Guidance

Crown Commercial Service customer update: February 2017

Published 2 February 2017

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crown-commercial-service-customer-update-february-2017/crown-commercial-service-customer-update-february-2017

1. New case studies

1.1 Fox Feeds benefits from the government being open for business

Fox Feeds is a small Hertfordshire-based business producing feed for the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and The Household Cavalry Mounted. They have been supplying to government for over 10 years.

The award of a government contract gave Fox Feeds the confidence to invest in new equipment and road vehicles to help them increase production of feed.

Fox Feeds was able to increase their staff numbers and create full-time specialist jobs administration, quality standards and health and safety.

See how becoming a government supplier is a great way to make a difference to small and medium-sized enterprises, read the full case study. Find out more about how we are making it easier for small businesses to supply to government and the public sector on our Open for Business website.

1.2 Aggregation saves customers £250,000 on IT hardware

We recently helped 43 organisations, including police forces, collaborate as a single customer to buy IT hardware.

The Home Office commissioned a Collaborative Law Enforcement Procurement (CLEP) programme, which included an objective to achieve savings through the standardisation of ICT commodities.

Insight, XMA, Stone and Misco won a further competition through an eAuction, which brought together the common laptop, desktop, monitor, tablet and hybrid needs of 43 individual participating organisations.

This provided the potential to achieve a minimum saving of £250,000 for the participating customers over a 12-month period.

Read the full case study

View our complete case study collection

2. Aggregation

Our aggregation and design team provides a service for customers with common purchasing needs for a wide range of goods and services ranging from vehicle hire to technology-related products and services.

2.1 How it works

We manage the process from start to finish and offer this service completely free of charge, enabling you to release your own local resources.

We collate your requirements and carry out an aggregated national further competition in order to achieve value for money for you and the other customers taking part by leveraging our bulk buying power.

If you would like to join a current opportunity or wish to discuss the great benefits in more detail please email aggregation@crowncommercial.gov.uk

2.2 Current opportunities

2.3 Vehicle telematics

We’re planning a national aggregated further competition for vehicle telematics, which will include goods and services within the scope of the Vehicle Telematics (RM3754) agreement.

If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions please email aggregation@crowncommercial.gov.uk quoting NFC57 in the email subject line.

Online webinars will be held to tell you more about the process and the deadline for submitting your requirements is 23 February.

2.4 Technology hardware for schools

Schools with common purchasing needs can achieve savings through joining together to purchase tablets, chromebooks, laptops and desktops.

The deadline for submitting your requirements is 10 February.

Find out more about technology hardware for schools (NFC65)

Find more current aggregation opportunities

2.5 Future opportunities

If there is something you are looking to buy, and you would like us to explore the potential to help you achieve savings by bringing your requirement together with other customers, please let us know.

Aggregation is suitable for most common goods and services, and we can use any CCS multi-supplier framework where further competitions can be run.

Please get in touch to discuss your opportunities by emailing aggregation@crowncommercial.gov.uk

3. Public sector organisations can choose a water supplier

From 3 April over 1.2 million eligible non-household customers in England will be able to choose their water supplier, including public sector organisations, such as schools.

We are collaborating with YPO, Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO), West Mercia Energy, The Energy Consortium and the Ministry of Defence to bring to market the largest public sector water framework agreement in the UK.

Read our guidance to see how you can prepare to choose your supplier of water, wastewater and ancillary services.

4. Management Consultancy: evaluators needed

We’re looking for people to help us evaluate the supplier bids for the new Management Consultancy framework. Training will be provided so if you’re interested in getting involved and would like to find out more please call 0151 672 2164 or email advisory.services@crowncommercial.gov.uk

5. Procurement policy

If you are looking for further public procurement policy guidance please take a look at our public procurement policy page

Looking for a particular procurement policy note? View the collection of all procurement policy notes

6. Mystery Shopper

Our Mystery Shopper scheme allows suppliers to report public sector tenders they did not understand or instances of what they believe to be poor procurement practice.

6.1 Mystery Shopper needs your feedback

Whether you’re a buyer or supplier we would like to hear from you - we need your feedback to help improve our Mystery Shopper service.

6.2 Latest results

You can view the latest Mystery Shopper results to see how the scheme is helping to improve procurement practices across the public sector and support our ambition to make doing business with government as easy as possible for small businesses.

7. Conferences and exhibitions

7.1 CCS Showcase at Procurex North

Our CEO Malcolm Harrison will join Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh in the keynote arena at Procurex North, which is taking place on 21 March at Manchester Central.

We’ll also be hosting a CCS Showcase at the event which will include a range of educational workshops on topics such as public procurement; choosing a sourcing solution; engaging stakeholders; writing and managing a category strategy; and using social value criteria to evaluate your procurement.

On our stand you will find an advice bar so you can drop in, or book a slot, to discuss your procurement issues with our commercial specialists, plus a feedback wall so you can share your thoughts and ideas on how we can best support you.

Register to attend the event for free.

7.2 Civil Service Live 2017

We will be attending Civil Service Live 2017 events throughout June and July, supporting a series of workshops on commercial as a profession. The events will enable civil servants and organisations to share best practice and innovation across government:

  • Thursday 8 June, EICC, Edinburgh
  • Thursday 15 June, Manchester Central, Manchester
  • Tuesday 20 June, The Sage, Gateshead
  • Thursday 29 June, City Hall, Cardiff
  • Thursday 6 July, NEC, Birmingham
  • Tuesday and Wednesday 11 and 12 July, QEII Centre, London

For more information about the events and different sponsorship, speaking or exhibition opportunities please email customer.service@dodsgroup.com or call 020 7593 5500.

8. New agreements

8.1 Communication Services

Communication Services (RM3796) is now live giving you an efficient way to buy a variety of specific communication services from channel planning and PR to creative development and digital marketing to meet your tactical requirements. 67 agencies are on the framework: 22 are based outside of London, 69% are SMEs and 44 are new to government business. The new framework complements Campaign Solutions (RM3774), which provides full, end-to-end, campaign solution services.

8.2 Managed Print and Digital Solutions

Managed Print and Digital Solutions (RM3785) is now live giving you access to a full range of print and digital solutions, including both fully managed end to end solutions and individual service options. Services include:

  • print and paper products (including envelopes and labels)
  • digital asset management
  • pre-production services (including basic design and artwork, photograph retouching, typesetting and proofreading)
  • operational print, security print, large format and wide print
  • direct mail and transactional print
  • database management
  • storage, fulfilment and distribution

Customers can expect savings in the region of 5-20% depending on their print maturity and volumes. All suppliers on the framework will use their expertise to help you achieve savings and move to digital solutions, where possible.

You can view details of all ongoing or planned procurements on our procurement pipeline.

9. Agreements expiring shortly

10. Agreement extensions

11. Recently expired agreements

  • Employee Eye Care Services (NEC/3/0065) expired on 31 January. A new agreement for Occupational Health, Employee Assistance Programmes and Eye Care is being developed and these services will form part of the agreement, which is expected to be in place in late May.
  • Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 of Legal Services (RM919) expired on 31 January. These lots are being replaced by 4 new panel agreements, the first of which, General Legal Advice Services, will be available in early 2017. Lots 5 (finance and regulation) and 8 (major or complex projects) have been extended until 31 January 2018. Lot 5 is available to all customers, however, lot 8 is only be accessible to wider public sector customers, and the Department for Transport and its arm’s length bodies in relation to rail services.

12. Brochures

View our suite of brochures

13. CCS on social media

We share regular news and updates throughout the month on Twitter and LinkedIn so if you are not already following us why not take a minute to do so now? You can follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn

14. Sign up for email alerts

You can sign up for immediate, daily or weekly email alerts which will tell you what we have added or updated on the GOV.UK website. It is a great way to stay up to date with the latest news and information from CCS.

Sign up for email alerts by providing your email address and selecting the frequency you wish to receive updates.

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If you need further information about anything in this update please do not hesitate to contact us by email info@crowncommercial.gov.uk or call our helpdesk on 0345 410 2222 You can also follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn

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