Guidance

Crown Commercial Service customer update: October 2017

Published 4 October 2017

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

1. Security alert – are you sending emails to the wrong organisation?

We have received reports from a company called Crown Commercial Services Ltd that they have been mistakenly receiving emails from customers meant for CCS.

Crown Commercial Services Ltd emails end with @crowncommercial.co.uk. The company’s email servers will capture any emails that end with this suffix.

Our emails end with @crowncommercial.gov.uk. Please be vigilant and ensure that any email address you use to contact CCS ends with @crowncommercial.gov.uk and not @crowncommercial.co.uk.

Given the nature of our business it’s really important that we ensure government, public sector and commercially sensitive information is managed correctly and your help with this matter is much appreciated.

2. Join a CCS aggregation and make great savings

Have you considered joining one of our aggregation opportunities to make even greater savings? When buying common goods and services, bringing together customers with similar needs has several advantages, including big savings and a simpler tender process:

  • the more customers we can bring together the greater the savings for all
  • collaboration helps ensure consistent application of best practice and opportunities for learning
  • simplification of the tender process reduces procurement costs for buyers and bidding costs for suppliers

17 customers are set to save over £2.7 million on mobile voice and data services following a recent aggregated further competition. Read the full case study

More examples of our aggregation success can be found in our case study collection.

2.1 Automatic number plate recognition

Our Traffic Management Technology 2 (RM1089) framework covers automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology, and we are planning national aggregated further competitions for both police and car park ANPR. If this is of interest to you, please get in touch - simply tick the aggregation box and quote NFC77.

2.2 Vehicles

We run 3 vehicle eAuctions each year as by combining customer requirements we have found customers can save as much as 40% on manufacturer’s retail price.

Our 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.

If you would like to take part in the next eAuction, which will take place in February 2018, we will need your commitment by early January 2018.

If you are interested in finding out more please get in touch - simply tick the aggregation box and quote Fleet eAuctions.

Find out more about all our latest aggregation opportunities.

To learn more about how our free to use aggregation services can help you make savings or to discuss any of the current opportunities please fill in our online enquiry form.

Simply tick the box to express your interest in aggregation, and quote the reference number (e.g. NFC123) if you are interested in one of our current opportunities.

3. CCS events

3.1 Technology webinars

Our technology framework teams are hosting a series of webinars to help explain what, and how, you can buy technology and digital solutions through our frameworks.

  • G-Cloud on 11 October and 8 November at 10.30am

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

Register for 11 October.

Register for 8 November.

  • Network Services on 2 November at 1.30pm

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.

  • Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) on 2 November at 11am

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.

  • Quality Assurance and Testing for IT systems on 7 November at 2.30pm

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

Register.

  • Cyber Security Services on 9 November at 11am

As cyber attacks become more and more frequent, find out how we can help you procure National Cyber Security Centre certified suppliers to test and protect your systems.

Register.

4. Exhibitions

4.1 Procurex Scotland

Working towards the ‘Scottish Government Procurement Strategy – January 2017-March 2019‘, Procurex Scotland Live 2017 on 25 October at SEC Glasgow will host a range of skills development and educational features, facilitated through workshops and advice hubs.

You will find CCS in the Scottish Government Procurement Pavilion, alongside Scottish Government, NHS National Services Scotland, Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges, and Scotland Excel. We will be on hand to answer your procurement questions and showcase the Purchasing Platform.

If you are involved in public sector procurement in Scotland register now – it’s free to attend.

4.2 Procurex Wales

Working towards the ‘Taking Wales Forward 2016-2021‘ strategy, Procurex Wales at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on 9 November will host a range of skills development and educational features, facilitated through workshops and advice hubs. You will find CCS in the Product Showcase Exhibition at stand 7 where we will be on hand to answer your procurement questions and show you our latest developments, including the Purchasing Platform.

If you are involved in public sector procurement in Wales register now – it’s free to attend.

4.3 Public Sector Show

We are once again supporting the Public Sector Show in Manchester on 21 November. The event aims to bring together senior professionals from local and central government and the wider public sector to hear key policy updates, learn from best practice case studies and satisfy their procurement needs to deliver smarter and more efficient public services.

The event focuses on the particular challenges facing public services in the North of England, the Midlands and beyond; by exploring issues of devolution, funding constraints and the specific demand needs of the regions.

Nick Caton, Head of Wider Public Sector, will be speaking on delivering value in public service procurement, and in the CCS open theatre we will be hosting a number of sessions including:

  • using social value criteria to run and evaluate your procurement
  • aggregation through collaboration
  • transforming public procurement with a click
  • why customers choose CCS for utilities & fuels

Learn more about these sessions.

It’s free to attend – register now.

5. Latest case studies

5.1 Council saves on print requirements through single sourcing and supporting the local economy

Wakefield Council wanted to appoint a single print supplier to help achieve cashable savings on its print spend.

With a wide variety of print products in its portfolio, it was essential to engage with an experienced supplier. It was also important that the solution was able to support the local economy. Through our print framework, the council was able to save over £200,000 on its print requirements.

Read the full case study

View all our latest case studies.

6. Brochures

We have recently published the following new brochures:

View all our brochures.

7. New frameworks

8. Latest procurements

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

9. Frameworks expiring shortly

  • Computer Based Testing Services (RM995) will expire on 17 October. Customers with online testing requirements should now use G-Cloud 9 (RM1557ix).
  • Wider Public Sector Travel Management Services (RM1034) is due to expire on 10 November. There may be a short gap for new customers considering joining a Crown Commercial Service travel solution during the development of the replacement agreement; however, customers with call-off contracts in place can continue to source their travel requirements after the framework expiry.
  • ConsultancyONE (RM1502) is due to expire on 15 December. Customers can put in place call-off contracts for future works up until the expiry date, or use the new Management Consultancy (RM3745) framework lots as they are awarded. The finance and audit lots are available now, and the HR, health & community, education, infrastructure and ICT & digital lots are due to award shortly.

10. Recently expired frameworks

11.1 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.

11.2 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

11.3 Procurement tools

eSourcing log on

eMarketplace log on

If you use these tools frequently why not save them to your favourites for easy access? Not yet registered? Find out how to register:

12. 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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