Ministry of Justice saves £500,000 with our Payment Solutions framework

The Ministry of Justice, alongside their executive agency HMPPS (Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service), is responsible for the prison estate across England and Wales. This includes the provision of safe, secure and supportive prisons that reform offenders.  

The problem

One aspect of this duty is ensuring that all publicly managed prisons in England & Wales receive the food they need to keep in excess of 100 prisons and over 70,000 prisoners fed and watered. 

This is a huge administrative task, resulting in the department previously receiving in excess of 70,000 invoices per year from their main contracted food supplier.

In a bid to use staff time more effectively along with improving supplier relationships and generating funds, in 2017 the Ministry of Justice looked to CCS to implement a procurement card programme. 

The solution

The Ministry of Justice had previously taken advantage of our framework and had begun to reap the benefits of this against some lower volume contracts.  

They identified that the transactional nature of the HMPPS food contract (high volume and low value) would suit this solution and realise further benefits.  

Les Cook, a Commercial Lead at the Ministry of Justice, said: 

We recognised that, if we used the Payment Solutions framework for this contract, we could save significant internal resource whilst improving the experience for end users and strengthening the supplier relationship.

The results

The Ministry of Justice are now in their 5th year using procurement cards, currently under our Payment Solutions framework (RM3828), and have enjoyed transformative results:

  • through implementing a virtual card, the manual processing associated with 70,000 invoices has been eliminated and this has saved in the region of £500,000 per year.   
  • the previous payment solution often resulted in a high level of overdue debt, which consumed further resources. Eliminating this has meant that contract management staff are able to shift focus to core tasks, spending more time implementing improvements elsewhere.
  • using payment cards improved the Ministry of Justice’s payment times to suppliers from 30 days to around 4 – significantly strengthening their supply chain and improving relationships with suppliers. This has been hugely beneficial in recent times given the volatile cashflows of the supplier due to COVID-19.

 Reflecting on the impact the Payment Solutions framework has had, Les Cook said:

In addition to the £500,000 of savings, we have also eradicated historic problems with high amounts of overdue debt.  This had a much broader benefit of improving relationships between the department and supplier and allowed us both to redeploy resource onto added value and strategically important pieces of work.  

Linking the virtual card to the suppliers’ ordering portal has also delivered improved product information and improved accessibility for end users which has seen our order compliance improve.

I would recommend that procurement cards are considered by other departments when considering acquisition arrangements for low value, high volume transactions.

It’s important that this is thoroughly reviewed prior to implementation and in advance of any associated procurement activity.  Costs and benefits need to be clearly understood by both parties as it will impact on both the department and supplier.

Start benefiting today 

As we emerge from COVID-19, and face the challenge of continuing to deliver world-class public services despite the unprecedented pressure on resources, it’s crucial that every pound and every hour is spent as efficiently as possible.

Greater use of procurement cards is a quick and easy way to generate funds while freeing up staff to focus on other priorities.

We recommend that all organisations conduct a thorough review of all current and future purchases to see where there’s an opportunity to spend more on cards. 

It’s quick and easy to integrate procurement cards into your organisation. You can start saving time and money, strengthening your supply chain, generating additional funds, and enjoying increased financial control within weeks. 

Next steps 

G-Cloud 12 framework extension

Crown Commercial Service has decided to extend G-Cloud 12 for 12 months from its original end date of 27 September 2021 to 27 September 2022. 

The extension gives CCS the time to make improvements to the customer journey including accessibility, search functionality, and the presentation of the Digital Marketplace platform, before the next iteration of the agreement is delivered. It is anticipated that these enhancements will also help to increase opportunities for suppliers.

We’re consulting with suppliers and customers over the planned changes, and updated information regarding G-Cloud 13 will be provided in the near future via the Digital Marketplace and the Upcoming Deals page. 

Please note that the extension to G-Cloud 12 does not give suppliers the right to increase pricing or to materially change services, as mentioned in clauses 3.2 and 3.7 of the framework agreement. 

If you require further information regarding the G-Cloud 12 extension please email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Changes to our frameworks in March

Welcome to our monthly framework update to help you with your procurement planning. We will publish it online each month and also share it in our newsletters and on our social media channels.

The update provides a brief summary of what has been awarded, extended or expired during the previous month. It also outlines what is due to expire in the next 3 months.

You can also get an overview of all of our live frameworks in our interactive digital brochure.

Frameworks awarded in March 

Frameworks extended in March

  • No frameworks were extended in March

Frameworks that expired in March

  • Supply, Delivery and Installation of Furniture and Associated Services (RM3812)
  • Water, Wastewater and Ancillary Services (RM3790)

Frameworks due to expire in the next 3 months

Further information

If you need further details about any of these frameworks please get in touch. 

If you don’t currently receive our monthly customer newsletter why not also subscribe to receive these updates and more directly to your inbox? Just fill in this short form.

Crown Commercial Service announces a 3 year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Microsoft UK

Our new Digital Transformation Arrangement 21 (DTA21) will allow all eligible public sector customers to benefit from a baseline of Microsoft pricing and discounts. The agreement represents significant savings for customers, particularly for those who want to maximise the efficiencies of their Microsoft estate. The current ‘DTA’ MoU expires on 30 April 2021, and our new agreement will be available for customer enrolments from 1 May 2021 onwards.

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

This agreement recognises the significance of cloud computing to the UK public sector as it continues its digital transformation and aims to build back better. It is another example of CCS’s commitment to achieving outstanding commercial value for our customers across the public sector.

By treating the UK government and wider public sector as a single client, the DTA21 allows access to preferential commercial terms. It was designed to support principles from Digital, Data and Technology and the One Government Cloud Strategy, as well as more recent issues such as supporting COVID-19 recovery and the sustainability and social value agenda.

The MoU is not a route to market, however it shows our commitment to support the public sector, as the pricing and discounts are available through any route to market. We recommend using lot 3 of our Technology Products and Associated Services (RM6068) framework but customers can access the same pricing through competitor frameworks.

Let us bring power to your procurement 

If you would like to discover how your organisation could benefit from our new DTA21 arrangement, you can register for our monthly complimentary customer webinars:

We will also be running a number of aggregated competitions to assist customers in procuring their Microsoft requirements. Visit the aggregation page on our website to find out more.

To benefit from extra Microsoft related support such as strategic advice on how to achieve the best value from your software estate, as well as best practice procurement activities, or to find out more, please complete our online form quoting ‘Microsoft DTA21 MoU’ and we will be in touch.

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) implement extra cleaning measures amid the pandemic, to allow vital work to continue

The requirement

HMCTS and MoJ carry out vital work throughout their court and tribunal buildings across the country. In order to enable this work to continue safely throughout the pandemic, they were required to enhance their cleaning measures, to ensure their buildings were COVID-secure. Their requirements included the implementation of a touchpoint cleaning service for existing court buildings and a full cleaning service for temporary court buildings that had been set up to safely increase capacity. 

The core aim and challenge was to source the additional cleaning services within extremely tight timescales, whilst maintaining compliance to procurement regulations and Cabinet Office controls. Additionally, they also needed to ensure a quality service that provided value for money. 

The solution

The Building Cleaning Services agreement from CCS was the perfect solution for HMCTS to source these additional requirements. CCS had a thorough understanding of the services required and the urgent nature of the contract, and provided pro-active, valuable support to HMCTS to facilitate the procurement efficiently and compliantly.

The agreement provided access to specialised touchpoint cleaning, which involves trained personnel continually cleaning and sanitising high traffic areas and touchpoints such as:

  • communal spaces and rooms used for proceedings
  • door handles, surfaces, seating 
  • hand wash basins

The result 

By working with CCS, HMCTS were able to procure a range of services to ensure their buildings were COVID-secure for both staff and visitors, thus allowing essential and vital services to continue amid the pandemic. 

The flexibility of the dynamic purchasing system (DPS) conveniently allowed HMCTS to supplement their existing out-of-hours cleaning contract with bespoke cleaning requirements. 

Kim Newman, Procurement Lead at HMCTS, MoJ said:

We have been working with the team at CCS, on an urgent call off contract for cleaning services. 

I wanted to say that the team has been exceptional in their service provision, working tirelessly to get the documents written, verified and updated as the procurement process progressed. Their attention to detail, professional advice and assistance needs to be acknowledged and I would like to offer my thanks to the team for their efforts.

Interested in cleaning services from CCS? Get in touch via our online form and quote ‘Building Cleaning Services’. 

Buy furniture sustainably and simply through CCS

Our furniture agreement offers an extensive range of solutions to all customers across the whole public sector. The agreement enables you to direct award or drive additional savings via further competition, while also allowing you to buy more consciously by addressing your social value and sustainability targets. 

What can I buy?

The agreement offers a wide range of furniture including:

  • office 
  • residential
  • education
  • steel storage
  • bespoke furniture
  • CPNI rated secure furniture
  • repair and renovation services.

In addition to the wide range of goods offered, our agreement offers a range of complimentary services including space planning, site surveys, end of life disposal and move management and reconfiguration services. 

How does the agreement help me buy more consciously?

Social value is key under the new agreement and suppliers are committed to supporting in a number of areas. All suppliers are required to submit an ‘Annual Social Value Report’ which includes reporting on modern slavery, diversity of their supply chains, fair and inclusive employment practices and environmental sustainability.

Suppliers also support the Greening Government Commitment, ensuring all packaging of products is reusable or readily recyclable. Buyers can also choose to reuse existing furniture items, rather than purchasing new furniture, by accessing repair and renovation services under lot 7.

The agreement also provides waste management services, meaning suppliers can collect furniture and will either recycle, repair or refurbish the item for reuse.  They’ll work with the customer to offer this service for little or no cost where possible.

Over 80% of the suppliers on the agreement are SMEs.

How can I find out more?

Register for our webinar, on 28 April at 10am, where you can find out more about how you can save money and keep your furniture purchasing sustainable.

Supporting financial wellbeing in a COVID-19 world

As the UK starts to gradually unwind the lockdown restrictions which have been part of our lives for the last 12 months, a pressing question for every organisation, regardless of their size, is what they can do to support their people in the year ahead.

According to recent Edenred research with 2,000 UK based employees, over 18% indicated that financial wellbeing was their primary concern heading into 2021.

A combination of 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent pay freezes for many public sector employees, and Brexit contributing to the rising price of some everyday household goods, means that employers are being challenged to find new ways to effectively support their people financially throughout 2021 and beyond.

Over 200 public sector organisations are currently using Edenred’s ‘mydiscounts’ scheme to help give their staff a financial boost. Available for free via our Employee Benefits framework, the online platform gives employees direct access to shopping discounts of up to 30% at hundreds of online and high street retailers. This includes brands such as John Lewis, Curry’s PC World, Deliveroo, ASOS, M&S, Tesco and many more.

So, whether it is on the daily essentials, dining out, fashion, the latest tech or making travel plans, mydiscounts provides an engaging way for your employees to save substantial sums of money. Last year, over £1.2 million was saved by public sector employees by using the mydiscounts platform.

Savings anytime, anywhere

A new mobile app has been launched by Edenred to make things even easier for your people. Available on both iOS and Android, it offers a fast, simple, convenient way for your users to save money on the go.

Edenred can help you ensure maximum engagement with the scheme from your employees. As standard, you can expect to receive a regular email programme highlighting the latest discounts, flash sales, competitions and much more.

To find out more about the mydiscounts platform available through our Employee Benefits framework:

Visit the framework page

Call 0345 410 2222

Email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk 

Fill in our online form

Office Supplies: aggregated eAuction opportunity

We recognise that with budgets and resources more squeezed than ever, procuring public sector office supplies and equipment is no easy task. At CCS, we offer a complimentary aggregation service, also known as collective buying, to help take some of the pressure off.

By combining the similar needs of customers from across the public sector, we can increase our national buying power to achieve savings that would not be possible by individual purchasing.

Our team of experts deliver social and economic value on a day-to-day basis, so are able to take care of the process for you to get the best possible deal. This helps release your internal resources to focus on other areas of your business or on more complex procurements.

Get involved

Our category team are looking to run an aggregated further competition with an eAuction through Lot 2 of our Office Supplies (RM6059) framework. 

Indicative timescales are to have all requirements finalised for a June release of tender documents to RM6059 Lot 2 suppliers.

If you have a requirement and would like to benefit from collective buying, please contact our Office Supplies team by emailing us quoting ‘RM6059 aggregation opportunity’ and we will get in touch to let you know of next steps.

To find out more about this framework, visit Office Supplies framework webpage.

Adapt and thrive – how to plan for the workforce market of the future

This article originally appeared in the February / March 2021 edition of Public Sector Executive

Even before the events of the last 12 months, technology, demographic, and social changes were making it increasingly difficult for the public sector to attract and retain talent.

The combined effects of low unemployment rates, skills shortages, digital transformation, and pressure on accessing emerging talent meant a fluid work market where people could often move between roles quickly. The shock of 2020 and its cycle of lockdown, furlough, and reopening has changed everything.

We’re still coming to terms with what comes after the pandemic in terms of the employment landscape. As of December 2020, 9.9 million furlough claims had been made. Unemployment is rising, from 4% at the outset of the pandemic to 5% in the autumn.

According to Pertemps Managed Solutions, leading market analysts estimate there are 8 times more people applying for jobs than there were pre-COVID-19, and there are currently around 60-65% less jobs being advertised.

Rising unemployment could mean that the public sector is increasingly seen as a more secure and safe place to work. Although as skills shortages remain in many areas, the public sector will still need to work hard to attract and retain the right talent. 

Flexing your workforce strategy

In these uncertain times, having a structured and responsive recruitment strategy, alongside a well-planned programme to upskill your existing workforce and attract new talent, will ensure you are agile and resilient.

The right blend of temporary and permanent employees, including apprentices, is important.

It is reckoned that the contingent labour market grew by 1.9% between 2014 and 2019, and it was expected to grow another 2.6% by 2024. The primary reason for this is workers adopting more flexible working patterns.

Whilst the exact spend on contingent labour across the public sector is not known, it is estimated that, based on the number of full time equivalents currently working in the sector, it is about a third of the total market.

It’s too early to say how the events of the last 12 months will impact the public sector’s contingent labour market, but it is likely to only increase both the desire and the need for people to work remotely and flexibly in the long-term.

Adapt and thrive

If you haven’t already, it’s time to consider how the changing workforce environment will impact on your organisation in the long-term:

  • Increased flexibility and remote working are here to stay: ensure you have the right processes, policies and recruitment channels in place to attract new workers, onboard them remotely and capture robust data to support your future workforce planning – whether you are recruiting contingent workers or permanent employees.

 

  • Plan for the next generation: take the time to find the right training programme for your apprentices in a remote learning environment, and align your talent requirements with your strategic goals – this will help you identify the skills you need to grow and identify where your skills gaps lie.
  • Look at the whole: a programme of total talent management for both your permanent and contingent workforce will help your organisation be agile and resilient – increasing your ability to make your whole workforce visible, engaged, and connected to your corporate and recruitment strategies

 

Find out more

Crown Commercial Service’s Workforce whitepaper explores the ways in which you can rise to the opportunities and challenges of attracting and retaining talent in the public sector.

Whether these challenges are new to you or issues in which you are already well-versed, the crucial point is: what is your organisation going to do right now to rise to the challenge? How are you going to ensure your organisation can attract, retain and develop the talent you need and that you are agile and resilient as an employer? 

This is where CCS can help. Whatever your current position, CCS can take some of the pressure off and help you take the first steps towards improving your workforce planning – whether that is simply getting started with a preferred supplier list or helping you appoint a total talent management strategic partner.

You have the power to make better recruitment decisions for your organisation. Find out more about workforce solutions from CCS.

Download a complimentary copy of the CCS whitepaper

 

How our Technology Products and Associated Services framework helped Defra improve brand awareness

The requirement

Defra was looking for software as a solution (SaaS) to replace their existing social media monitoring platform, as they had concerns about the reliability of the data, breadth and depth of analytical capability and lack of support.

The department wanted to improve their social media strategy and was looking for:

  • a better understanding of their social media audience
  • increased brand awareness and exposure through more targeted and focused campaigns
  • innovative solutions, such as influencer marketing

None of this was available through their current supplier.

The solution

To find the best solution for their needs, Defra issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) under our Technology Products and Associated Services (TePAS) framework. TePAS offers competitive prices on products and services from a wide range of specialist suppliers. They used lot 3 which is for Software and Associated Services.

The results

Getech, a supplier on TePAS, subcontracted the opportunity to Socialbakers, as the RFP was a good fit for them.

Socialbakers provided a fully managed and supported social media solution. They helped Defra explore alternative and innovative uses of various social media platforms and data streams to help with their strategy. This included support from an onboarding manager and strategic account management team to ensure significantly improved results were achieved. The solution allowed Defra to identify and monitor key influencers and brand ambassadors and measure the impact of influencer focused campaigns. This has enabled them to streamline influencer engagement and plan targeted usage ahead of the UN Climate Change Summit (COP26) in 2021.

With an increased level of data at their disposal, Defra was able to optimise their content strategy. Focusing on the target audience and fine-tuning the appropriate messaging resulted in a greater reach and depth of engagement, leading to:

  • a 115% increase in organic interactions
  • a 53% increase in average organic reach per post on Facebook and Instagram
  • their engagement rate doubling

Giulia Farro, Senior Digital Insight & Evaluation Manager at Defra, said:

Socialbakers analytics is a powerful tool that massively simplified and automated our monitoring and reporting. It gave us the chance to easily label all our content, regardless of whether we posted via Socialbakers or natively, and provided an effective holistic view of our performance across multiple platforms and channels.

Let us add power to your procurement

Our Technology Products and Associated Services framework offers you a flexible way to buy IT hardware, off-the-shelf software and associated services to suit your organisation’s technology needs, big or small.

To find out how we can help you, you can: