Our new Mobile Voice and Data Services agreement goes live

The Mobile Voice and Data Services [RM6261] agreement will offer customers improved mobile options and transparent pricing, enabling greater control and choice over compliant purchasing decisions.

The agreement covers the full spectrum of mobile usage across the public sector from small users such as schools all the way to large government departments.

As mobile phone use continues to mature CCS has created commoditised product offerings to allow customers to select standard requirements that have targeted prices – helping to reduce the time to develop requirements and compare supplier offers whilst minimising overspend and out of bundle charges.

This agreement also offers as standard eSIM advanced technology, enabling seamless change of networks over the air without the need for a physical “SIM swap” to minimise the effort to migrate from one supplier to another. This agreement still retains the ability to define and compete the more complex requirements.

The agreement replaces Network Services 2 – Lot 6 and offers a direct award catalogue and further competition, ensuring that prices are the best the market can offer. 

For the first time, customers will have access to transparent pricing by line item. Supplier pricing will be shown against their competitors, so they are easily comparable. This will be supported by a free mobile standard tariff price comparison tool that calculates each customer’s potential savings.

Ten suppliers have been awarded a place on the agreement, 60% of which are small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The new agreement will be live for 2 years with 2 optional extension periods of 1 year, and there is no maximum duration for call off contracts.

Philip Orumwense, Commercial Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Technology at Crown Commercial Service, said: 

Mobile voice and data is an integral part of enabling service delivery for the public sector and staff require access to reliable services whether they’re working from home, working remotely at a site or regularly travelling to provide frontline services. The ability to talk and communicate to colleagues and citizens and access and share data quickly and securely has never been more important.

This new agreement uses the buying power that CCS has, to achieve cost effective and soundly procured services for potentially hundreds of thousands of users right across the UK, offering an average of 60% savings on core services.

Lotting structure

The lots will comprise: 

  • lot 1 Mobile Voice and Data Solutions Catalogue
  • lot 2 Mobile Voice and Data Solutions 
  • lot 3 Telecommunications Audit and Health Check
  • lot 4 Professional Support Services

If you have any questions about buying through the Mobile Voice and Data Services agreement please get in touch.

Top tips for buying records information management services

This blog has been written in conjunction with YPO, our partner on the Records Information Management, Digital Solutions and Associated Services framework (RM6175), and Iron Mountain, one of the suppliers available on the framework.

Almost every service and product the public sector needs can be bought through a framework. However, there can be a disconnect between what the framework provider is hoping the public sector will gain from using the framework, and the way frameworks are used in practice.

To help with this we share our best practice for using the Records Information Management, Digital Solutions and Associated Services framework (RM6175) below:

You don’t have to run a further competition

We know that organisations may choose to run a further competition as they feel it’s the best way to use the framework, and some believe that a direct call-off is in some way a ‘less compliant’ procurement approach. 

However, it’s worth emphasising that a direct call-off is a valid procurement route. The framework has been set up to give you flexibility, quick procurement and efficiency, by giving you the option to undertake a direct call off. This can help avoid labour-intensive and complex administration. 

If you have any questions or want guidance on when to use a  further competition, we can support.

Your further competition doesn’t need to evaluate everything

If you decide to run a further competition, be sure to avoid duplicating effort. As part of the main framework award, suppliers have already been evaluated on: 

  • their ability to provide the services
  • meet stringent minimum standards 
  • relevant accreditations

This means that you don’t need to include these in your further competition. The risk in over-complicating a competition is that suppliers, like procurement teams, have limited resources. If they are presented with lengthy procurement exercises  under a framework that they have already competed for a place on, they may not have the capacity to respond, and you are unlikely to get the best responses for your requirement. 

Our  specialist team are always ready to help you run through your specifications, and will enable you to filter unnecessary questions so that you get the best and most meaningful responses from potential suppliers.

Engage with suppliers before going out to market

Many organisations are wary of engaging with suppliers and may complete a full go-to-market exercise, or call off from a framework without speaking to any suppliers, or only communicating with  their existing supplier, creating a potential imbalance. 

We recommend engaging with suppliers up until a formal procurement process is underway. This will  help you to refine your requirements and enable you to either complete a fully informed direct call-off, or run a more effective further competition. 

 It is important to remember that there are procurements which fail and have to be re-run as a result of coming to the market with requirements that are not fit for purpose, delaying results and savings. Therefore, it is to your and your end users’ advantage to engage with suppliers before your procurement process is underway.

Make sure your timelines are proportionate

If you are running a further competition rather than completing a direct award, make sure you make your timelines reasonable and avoid unnecessary short timescales. You will achieve much better results if you offer suppliers a realistic response window and timeframe for implementation, rather than encouraging ‘promise-all’ responses which then run into difficulties post award.

Make best use of the clarification stage

It is advisable that you do not rush clarifications for your procurement.  It is beneficial both to you and to suppliers to have a dialogue as long as it is conducted in a manner which is transparent and equal for all suppliers. This can help to ensure a successful procurement process with better outcomes.

Make the most of the support CCS can provide

Should you do a further competition or a direct award? Are there other organisations who have bought something similar that could advise you? CCS, in conjunction with YPO, can provide advice, guidance and practical help with using the framework. Contact the team by completing the online form below to discuss your requirements.

Find out more

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

Kellie Drummond | Commercial Agreement Manager

Aggregation – the simple way to make savings

What is aggregation?

Aggregation is collective buying. At CCS, our dedicated aggregation team works across the whole of the public sector to identify similar buying requirements and bring them together. By doing this, we are able to drive savings for customers by increasing the total volume and value to leverage a better commercial outcome for the group.  

Why should you join a CCS aggregation?

We are focused on putting the customer first, providing a service that ensures the right outcome and value for money, no matter how large or small your requirement. We are the biggest public procurement organisation in the UK and have helped 139 public sector organisations save a combined total of £12.1 million in 2022 alone; with more savings to be recorded before the end of the year.

Not only can you achieve commercial benefits from joining an aggregation, it is a free service and the team will manage all aspects of the procurement on your behalf, so that you can focus your time and resources on other priorities. 

The team will keep you fully informed and updated every step of the way whilst ensuring we are  always on hand to provide the information you require or answer any questions you may have. 

Real results

The team couldn’t achieve this level of success without you, our public sector colleagues. Many of whom return to participate in future aggregations for other goods and services across their estate.  

One smaller public sector organisation has participated in 7 of our aggregated procurements over the past 3 years and have saved in the region of £167,000 against their IT hardware and mobile, voice and data requirements. 

It is clear that the savings achieved from aggregating common goods and services, together with the quality service received from the team, helped this organisation and this is reflected in their continued and repeated participation.

Next steps

Visit our webpage for details of upcoming aggregation opportunities that are available for you to join.

If you have any questions or wish to speak to someone, please get in touch by completing our contact form and quoting ‘Aggregation’.

We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities to leverage demand. If you have a requirement for common goods and services which we have not featured, but could benefit from a collective purchasing approach, please get in touch to discuss further.

Buying data and analytics services – playbooks, policy and strategy simplified

Staying abreast of government policies, strategies and playbooks can sometimes be a little daunting. These official publications are often the result of detailed consultations, lessons learned and ministerial direction – to be used as a useful reference when buying services for your organisation. Whether you’re an experienced professional or new to running procurements, we want to help you understand some of the key concepts.

National Data Strategy

The National Data Strategy (NDS) sets out how best to unlock the power of data across the UK. It includes 5 missions, with its third being ‘Transforming government’s use of data to drive efficiency and improve public services’. The NDS has been a strong driver for the creation of our new Big Data and Analytics agreement. The agreement offers a vital route to market for the IT platforms and solutions needed for enhanced data use – all of which will improve public services.

Digital, Data and Technology Playbook

The Digital, Data and Technology Playbook provides government guidance on sourcing and contracting for digital, data and technology projects and programmes. We have ensured our Big Data and Analytics agreement includes specific provisions to align with the playbook. For example, Lot 1 –  Design, Build and Run Professional Services, includes all 3 of the playbook delivery models for buying from the market, making it easier for you to achieve best practice.

Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill  was introduced following publication of the Government’s response to the ‘Data: a new direction’ consultation. It proposes reforms to the UK’s data protection regime including provisions to deliver a data protection framework that is pro-innovation and pro-growth while maintaining high standards of data protection. It’s important to keep informed on this to understand what, if any, implications it may have on your data procurement plans.

Updated guidance on data protection legislation

Last week, the Cabinet Office published updated guidance on data protection legislation within Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 03/22. The action note replaces PPN 02/18 and contains streamlined guidance, and updated legal clauses to take into account our exit from the EU. It also includes guidance on international transfers of personal data. In scope organisations with contracts involving processing personal data should review this PPN.

Roadmap for digital and data

In June this year; the government also published ‘Transforming for a digital future: 2022 to 2025 roadmap for digital and data. The roadmap sets out ambitions to transform digital public services, deliver world-class digital technology and systems, and attract and retain the best in digital talent. All while driving value for money to the taxpayer. It includes 5 missions, with the third being ‘Better data to power decision making’ –  explicitly focusing on the role data has to play.

Government’s 10 tech priorities

Unlocking the power of data is 1 of the government’s 10 tech priorities. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has identified 10 ways it intends to deploy digital tech to build back better, safer and stronger from COVID-19, and shape a new golden age for tech in the UK.

Collectively, all of the above clearly signal the importance of data and analytics for public sector organisations, as well as the opportunity it presents to improve efficiencies and enable economic growth.It also provides the foundation for the delivery of a range of vital public services and societal goals, from tackling climate change to enhancing critical citizen services.

How we can support you to achieve policy compliance

As with any procurement, policy compliance is essential. Our Big Data and Analytics agreement enables you to procure a range of  specialised services and software. The agreement comes with assurance of compliance with the latest appropriate procurement policy notes, including:

  • social value – suppliers have already been evaluated against social value requirements and the agreement’s terms enable you to further evaluate this as part of each call-off
  • carbon net zero – suppliers have already confirmed their commitment to reaching carbon net zero by 2050 and to report on progress towards achieving that
  • throughout the agreement’s term, we will be monitoring and managing the ongoing compliance of all suppliers against the range of requirements set at the agreement level, for example, adherence with the relevant procurement policy notes and Cyber Essential Plus accreditation

Learn more about the Big Data and Analytics agreement

Our agreement offers a simple 2 lot structure which covers a wide range of capabilities across a strong group of suppliers. Of the agreement’s 50 awarded suppliers, 46% are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and all suppliers are also able to sub-contract.

Its premise is to offer you choice – enabling bespoke call-offs that ensure the best commercial outcomes for each requirement. This includes the choice of:

  • call-off term (up to a maximum of 5 years)
  • pricing mechanisms
  • buying options

An optional down-select mechanism has been introduced within lot 1 for Design, Build and Run Professional Services. It offers you the ability to create a shortlist of suppliers by 1 or more of the 6 pre-evaluated capability areas. You can also choose to use an expression of interest to down-select on lot 2. Plus, compliant direct awards are available across both lots.

Further reading and how we can help you

Read our blog by category experts to find out how we’re supporting the public sector to improve data use, drive efficiency and improve services. You can also find out more about what our experts have to say about democratising data and analytics for the public sector.

We’re here to help you select the most suitable products and services for your individual  data and analytics needs. You can:

Hampshire County Council launches 19 community pantries

Updated: September 2023

Hampshire County Council provides public services to 1.3 million residents across Hampshire (excluding Portsmouth and Southampton).

In response to the rising cost of living, they have launched 19 community pantries using CCS’ Voucher Scheme framework (RM6255) across the region, providing residents with access to affordable food. In addition, there are another 8 locations across the New Forest that are served by mobile larders with start-up funding from Hampshire County Council.

About community pantries

Since December 2020, the Department for Work and Pensions has been running grant schemes to provide essential support to those most in need across England. This includes support with the cost of food, energy, water and other essentials. Each funding cycle runs for 6 months. One of the challenges facing Hampshire County Council was providing essential support to as many people as they could, as quickly as possible.

The community pantry scheme provides access to groceries at a lower cost than supermarkets or shops, as well as dealing with food waste. For a small weekly contribution, community pantry members can access significant savings on their weekly food shop. For example, a £5 voucher equates to £15 in groceries. The range of food available changes on a weekly basis.

Anyone can access a community pantry, they just need to sign up to become a member. Membership is managed as part of Hampshire County Council’s Connect4Communities programme, under Hampshire Children’s Services. 

The outcome

Implementation

In the first phase of support, Hampshire County Council appointed Wonde Ltd to provide retail vouchers to eligible families through their school network through our Voucher Scheme framework (RM6255). The vouchers could then be redeemed in supermarkets and community pantries. Currently, over 100 Hampshire schools already use Evouchers (Evouchers is part of Wonde Ltd) in the provision of retail vouchers to their free school meal eligible families.

Assistant Director of Access, Resources and Business Development at Hampshire County Council, Suzanne Smith says: 

A large number of our schools already had connections with Wonde so the data management solution was in place, familiar and popular with our schools and families. The level of support from the Evouchers account management and reporting was excellent. The delivery from the team was responsive and swift.

Expanding the offering

In December 2021, Hampshire County Council evaluated their offer and updated the list of retailers to include their community pantries. This provided both more choice and significant value for money for eligible families. Utility vouchers were also added to the offer.

Suzanne added:

Because of Evoucher’s enhanced technology, we were able to move quickly and brought 16 pantries online over the 2 week Christmas period.

Broadening the retail choice really helped to increase awareness of the community pantries among residents. We have had anecdotal reports of increased footfall, higher levels of income, greater reach and, with the added option of support through utility vouchers, pantries have been able to provide well rounded support for their customers.

The future: continuing to help residents with the cost of living 

With the rising cost of living, the next focus for Hampshire County Council is to provide support to stabilise the everyday lives of residents. The council works with a number of partners including fire, police and children’s services to share knowledge and work on solutions to provide help for those that are struggling in the current climate. 

Hampshire County Council plans to analyse the use of its community pantries and continue to encourage and promote its use. Suzanne commented: 

For the pantries to truly be part of our community and help those who need it most, education is key. We need to make people aware of the impact of minimising food waste by shopping in pantries, whilst reducing the negative connotations sometimes associated with them.

The council plans to introduce the next phase for provision soon. This includes building wraparound support services within the pantries, with the aim of developing them into community hubs to further support residents.  The collaboration with CCS enabled Hampshire to achieve social value.

Add power to your procurement with CCS

To find out more about the services available to you:

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

Customer newsletters for December

Welcome to our monthly newsletters. You can read the latest news most relevant to the sector you work in by selecting the appropriate link below:

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 the newsletter most relevant to you, based on your organisation.

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.

Customer newsletters for September

Welcome to our monthly newsletters. You can read the latest news most relevant to the sector you work in by selecting the appropriate link below:

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 the newsletter most relevant to you, based on your organisation.

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.

Customer newsletters for October

Welcome to our monthly newsletters. You can read the latest news most relevant to the sector you work in by selecting the appropriate link below:

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 the newsletter most relevant to you, based on your organisation.

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.

Aggregation helps customers make savings on Microsoft licences

Background

In May 2021 Crown Commercial Service (CCS) announced a new Digital Transformation Arrangement 21 (DTA21) with Microsoft. This agreement  aims to provide eligible customers savings on the baseline Microsoft pricing and discounts. 

The solution 

To support the DTA21 agreement and provide an easy route to market for customers, we set up a programme of aggregated procurements for Microsoft licensing. These competitions are run free of charge by CCS under our Technology Products and Associated Services (TePaS) framework agreement and pool multiple public sector customers together under a single tender to unlock greater savings.

Outcome

The DTA21 agreement already provides excellent discounts and consistent pricing for eligible public sector organisations. Further price saving opportunities are limited to the variation of the Licence Solution Partner (LSP) margin, which is around 1% on average, regardless of the route to market or LSP a customer chooses.

So far the Microsoft aggregations have saved customers on average between 2% and 3.5% when compared to the market average of 1% LSP margin. Overall the aggregation price savings total over £9.8 million across 82 customers – and that’s not accounting for the process savings in time and resource.

The CCS aggregation team is focused on putting the customer first, and we aim to provide  a service that ensures the right outcome and value for money for our customers.

A customer from one of our more recent Microsoft aggregations commented:

“I have been involved in a number of aggregations with CCS and every time have found the process from start to finish to be very straightforward and easy to understand. This and the support we received enabled us to get an excellent outcome which was on time and below budget. I would not hesitate in recommending using this service or using it again myself.” 

Andrew, Wiltshire Council  

Find out how our aggregation team can add power to your procurement

We are currently running licensing aggregations every quarter. View upcoming opportunities on our events page.

You can also watch our recorded webinar for further details on how the aggregations work. If you are interested in taking part please send us your details using our contact form and quoting ‘Microsoft aggregations’.

Visit our website for details on upcoming Microsoft aggregations and other aggregations including  software (such as Microsoft and Adobe), IT hardware, and mobile voice and data.

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.

5 tips to help with your commercial move

At Crown Commercial Service (CCS) we understand that relocating offices can be one of the most stressful things you have to do. We recognise that, at some point, estate managers will be asked to support or arrange a commercial move. Whether you are looking to move to an office, a clinical ward or warehouse, our subject experts have the knowledge and skills to help you make moving as stress-free as possible.You can access commercial removals and relocations through our Logistics and Warehousing (RM6074) framework.

We have used our knowledge and experience to put together 5 tips that we recommend you consider when managing a commercial relocation. 

Tip 1: communication is key

How you communicate the news that you’re moving can have a significant impact on the reaction of your stakeholders. 

Many people are impacted by a commercial move, including: 

  • employees: either positively or negatively moving can have an impact on personal arrangements such as the school-run, using public transport and travel expenses 
  • public relations: your clients/customers will need to know when and where you will be moving to. Not communicating this effectively can severely impact the response you get back from the public, suppliers and other external stakeholders – they will need to understand the details of the move and how it will affect the commercial relationship they have with you 

The news should be communicated as early as possible, in as much detail as possible. This will help prevent misinformation and assumption. To ensure all stakeholders are kept up to date we recommend:

  • a shared calendar detailing the dates and deadlines of the move for employees
  • a move newsletter or weekly email round-up for employees, customers and other stakeholders dedicated space on your employee intranet and external website for move related updates
  • regular all staff catch-ups 
  • a working group of move champions who can share details of the move and collect feedback from their teams

As part of the communication process, it’s also important that people understand why the move is happening and how it will positively affect them individually, as well as the business as a whole. 

Tip 2: plan early

Planning your relocation  should be the first step in your moving journey.  Clarify the move deadline and work backwards, establishing a clear timeline of activities and communications needed. 

Consider the services of a relocation company early in your planning to ensure you set realistic budgets and timelines. . We recommend contacting the removal specialist 6 months in advance of the move so that you can arrange a site visit to provide an accurate quote.

Tip 3: set a clear, detailed and realistic budget (and stick to it!)

There are many different considerations in a commercial move and these can impact the most carefully planned budgets. If you are considering sourcing the services of a relocation specialist, they can advise on items to consider and help you to set a realistic budget that you can stick to. Our suppliers recommend that you consider: 

  • insurance premiums
  • fire assessments
  • fit-out expenses
  • cabling and IT relocation charges
  • new furniture installation 
  • removal and disposal of unwanted fittings
  • handling of specialist or high-value items
  • hiring an experienced project manager

When setting your budget, consider the addition of a buffer to account for unforeseen complications. A 15% flexibility should cover any unexpected costs. Likewise, a similar approach should be taken when setting your timelines. 

When moving, your tenancy may place a responsibility on you for refurbishing the space you are vacating. It’s worth considering this at the planning stage and consulting the terms of your tenancy agreement to be sure of your obligations. 

Tip 4: moving office IT

IT relocation can be one of the most complicated parts of a commercial move. Every colleague in the business has their own specifications, which will need to be replicated in the new location. You will likely need to be moving services, workstations, telephone systems and any other ICT equipment that is housed in your current premises. If you are engaging the services of a professional relocation contractor, this will be one of the areas they can support you with. 

Also consider how you will protect your data during the move. Damage to hard drives or servers could potentially result in the loss of valuable data with financial or legal General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) implications. It’s therefore important to ensure that all data is carefully and securely backed up to prevent data loss. 

Tip 5: arrange site visits

Site visits can be very useful if you are planning to engage the services of a professional relocation contractor. Site visits allow the consultancy to better understand the context of the move, such as:

  • access to the building, road infrastructure, congestion, vehicle height and weight restrictions, parking, tolls and congestion charges
  • internal access such as the size, number and availability of goods lifts, fixtures and fittings that may act as obstacles

Other factors to consider

It’s also important to consider which internal stakeholders will need to attend a site visit. It’s a good idea to bring along heads of department that may be impacted by the move. There will inevitably be questions raised by the consultancy that your stakeholders may be better placed to answer. 

How we can support your commercial move

Lot 4 of our Logistics and Warehousing framework provides access to 6 suppliers that can provide a range of specialist relocation and removal services. 

How can we help?

If you would like to find out more, please fill in our contact form  and quote Logistics and Warehousing.  You can also join our customer forum.

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.

Sam Hunt | Category Manager | Logistics and Warehousing