Scotland Excel
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The following questions have been raised by visitors and members to this site. If you don't find the answer here, then please fill in our FAQ submission form.
What is Scotland Excel?
What triggered the change?
What will these changes deliver?
Why are we doing this?
Why would my authority be attracted to Scotland Excel?
What benefits are there for collaboration in Scotland Excel?
How far does the scope of the Public Procurement Reform Programme extend?
What is happening now?
What does this mean across the local government sector?
What does this mean for my local authority/organisation?
How is Scotland Excel funded?
How is Scotland Excel managed?
Where is Scotland Excel based?
What kind of contracts will Scotland Excel be involved in?
WHAT IS SCOTLAND EXCEL?
Scotland Excel is the sectoral Centre of Procurement Expertise for Category B commodities which hold particular significance to local authorities and partners. A bid for funding to develop Scotland Excel was prepared and submitted in 2006 and funding was granted. Scotland Excel aims to support a solution to include all 32 local authorities in strategic partnership with Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
WHAT TRIGGERED THE CHANGE?
The ‘Review of Public Procurement in Scotland – Report and Recommendations’, by John McClelland was published on 15th March 2006. The report provided around 80 recommendations for improving public sector procurement within a relatively short timeframe. The complexity and scale of this challenge demanded the initiation and management of a co-ordinated programme of work (known as the Public Procurement Reform Programme), with initiatives at all levels and across all organisations within the Scottish Public Sector, including all 32 local authorities.
WHAT WILL THESE CHANGES DELIVER?
The vision for the Public Procurement Reform Programme is the implementation of structures, capability and processes to promote continuous improvement in procurement across the public sector in Scotland, deliver value for money improvements and support increased efficiency, amounting to £740m in the 3 year period financial year 2006-09. The net benefits (net present value) over the period are estimated to be over £600m.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?
To facilitate a significant improvement in local government procurement performance, promoting more effective buying for local authorities.
WHY WOULD MY AUTHORITY BE ATTRACTED TO SCOTLAND EXCEL?
Scotland Excel is a procurement resource that will enable all authorities in Scotland to purchase goods, services and works more effectively and efficiently. This will allow them to deliver real service benefits to the public through collaboration.
WHAT BENEFITS ARE THERE FOR COLLABORATION IN SCOTLAND EXCEL?
Collaboration allows better deals to be negotiated with suppliers and service providers. Companies supplying the local government sector will also benefit through consolidation of requirements and will have fewer points of contact to manage.
HOW FAR DOES THE SCOPE OF THE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT REFORM PROGRAMME EXTEND?
The scope includes changes to policy, delivery of cross sector collaboration and structures to support it including the establishment of Centres of Procurement Expertise, improving procurement management information, enhancing skills and practices, improving procurement efficiency (including through eProcurement) and improving supplier relations.
The ‘McClelland Report’ recommended a relatively small number of high-value commodities and services which are classified as Category A items and will be provided by call-off from a national contract provided for all public sector organisations. This will be delivered in conjunction with a number of high-value commodities and services that tend to be unique to a specific sector yet common within that sector which are categorised as Category B. These items or services should be provided by call off from common “sector specific” contracts. Where commodities and services are neither categorised as national contracts nor sector specific contracts then they will automatically be classified as Category C where the establishment of contracts will be conducted as the remit of a single organisation or a small cluster of organisations.
WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW?
Scotland Excel formally launched as the Centre of Procurement Expertise for Local Authorities on 1 April 2008.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ACROSS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECTOR?
The local government sector in Scotland will become a major customer in its own right, with the strength to develop and strengthen markets, encourage sustainability and drive competition and Scotland Excel will be responsible for delivering contracts and selling procurement practices and standards.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY LOCAL AUTHORITY/ORGANISATION?
Your local authority or organisation will be able to maximise savings, achievable through the benefits of collaborative procurement, by utilising better, more effective contracts secured by Scotland Excel.
HOW IS SCOTLAND EXCEL FUNDED?
Scotland Excel is a non-profit making organisation, owned and funded by all participating organisations.
HOW IS SCOTLAND EXCEL MANAGED?
Scotland Excel operates on the basis of a Joint Committee, where each member authority will have the opportunity to be represented, supported by a smaller Executive Sub-Committee and a Senior Officers Management Group. The Senior Officers Management Group have responsibility for the supervision and performance monitoring of Scotland Excel. Renfrewshire Council is the lead authority for Scotland Excel and will provide administrative and other support services required by the organisation. The Director of Scotland Excel is Dorothy Cowie.
WHERE IS SCOTLAND EXCEL BASED?
The head office is in Paisley and is supported by 3 regional offices, each with staff based in Aberdeen, Edinburgh & Inverness.
WHAT KIND OF CONTRACTS WILL SCOTLAND EXCEL BE INVOLVED IN?
A primary function of Scotland Excel will be to lead and coordinate the delivery of best value, innovative contract solutions for sector specific requirements for local authorities – the Category “B” commodities referred to in the McClelland Report.
Typical commodities that will be co-ordinated through Scotland Excel in the first wave of contracts to be awarded include catering and cleaning equipment and services, educational materials and equipment, security equipment, waste equipment, furniture, aids for daily living, various construction products and materials, vehicles and tyres, industrial gases chemicals and general corporate type products and services such as personal protective equipment, advertising, signage etc.
The second wave of contracts includes areas such as care, construction and consultancy type services. User Intelligence Groups will be established for each contract areas to ensure that end users are fully involved in the procurement process and Scotland Excel will work closely with the Corporate Procurement Managers in each of the 32 Local Authorities to ensure that customers requirements are met and value for money is delivered.