your regeneration procurement, start by breaking down the end-to-end journey into phases, such as project development, public engagement, and project delivery. 

Here’s what these 3 phases could look like:

Phase 1 – Strategic planning and project development

Regeneration procurement starts with strategic planning and project development – where you set project objectives, scope, and timelines. Here, you should identify the community’s specific needs, establish regeneration goals, and determine the required resources. For example, putting social value at the core of regeneration and placemaking projects will help deliver great places that serve the people who live in them. 

Many local authorities don’t have dedicated resources or inhouse knowledge experts to manage regeneration projects. You can access professional service for a wide range of technical advisory services and expert support for regeneration and infrastructure projects of all scales and sizes.

Phase 2 – Public engagement

Effective regeneration procurement involves engaging and collaborating with various stakeholders, other local authorities, developers, community organisations, and residents. 

Some practical approaches to community engagement for regeneration projects include:

  • implementing a Social Value and Community Engagement Plan that provides activities and services for the local community
  • partnering with local leaders, the private sector and community groups to deliver new housing, facilities, roads and infrastructure
  • supporting community-led plans that oppose social housing demolition and propose alternative schemes

Engagement should also be inclusive and enable all voices to be heard. Investing in participation support for under-represented groups, for example, can help build stronger relationships with and across different communities. Regular communication and consultation ensures that the procurement process considers diverse perspectives and aligns with the needs and aspirations of the community. 

Phase 3 – Project delivery

Regeneration and placemaking schemes often encompass integrated themes, such as: 

  • digital and smart technology
  • electric vehicle charging
  • town centre revitalisation
  • pedestrian and vehicular traffic management

As you prepare your regeneration business case and look at the project’s delivery phase, it’s essential to understand what routes to market are available for your procurement and how to factor in sustainability and social value when aligning projects with local priorities. To determine what agreements to use, start with a base set of criteria and then align its specifications for a project with the agreement’s scope. 

Factors to consider include: 

  • the lotting structure if your regeneration project specification falls within the scope of the agreement
  • the number and type of the appointed suppliers 
  • is it a direct award or does it allow for direct further competition processes
  • what opportunities are there to deliver Social Value

Once contracts are awarded, monitoring and evaluating the performance of suppliers and contractors is critical. Performance monitoring ensures compliance with contractual obligations, quality standards, timelines, and budgets. It also helps identify any issues or challenges early on and allows for appropriate remedial actions.

Embed social value and sustainability into procurement early

Consider social value and sustainability in the earliest stages of development. How do the goods or services you’re going to buy and how you’re going to buy them help secure social value and sustainability benefits? The decisions you make when your requirement is still in the pre-procurement / development phase will be integral to the final contract and the type of suppliers that will perform it. 

CCS offers tools and guidance on measuring and reporting social value, helping local authorities to track their progress and demonstrate their achievements. You can also encourage suppliers to develop sustainable supply chains and show how they deliver social value. 

Regeneration activity must also be mindful of the requirement for our local places to support the transition to carbon net zero. Embracing sustainable principles, such as green infrastructure, energy efficiency, waste management, and sustainable transportation options, helps to create environmentally friendly and resilient places that help mitigate climate change and enhance the overall quality of life. 

Achieving sustainability goals through regeneration projects can include procuring everything from the decarbonisation of property to the use of smart technology to develop clean air and low emissions zones. 

Find out more

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Funding by Crown Commercial Service has helped NHS procurement teams identify millions in potential savings

  • Commercial buying system, Atamis, has supported NHS teams to identify millions in potential savings in its first year
  • 69% of all NHS organisations across the UK are benefiting from the digital system, with many more scheduled to onboard
  • Identified savings could help money be reinvested into patient care

Many NHS-affiliated organisations previously used different platforms to buy goods and services. These weren’t possible to integrate, meaning it has historically been difficult for buying teams in the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS to share insights and data between organisations in order to make effective commercial decisions.

The Atamis system, which brings together each element of the commercial process in one location, has removed burdensome manual processes and saved millions of pounds in administration costs. This has also freed up capacity in NHS teams while helping health services run more efficiently.

The platform currently holds a pipeline of £24bn and active contracts with a value of £108bn.

NHS services in North West London were able to identify £34 million of savings by grouping 9 organisations on the same e-commerce system. This has helped them to identify £34 million of potential savings in the past 12 months.

Cabinet Office Parliamentary Secretary Alex Burghart said:

To meet the Prime Minister’s goal of reducing national debt, we’re making efficiencies for the taxpayer.

CCS funding has been invaluable to DHSC, its Arm’s Length Bodies, NHS Providers, newly formed Integrated Care Systems, Integrated Care Boards and Commissioning Support Units.

The roll out of the Atamis e-commerce system, which was enabled by £12.8 million in funding from Crown Commercial Service (spread over 3 financial years), has already seen 258 NHS organisations (69% of total) sign up with a further target of 90% by 2025.

In addition to supporting NHS organisations to identify savings, Atamis provides procurement teams with a unified view of the data, which can be segmented according to the need of the organisation, ensuring it’s easier for procurement and commercial teams to make informed decisions that ensure the best value for money for the taxpayer.

The Department of Health and Social Care said that CCS funding has proved ‘invaluable’ in enabling widespread adoption of the system – one of the 2 key technology platforms that provide the foundations for most of the Central Commercial Functions workstreams – by organisations. The target is to achieve a 90% onboard rate by March 2025.

Health Minister Lord Markham said:

I’m pleased to see the success so far of this digital platform, which is already helping NHS organisations across England identify savings opportunities.

We are committed to using the latest technology and new ways of working to increase efficiencies, save staff time, and deliver value for money.

Sarah Jewell, Deputy Director for partnerships at Crown Commercial Service said:

We’re delighted with the success of the rollout of the Atamis e-commerce system. This is a great step forward in bringing the commercial activities of the health service together in one place to increase the effectiveness and resilience of NHS procurement.

Jacqui Rock, NHS England Chief Commercial Officer said:

The NHS is one of the most efficient health services in the world, and finding further efficiencies to be reinvested into patient care remains a key priority. Atamis is an incredibly important tool to support procurement teams to do this, and it’s encouraging to see the progress we have made in just a year to help deliver significant savings and value for the taxpayer.

As guardians of taxpayer money, having a unified view of the commercial data landscape is essential, so I expect the remaining NHS organisations who haven’t yet onboarded to do so as a matter of priority.

Lee Jackson, Managing Director North West London Procurement Services said:

Atamis has been key to the development of ICS based procurement across North West London. We now have a robust 3rd party intelligence suite of which Atamis is the cornerstone. In the past twelve months we have integrated all data from all nine NHS trusts into the system and also the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. This has helped us identify and track savings opportunities worth £34.8m across our ICS.

Melinda Johnson, Commercial Director for the Department of Health and Social Care said:

CCS funding has been invaluable to DHSC, its Arm’s Length Bodies, NHS Providers, newly formed Integrated Care Systems, Integrated Care Boards and Commissioning Support Units.