Guidance

Crown Commercial Service update: March 2018

Published 6 March 2018

© Crown copyright 2018

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crown-commercial-service-update-march-2018/crown-commercial-service-update-march-2018

1. How CCS is getting ready for GDPR - and what you need to do

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enforcement date is 25 May. This is also when the current Data Protection Act 1998 will be replaced by a new Data Protection Act 2018 – and there are actions we all need to take before this date.

Read more about what we are doing at CCS – and what you will need to do.

2. Phase 1 of a new CCS website is now live

We are working hard to develop a new website that will be easier for you to use and find the information that is important to you, and have just launched the first phase of our brand new website at https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk.

The new site features:

  • up to date look and feel based on research among public sector buyers and compatible with GOV.UK design patterns for ease of use and accessibility
  • support articles to help new or less experienced buyers navigate the variety of CCS platforms and routes to market. These also showcase the breadth of CCS’s capability to seasoned buyers without hindering their familiar buying journeys
  • dedicated pages for suppliers with help and useful support and useful content
  • a new look procurement pipeline that brings all stages of the process into a single, intuitive, interactive format
  • news hub featuring the latest news, blogs and case studies from CCS

In phase 1 the new site complements rather than replaces any of CCS’s existing web estate. Contracts Finder and Find an agreement are still there, as is our presence on GOV.UK.

However, over the coming months we’ll be migrating functionality and content iteratively from our existing web properties to the new domain.

Your response to this first phase release will help us shape how we develop crowncommercial.gov.uk in the future. And, of course, we’ll keep you updated with our progress at each stage.

Please take a look around and if you have any feedback, please contact us.

3. Supplier assurance

We aim to be the ‘go to’ provider for the procurement of common goods and services across the public sector. To achieve this we deliver high quality commercial agreements, containing suppliers who have the capabilities and skills to provide your requirements and who we are confident to promote.

In order to give us that confidence in our suppliers, we undertake a number of supplier assurance activities, and have recently reviewed our activities to ensure that we are doing the right things, at the right time.

We want to provide you with clarity on our activities so you can:

  • understand what supplier assurances we will undertake
  • determine what assurances you, as customers, may need to undertake for any call-offs.

Find out what supplier assurances we undertake

4. Reminder for Vodafone customers

As announced early last year, Vodafone is closing its wide area paging network in the UK on 31 March 2018.

All customers with requirements for this service after 31 March, should ensure they have made arrangements for a suitable replacement to be operational prior to the closure date. If you do not have an alternative service and you actively use paging - please contact paging@vodafone.com.

5. Aggregation opportunities

5.1 Mobile voice & data services

If you are interested in joining the next aggregated further competition under our Network Services (RM1045) framework for mobile voice and data services please get in touch before the end of April.

It is anticipated that the contract will be in place in July, offering customers a high level of flexibility by:

  • establishing a zero line rental model for basic connections, so you do not incur costs for lines not used
  • structuring services as “bolt-ons” enabling you to build packages to suit your specific requirements and removing the restrictions of a “one size fits all” approach
  • 30-day terms for “bolt-ons” so you can change your mix of services during the contract

Our last competition saved 17 customers over £2.7 million. Read more in this case study.

To find out more about getting involved please get in touch – simply tick the aggregation box and quote mobiles.

5.2 Fleet

By using standardised vehicle specifications and our bulk buying power to make your requirements more attractive to suppliers, we have found our eAuctions can help customers save as much as 40% on manufacturer’s retail price.

The closing date to get involved in the next fleet eAuction is 23 May. The eAuction will be held at the start of July and orders will need to be placed within 3 months, with a typical delivery lead time of 12 weeks.

The eAuctions are run under lots 1 and 2 of the Vehicle Purchase (RM1070) framework and any volume or vehicle type can be considered. We can also help you if you want to lease rather than buy the vehicles.

To find out more please get in touch – simply tick the aggregation box and quote Fleet eAuctions.

Want to learn more about how our free to use aggregation service works? Watch our short film:

Watch our short film

6. Have your say on new Network Services framework

We are beginning consultation on the replacement for the Network Services framework with a series of customer webinars in March. Product specific webinars will be hosted, with each covering the following:

  • overview of the strategy
  • what this means for Network Services 2
  • discussion – your points of view
  • next steps and keeping in touch

Please register for those of interest below:

Voice and conferencing

  • Tuesday 13 March 10:00am
  • Thursday 15 March 2:00pm

Mobile strategy

  • Wednesday 14 March 10:00am
  • Tuesday 27 March 10:00am

Agreement design

  • Monday 19 March 10:00am
  • Thursday 22 March 2:00pm

Data connectivity

  • Monday 19 March 2:00pm
  • Tuesday 27 March 2:00pm

If you have any questions please fill in our online form

7. Technology webinars

We all know that the technology landscape is fast-paced and constantly evolving. Whether you are an experienced tech buyer or new to this area, our upcoming webinars are a great way to hear from our commercial specialists and ensure that you are getting the best solution for your organisation.

7.1 Network Services

Networks remain fundamental for the successful delivery of public services. Join us for this overview of the Network Services framework, covering how to buy a variety of services, from mobile connections to wide area network connections.

Register 6 March 2:00pm

7.2 Cyber Security Services

As cyber attacks become more and more frequent, find out how CCS can help you procure NCSC certified suppliers to test and protect your systems.

Register 13 March 11:00am

7.3 Quality Assurance and Testing for IT system

Learn more about how you can use this framework to source independent specialists to help you test and assure your systems.

Register 14 March 2:00pm

7.4 G-Cloud

Find out how to search for and buy cloud computing services like infrastructure, platform, software and specialist cloud services.

Register for 14 March 10:30am

7.5 Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS)

Need an individual or a team to come and work with you to deliver a bespoke digital solution? Find out how you can use DOS.

Register 15 March 10:30am

7.6 Microsoft MoU update

This webinar will cover the discounts and benefits provided by the new Digital Transformation Arrangement, recently signed between Microsoft and CCS, and will look at specific product licensing scenarios and discuss different licensing approaches to help you get the most value out of Microsoft products and services.

Register 28 March 10:30am

7.7 Technology Products

Join our customer overview of the different ways you can use our agreement for all your IT hardware and commodity software needs, including access to our extensive online catalogue, the Purchasing Platform.

Register for 29 March 10:30am

8. Upcoming events

8.1 Civil Service Live is coming

Civil Service Live is the government’s annual, cross-department learning event, attracting thousands of civil servants to learn, network and share best practice - with the ultimate goal of providing better public service. The conferences offer engaging, interactive and thought provoking sessions, led by dynamic, expert and inspirational speakers. The event is focused on the themes of the Civil Service vision - A Brilliant Civil Service - and is a great development opportunity, designed to motivate civil servants to continue to adopt the vision and demonstrate leadership. The event will be held across a range of locations and dates:

  • Thursday 7 June: SEC Centre, Glasgow
  • Wednesday 13 June 2018: NEC, Birmingham
  • Wednesday 27 June 2018: Winter Gardens, Blackpool
  • Thursday 5 July: City Hall, Cardiff
  • Thursday 12 July: St James’ Park, Newcastle
  • Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 July: QEII Centre, London

The agenda and registration will open for delegates from Wednesday 26 April at www.civilservicelive.com For more information about the events and different sponsorship, speaking or exhibition opportunities please email customer.service@dodsgroup.com or call 020 7593 5500.

8.2 Procurex Live

Join our CEO Malcolm Harrison in the keynote arena at the upcoming Procurex Live events, on 15 March at Olympia, London and on 24 April at Manchester Central, where he will be discussing transforming government growth. He will also be joining a lunchtime panel debate about marketing procurement and marketing yourself.

Plus, we’ll be hosting a CCS showcase at each event, giving you a chance to hear from:

  • Nick Caton, Commercial Director, Public Sector on understanding sectors, what we’ve learned and how we’ve changed in the last 12 months

  • Niall Quinn, Commercial Director, Technology and Steve Hall, Ark Data Centres on no more excuses for not moving to the cloud. The government’s Cloud First policy has been designed to help drive efficiencies, in both cost and performance. Learn how the partnership between CCS and Crown Hosting Data Centres can help you achieve your goals

  • David Gigg, Policy Implementation will be providing an update on procurement policy and what you need to know. Including how social value has changed the landscape for designing procurements and how we are making CCS frameworks compliant with social value policy; how CCS is tackling issues such as modern slavery, equality and accessibility; and how CCS is getting ready for GDPR – and, importantly, what you need to do

  • Francesca Pomlett, Senior Policy Advisor, on making bidding easier. We’ve all heard our buyers and suppliers complain about the difficulty of working with government contracts as ‘they’re too long, too hard to read, too difficult to use’. Hear how we are changing the way our contracts are written and structured so buyers and suppliers will find them simpler to use, and we will find it easier to build and refine them.

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

The events are free for public sector buyers to attend. Register now.

8.3 DPRTE

We will be exhibiting at DPRTE, the UK’s leading defence procurement and supply chain event, on 27 March at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. The event will provide attendees with an opportunity to gain valuable insight into the latest policies, initiatives and innovations across the defence procurement and supply chain marketplace. It’s free for Ministry of Defence and public sector organisations to attend.

Book your place

8.4 CCS returns to the Public Sector Show

We are delighted to be returning as a key supporter of the Public Sector Show in London on 26 June. The Public Sector Show is a must-attend event for anyone responsible for procurement in central and local government, as well as the wider public sector. Meet with over 130 leading suppliers of solutions and products designed to save money and deliver better public services. One key theme at the show this year is workforce and leadership. With over 5 million people working in the UK public sector, there is an ever-growing demand to continue to find solutions to recruit and retain experienced staff, develop talent and maximise productivity. At the show will help you get expert knowledge on human resources, organisational development, effective leadership and more, through key topic areas in the workforce and leadership zone:

  • recruitment and retention
  • cultivating talent
  • overcoming cultural barriers to change
  • agile working

We’ll be sharing more details about the other key themes, which are digital and technology, estates and infrastructure, and corporate and finance, in the run up to the show and we hope to see you there. Register for free now to save your space

9. Latest case studies

9.1 Supporting Newham Council’s digital transformation

The council’s 2020 transformation team recognised the need to take a more customer-centric approach to transform and redesign how it delivers vital online services to over 300,000 local residents. Using the Digital Marketplace, London Borough of Newham Council used the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) framework to procure a specialist supplier to deliver expertise, working with them to understand and improve the user experience of vital services.

This project has helped to secure senior buy-in to a new agile approach to service design, and the budget to go back out to market, via DOS, for other suppliers to provide the additional development for this project.

Read the full case study

Take a look at all our case studies to see how we have been helping our customers.

10. New frameworks

  • Public Sector Resourcing is now live offering you access to a single lot framework through which you can source all of your contingent worker requirements (excluding clinical workers). The strategic partner, Alexander Mann Solutions, will provide a fully managed end-to-end service model through which hiring managers can access their contingent worker requirements (contractors and temporary workers) via a range of innovative solutions.

  • A new Research Marketplace, which offers a dynamic solution to help you buy social, economic and market research solutions, is now open to customers.

  • Public Sector Travel and Venue Solutions (RM6016) is now live offering all public sector organisations access to a suite of innovative, value for money solutions. The 5 new commercial agreements include online and offline service provisions, specialist services, and zero and low cost booking fee models where applicable. New online solutions for rail, air and accommodation will provide a seamless, user-friendly booking experience, similar to when booking leisure travel. Customers needing travel management services can work with 1 of 3 global providers who can support UK and international travel, and a provider for venue find and support services.

11. New contract notices

We have recently published contract notices for:

12. Frameworks expiring shortly

13. Recently expired frameworks

  • Behavioural Insights Consulting and Research (RM3742) expired on 3 February. It has been replaced by Behavioural Insights (RM6004), which is now available for customers to use.

14. Framework extensions

15.1 Mystery Shopper 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.

15.2 Procurement policy

If you are looking for 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.

15.3 Procurement tools

16. 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.

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 customer service team on 0345 410 2222 You can also follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn.

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