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:

Is it time to review your organisation’s printing needs?

For many organisations, this is highlighting the need to understand their current Multifunctional Devices (MFD) estate as they look to move to a more digital hybrid way of working.

If it is time for your organisation to review its printing needs, lot 4 of our Multifunctional Devices agreement (RM6174), developed in partnership with YPO and ESPO, offers print consultancy services.

Reviewing and understanding your estate

For our customers, making the changes you need to ensure you have a fit for purpose estate can include:

  • auditing your current MFD estate
  • assessing print volumes pre- and post-Covid-19
  • reviewing your existing printing policy to make efficiencies

All of these activities can be time consuming for customers and not all organisations have the in-house expertise to do this effectively.

How can the agreement help?

Lot 4 for print consultancy services has been designed to help organisations that do not have the time and/or expertise to assess their current printing position and redesign a new strategy in line with more mobile ways of working.

Lot 4 has a number of independent vendor neutral suppliers who can provide print consultancy services to support you. The suppliers will use their knowledge and market expertise to help you through various steps from:

  • reviewing business strategies and printing policies
  • understanding your current MFD position, up to and including number and location of each device across your estate and historic and future printing volumes
  • reviewing printing policies
  • identifying process efficiencies and new digital solutions
  • technical specification drafting
  • evaluating tender responses

Find out more

To find out more about our printing services and how we can support you:

You can also download our digital brochure for full details of all our agreements.

Discover how we can support secure collections and asset recovery for the police and emergency services

At Crown Commercial Service (CCS) we understand that our police and emergency services customers need much more from a courier than delivering a package. That’s why we developed our Courier and Specialist Movements (RM6171) agreement. It enables customers not just to move packages from A to B, but also:

  • move valuable and high risk items in a secure and compliant way
  • generate value by reselling high value assets such as cars

Secure services

Lot 5 of the agreement offers a managed service for explosive substances (Class 1), firearms and weapons. This gives you access to suppliers that can arrange the secure collection, delivery and disposal of items such as:

  • firearms (sections 1,2 and 5)
  • explosives (UN Class 1)
  • weapons
  • controlled and illegal drugs

By using our agreement you can be confident that suppliers have the right certifications, licences and security in place. For example:

  • explosive certificates
  • section 5 firearm licences (issued by the Home Office)
  • vehicles fitted with Global Positioning Systems (GPS), immobilisers and alarms
  • lockable steel cages
  • temperature controlled vehicles
  • secure gun crates which are sealed to form an evidence chain
  • maintenance of the chain of custody

Asset recovery

Lot 6 offers a managed service for asset recovery to help customers generate money from assets that are no longer required, or have been confiscated or seized by law enforcement and need to be disposed of.

What is an asset?

An asset can be anything you own or have confiscated, from a mobile phone or electrical device to equipment and machinery. It can even be high capital value such as property, vehicles and land.

How can suppliers help?

Our suppliers can offer an end-to-end managed service for the removal of unwanted and seized assets of all sizes and weights. In addition, they can provide asset assessment, expert advice and alternative solutions for disposing of unwanted property.

They can manage the moving, recycling, reselling, donating or securely disposing of assets.

You can donate and recycle unwanted assets, helping to meet social value targets. Or, you can resell assets with secure transportation and storage, receiving part of the monetary value. A full audit trail is provided if the asset has to be destroyed.

Find out more

To find out more about our managed services for explosive substances and asset recovery, visit the Courier and Specialist Movements (RM6171) webpage or fill in our contact form.

If you would be interested in future webinars about the agreement fill in our contact form stating ‘RM6171 Courier and Specialist Movements webinar’ in the comments box.

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.

Bal Love | Assistant Category Manager – Courier & Logistics

Multifunctional Device agreement enables Xerox to support social value and create jobs

Updated: September 2023

Xerox is one of the suppliers on our Multifunctional Devices (MFDs), Print and Digital Workflow Software Services and Managed Print Service Provision (RM6174) agreement.

They are keen to participate in social value initiatives that support government corporate social responsibility policy. For example, through the Kickstart Scheme (now closed), which aimed to provide equal opportunity and help tackle economic inequality, they welcomed 20 individuals to their organisation. The scheme provided participants with the opportunity to gain invaluable experience within a leading multinational tech company. It has also enabled Xerox to fast-track the establishment of a new digital sales team by retaining rising talent from the programme and offering several individuals full-time positions.

The aim of the team is to support small to medium sized public bodies and make sure they get maximum benefit from the services available to them through the CCS framework.

Maryan, a digital sales executive who joined Xerox through Kickstart in November 2021, said:

The Xerox Kickstart team provided incredible support and guidance which I have massively benefited from. I joined the programme straight out of university and spent 6 months working as a sales enabler, which built a strong foundation and helped me learn a lot about the business. After completing the programme, I was glad to receive an offer for a full-time position as a digital sales executive. I am excited to continue furthering my professional development and supporting public sector organisations.

Zoe works for YPO who partnered with CCS to develop this agreement. She saw an immediate impact from having the Xerox team support public sector customers, and commented:

I have received calls from customers who have been contacted by the Xerox team wanting to discuss the framework. It is great to see that the team is supporting our customers so proactively.

You have the power to boost social value

To learn more about the services available through the agreement and how it can help your organisation achieve its social value objectives:

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 brochure.

Our new first of its kind agreement, specifically for big data and analytics services and software, goes live

 

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has launched a new agreement for big data and analytics services and software, which aims to support the public sector to improve data use, drive efficiency and improve services.

Big data and data-driven capabilities, such as artificial intelligence, is an evolving field which has come into sharp focus across the public sector following the pandemic. 

The new Big Data and Analytics [RM6195] agreement is the first CCS agreement to be solely dedicated to the procurement of data and analytics services and software. It will offer all public sector customers a central route to market, across a range of specialist suppliers. It has been developed in accordance with the National Data Strategy.

The framework’s scope will support a variety of customer needs – from niche reporting and analytics projects to complete data service transformations – to enable them to use data more efficiently. It’s just one of a number of agreements from CCS designed to help public sector customers tackle the issues and challenges involved in procuring technology solutions. 

50 suppliers have been awarded a place on the framework, 46% of which are SMEs. Big Data and Analytics will run for 2 years with the possibility of extending by a further 2 years. Call-off contract durations can be up to 5 years. 

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

Data has the potential to transform our public services through enhanced productivity, helping to grow the economy.

This new framework will support the requirements of the government and the wider public sector as they continue to use data to innovate. It is yet another example of how CCS is helping the public sector to continue on its digital transformation journey.

Innovations

  • a simple 2 lot structure, encompassing a wide range of data and analytics capabilities in a single, consolidated framework
  • an evaluated pool of suppliers allowing customers to drive cost reductions and increase value for money through healthy competition
  • an optional capability ‘down-select’ mechanism to enable mini-further competitions under Lot 1, assisting with agile call-offs 
  • the new agreement aims to make it easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become suppliers, by enabling tier 1 suppliers to sub-contract, and therefore include SMEs in their supply chain
  • specific provisions to enable supplier knowledge transfer and help grow customers’ in-house capabilities 
  • public sector contracting terms and conditions create an easier, more flexible route to market, tailorable to customers’ specific operational needs

Lotting structure

The lots will comprise: 

Lot 1 – ‘Design, build and run’ professional services:

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

Lot 2 – Commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software:

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

Find out more

To find out more about Big Data & Analytics visit the agreement webpage or contact the CCS Service Desk at info@crowncommercial.gov.uk or 0345 410 2222.

Don’t forget, you can find a full list of all the commercial agreements we offer, alongside details of how we can help you build policy considerations into your procurement, in our interactive digital brochure.