SPREADING SALT CONTRACT - UPDATE FROM PEACOCK SALT (FEBRUARY 2010)

Peacock Salt, Scotland Excel’s contracted supplier of spreading salt (for playgrounds and pathways), have informed us that there is a shortage of bagged spreading salt due to the availability of the salt across Europe.

We have all seen the images from across the UK and listened to news reports of Councils being unable to secure salt supplies for gritting our highways. This situation has triggered a coordinated response by both Central Government and the Scottish Executive with the formation of a national body called the Salt Cell. The object of this body is to allocate salt to those Councils and Highway agencies that are running at critically low stock levels. This coordinated approach is now controlling both imported stock as well as that currently being mined in the UK.

As a result there is now a shortage of salt for bagging and we have been advised that any new orders placed now are unlikely to be satisfied until the middle of March 2010. It is not possible to prioritise new orders for prompt delivery and Peacock Salt are currently allocating on the basis of the oldest outstanding orders on their system. 

Note - this contract is restricted to the following Councils: Angus, Argyll & Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire; and Associate Member organisations that joined before 2007.

(Published 17 February 2010 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

SPREADING SALT CONTRACT - UPDATE FROM PEACOCK SALT (JANUARY 2010)

Peacock Salt, Scotland Excel’s contracted supplier of spreading salt (for playgrounds and pathways), have provided some useful information to assist Councils during the current cold spell.

All orders placed with Peacock Salt before 16th December have been delivered. Orders placed between the 16th and 24th December, when Peacock Salt closed for the festive period, will be delivered by the end of next week depending on customer location. Because of the demand for supplies, the lead time for orders stands at 7-10 working days from receipt.

Though obtaining supplies is not easy in this current climate, the company is working at full capacity to fulfil orders as quickly as possible. A further challenge is continuing distribution whilst being unable to deploy their articulated lorries on many occasions due to the hazardous condition of many minor roads.

The company has also indicated that the “Atlas 2” salt spreader, item 2i on the contract, has a delayed delivery date of March 2010. An alternative, non-core product, SP10, is available in the interim.

Note - this contract is restricted to the following Councils: Angus, Argyll & Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire; and Associate Member organisations that joined before 2007.

(Published 8 January 2010 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

SIX NEW CONTRACTS ANNOUNCED

Scotland Excel is delighted to announce that a further six contracts were added to its portfolio in November.  Developed in close partnership with Local Authority members, the contracts cover Education Furniture, Hire of Vehicles and Plant, Tyres, Ironmongery, Tools and Sundries, and Waste Containers.  

Based on an estimated annual spend of £28.3m across all participating Councils, the contracts offer potential savings of just over £3.6m per year, (12.7%), and c. £13m over the term of the agreements.  Details of each contract can be found in the Scotland Excel online catalogue within the Members’ Area, (registered members only).

Scotland Excel’s portfolio now encompasses 56 contracts, 34 of which are open to all Local Authority members.   A further five contracts for Advertising, Office Furniture, Classroom Materials, Vehicle Spare Parts, and Sports and Games Equipment are expected to be awarded in December.

(Published 17 November 2009 - for further information please contact Maureen Robertson on 0141 842 6642)

 

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT NATIONAL PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE

The Scottish Government's fifth National Public Procurement Conference took place on 28 October 2009 at the SECC in Glasgow. The keynote address was delivered by John Swinney, MSP Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, with Brian Taylor, BBC Scotland's's Political Editor, chairing the conference.

The conference was aligned with the Procurex Scotland exhibition, which took place on 28 and 29 October.

More information from the Conference can be found at the following link:

Scottish Government's fifth National Public Procurement Conference

(Published 2 November 2009 - for further information please contact Robin Williams on 0141 842 6644)

 

INTERIM HEAD OF STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce the appointment of Hugh Carr as the Interim Head of Strategic Procurement for a period of 6 months. Hugh is a Commercial and Supply Chain Consultant who has a proven track record in managing teams and driving performance improvements in organisations.

Hugh spent the early part of his career in manufacturing but has also worked with Network Rail and First Engineering Ltd. His most recent posts have been within Scottish Water Solutions as the South West Delivery Group Head of Commercial and, before that, Head of Supply Chain.

Hugh will be taking over from Ian Taylor who left Scotland Excel on 16 October to take up a new post as the Director of Site Operations for a major company in Scotland.

We look forward to the addition of Hugh's knowledge and experience to our team, and wish Ian all the best in his new position.

(Updated 23 October 2009 - for further information please contact Brenda Bruce on 0141 842 6665)

 

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PURCHASING AND SUPPLY - WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS IN SCOTLAND

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply are offering public sector delegates who quote ‘Scottish Government’ a 10% discount when they are book a place at workshops and seminars held in Scotland. 

The discount applies to both member and non-member costs, but cannot be combined with the 'early bird' discount which applies if you book more than 6 weeks in advance of the event date.

Details of events can be found at the CIPS website via the following link:

CIPS Workshops and Seminars 

Currently the following training courses are planned in Scotland (click for more information from the CIPS website):

Introduction to Purchasing, Glasgow, 23 March 2010

Introduction to Negotiation, Glasgow, 24 March 2010

Basic Contract Law, Glasgow, 25 March, 2010

All bookings and enquiries should be make over the phone or via email by contacting;

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply - Event Management Team
Telephone: 01780 756777
E-mail: events@cips.org
Website: www.cips.org

To benefit from the special discount delegates should quote ‘Scottish Government’.

(Published 05 October 2009 - for further information please contact Helene Holden on 0141 842 6604)

 

'NURTURING TALENT TO DELIVER PROCUREMENT REFORM' EVENT

Over 160 delegates attended the "Nurturing the Talent" training and development event held at Hampden Park on 16th June. The event was sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) and the Centres of Expertise and was developed in partnership with the People & Skills Working Group. The focus of the day was to enable staff to identify the tools and develop skills which would help them in meeting the challenges of delivering procurement reform.

There were a range of workshop sessions across the day, covering topics on interpersonal skills, procurement policy and the use of technology. The majority of workshops were led by staff working in the Scottish public sector. The feedback following the event has been very positive with 86% of delegates providing feedback rating the event as good or excellent and 98% would like a similar event to be held in the future on both a national and sectoral basis.

(Published 5 August 2009 - for further information please contact Helene Holden on 0141 842 6604)

 

NATIONAL FRAMEWORK - OFFICE EQUIPMENT

Procurement Scotland, supported by the Office Equipment National Category Forum, has awarded a framework agreement for the supply of Office Equipment (Multi Functional Devices - MFD’s, Photocopiers, Printers, Document Scanners, Fax Machines, Wide Format Equipment, Very High Volume, Software, Solutions and Managed Print Services) available across all parts of the Scottish Public Sector.

Suppliers principal catalogues, full terms and conditions and statements of requirements have been made available to your Corporate Procurement Unit. Please refer to the ‘National Category A Contracts Section’ within the Catalogue Members Area for further information including a Buyers Guide.

Please be aware that in addition to this Framework there is an existing Scotland Excel contract for Photocopying and Printing Equipment which will continue until 30 June 2010. Full details of the Scotland Excel Contract can be found in the Catalogue Members Area.

NOTE: Customers must contact their Corporate Procurement Unit in the first instance for information regarding existing agreement periods or how to use the new “Category A” National Framework Agreement.

To find out more about the new “Category A” National Framework Agreement, including suppliers details, please click on the following link:

Category A - Office Equipment

If you wish to access the Members Area, existing usernames and passwords remain valid, however, if you have not requested a username and password previously, please click here and complete the online form.

(Published 24 July 2009 - for further information please contact Linda Marron on 0141 842 6611)

 

SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME'S MEET THE BUYER EVENT

The Supplier Development Programme (SDP) assists businesses improve their performance in winning contracts with public sector organisations. It offers information and support covering procurement issues and helps unravel the tendering process.

Supported by Business Scotland, the Supplier Development Programme hosted its 4th annual Meet the Buyer (MTB) event. This year the event took place at the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow on 24 June.

The public sector spends approximately £8 billion each year procuring goods and services but many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) find it difficult to enter the public procurement market.

The MTB event gave many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the opportunity to meet the buying personnel from over 35 major public sector organisations including Centres of Expertise, Local Authorities, NHS, Further Education, Governmental bodies, Police, Fire & Rescue and many more.

Scotland Excel staff spoke to many suppliers throughout the day advising them on how to do business with Scotland Excel, the benefits of working within a collaborate environment and how Scotland Excel is positioned within the Procurement Reform Programme.  There were lots of positive feedback from suppliers on using the Public Contracts Scotland portal.

Approximately 800 businesses were in attendance on the day making it the biggest MTB event so far.

For further information please contact: sdp@drs.glasgow.gov.uk or 0141 287 7251

(Published 15 July 2009 - for further information please contact Sharon Christie on 0141 842 6646)

 

2009-2010 SCOTLAND EXCEL CATALOGUE

The new 2009-2010 Scotland Excel Catalogue is now available for members to download.

New contracts available (along with all our other contracts) include:

• Exercise Books
• Science Equipment
• Early Learning Materials
• Musical Instruments
• Specialist Audio Equipment
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Bitumen

To register for access to the Members Area containing the catalogue, please click the following link:

Members Area Application

(Published 31 March 2009 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

SCOTTISH SME PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE 2009

The Scottish SME Procurement Conference 2009 took place on 22 April 2009 at the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow. Supported by The Scottish Government, the event provided suppliers with information on opportunities and assistance available through the public sector along with an opportunity to meet with representatives from the Procurement Centres of Expertise and business support organisations.

 

XL NEWS ISSUE 2

Scotland Excel is delighted to be able to bring to you our second edition of XL News - you can download this edition by clicking on the following link:

 

XL News Issue 2 - February 2009

 

Note that XL News requires the Adobe® Acrobat® document viewer. To view download and installation instructions, please click on the image below.

 

Hopefully after reading this edition, you will be keen to communicate your opinions and ideas to us. If so, you can do this in the usual ways:

1. By e-mail at contactus@scotland-excel.org.uk;
2. By telephone to the HelpLine on 0845 606 8726;
3. By mail to Scotland Excel, Unit 5, Anchor Mill, 7 Thread Street, Paisley PA1 1JR.

If you want to catch up with the first edition, it is available in the news archive or by clicking here:

 

XL News Issue 1 - September 2008

 

(Published 31 March 2009 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

 

THE SCOTLAND EXCEL 2009-2010 CATALOGUE STRATEGY

The contract for the printing of the Scotland Excel paper catalogue expires this year and we have been reviewing the options on how we advise our customers of contract information.

Following a number of surveys into customer requirements, the majority of opinion favours the use of electronic versions of the catalogue, principally through the Scotland Excel website with the option of having the catalogue available on a CD-ROM as a back-up arrangement.  For users requiring paper copies of specific contracts, these can be printed off from the website or the disc.

From December 2008, Scotland Excel will no longer produce a paper version of its contract catalogue. Further, to facilitate ease of use, the 2009-2010 version of the catalogue will not contain any informal/discount arrangements or any advertising. This will simplify the presentation and interpretation of contract information. Product images will continue to be included in the page content.

This will have the effect of limiting our requirements for paper in the production of the catalogue, reducing Council carbon footprints by lowering vehicle emissions in delivery and finally, restricting production costs within Scotland Excel.

We realise that some users may prefer to retain the existing format of paper based catalogues but for small print runs this cannot be justified economically.

You can register now to receive a disc in April 2009, by calling the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726 or, to register for access to the Members Area containing the catalogue, please click the following link:

Members Area Application

(Published 06 January 2009 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

SCOTLAND EXCEL HONOURED AT NATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Scotland Excel has been honoured for outstanding achievement at the inaugural Government Opportunities (GO) magazine Excellence in Public Procurement Awards Scotland.

Scotland Excel has made a great deal of progress since it was launched as the Centre of Expertise for local authorities in Scotland. However, these are still early days – and the expectations are that the winner of this Award will go on to deliver a great deal more through its collaborative ventures in the future. The organisation was presented as the outright Winner in the GO / John F McClelland Collaborative Procurement category.

Accepting the Award, Dorothy Cowie, said “We’re absolutely delighted to win this Award. It’s a real recognition for everyone who worked with us in the project. This includes the Scotland Excel staff, colleagues in the local authorities and everyone on the steering group who helped us establish and launch the organisation in April this year.”

The GO Awards Scotland, organised by BiP Solutions Ltd, are the first Awards dedicated to public procurement in the region. The Awards ceremony was held on the evening of the Scottish Government National Public Procurement Conference (29 October) at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Glasgow.

The judging panel for the GO Awards Scotland includes many of the procurement and business community’s leading lights, namely Brian Baverstock, Chief Executive of APUC Ltd; Nick Bowd, Director of the Scottish Procurement Directorate; Duncan Eaton, former Chief Executive of NHS PASA; John McClelland, author of the Review of Public Procurement in Scotland; Iain M McMillan, Director, CBI Scotland; Jim Miller, Strategic Sourcing Director, NHS Scotland; Dr Lesley Sawers, CEO of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry; and Grahame Steed, Managing Editor, Government Opportunities magazine.

GO Managing Editor Grahame Steed believes that Scottish procurement professionals should be recognised for the demanding work that they carry out so successfully, and the GO Awards Scotland provide an excellent means of doing just that.

“The GO Awards Scotland demonstrate that public procurement – as a profession and as a public service – has a great deal to be proud of and much to celebrate. Our thanks go to the entrants, supporters, sponsors and individuals who made it an evening to remember for the procurement profession.

“Congratulations must go to Scotland Excel and all those who were recognised for their achievements.”

(Published 30 October 2008 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

NATIONAL FRAMEWORK - OFFICE SUPPLIES (GENERAL STATIONERY, IT CONSUMABLES & PAPER)

Procurement Scotland, supported by the Corporate Services National Category Forum, has awarded a framework agreement for the supply of Office Supplies (General Stationery, IT Consumables & Paper) available across all parts of the Scottish Public Sector. Most of Scotland Excel's customers can use the new framework which can be accessed by logging in to the Members Area.

If you wish to access the Members Area, existing usernames and passwords remain valid, however, if you have not requested a username and password previously, please click here and complete the online form.

(Published 02 October 2008 - for further information please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726)

 

XL NEWS ISSUE 1

Scotland Excel are delighted to be able to bring to you the first edition of XL News. This electronic newsletter (in PDF format) will be an important means of communicating the latest information from Scotland Excel to our key stakeholders, allowing us to share news, progress and developments with you.

 

There will be four editions of XL News per year - you can download the first edition by clicking on the following link:

 

XL News Issue 1 - September 2008 (PDF, 504KB)

 

Note that XL News requires the Adobe® Acrobat® document viewer. To view download and installation instructions, please click on the image below.

 

Hopefully after reading the first edition, you will be keen to communicate your opinions and ideas to us. If so, you can do this in the usual ways:

1. By e-mail at contactus@scotland-excel.org.uk;
2. By telephone to the HelpLine on 0845 606 8726;
3. By mail to Scotland Excel, Unit 5, Anchor Mill, 7 Thread Street, Paisley PA1 1JR.

 

SCOTLAND EXCEL SUPPORTS PROCUREX 2008

Procurex 2008 is Scotland's first dedicated private and public sector procurement exhibition. The event takes place on 29-30 October in the SECC, Glasgow and will provide a unique opportunity for Scottish businesses to gain an in-depth insight into the vast array of opportunities that exist within today's ever-changing procurement marketplace. The event is supported by the Scottish Government and will provide an unrivalled opportunity to develop new partnerships and opportunities to maximise overall business growth.

Attendance at Procurex 2008 is FREE and you can register at http://www.procurexscotland.co.uk.

 

 

NICK BOWD, DIRECTOR OF THE SCOTTISH PROCUREMENT DIRECTORATE, RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Nick Bowd, Director of the Scottish Procurement Directorate, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Government Opportunities (GO) magazine Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2008.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is the pinnacle of the GO Awards and is presented to those who have furthered the public procurement profession during their career, and in doing so set a powerful example for others to follow.

Since joining the Scottish Government in 1997 Nick has led the Procurement Directorate through a substantial period of change culminating in the Public Procurement Reform Programme, which has transformed the way the whole of the Scottish public sector buys goods and services. The approach to collaboration across all sectors of public sector life has been championed throughout by Nick as the Programme SRO, and the savings and long term benefits which accrue will undoubtedly help in the delivery of improved services to the public.

The Public Procurement Reform Programme, instigated as a result of the Review of Public Procurement in Scotland, 2006, aims to implement revised, capability and processes to provide continuous improvement in procurement across the Scottish Public Sector in order to deliver Value for Money improvements and support increased efficiency.

Under the leadership of Nick, the Programme has seen the development of Centres of Procurement Expertise for each sector buying commodities and services common to all their customer organisations; Central Government (CGCoPE); Health (NHS National Procurement); Local Authorities (Scotland Excel); Universities and Colleges (APUC); and Procurement Scotland which places contracts across all sectors.

It is also working with the business community to ease access to public sector contracts with the adoption of the Suppliers Charter and soon to be launched advertising portal.  To support buyers, the Programme instigated a National Conference which attracted 700 delegates in 2007, and this year’s event including Procurex taking place on 29 October will be even bigger and better. 

 

TIMBER MATERIALS FRAMEWORK

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the Framework for the Supply and Delivery of Timber Materials (Schedule No: 15/08 – PC/5) has been awarded.

The contract is divided into four lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - A range of doors
Lot 2 - A range of sheet materials
Lot 3 - A range of timbers
Lot 4 - A range of fencing

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2010 (with an option to extend to 31 March 2011). A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available in the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

PLUMBING MATERIALS FRAMEWORK

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the Framework for the Supply and Delivery of Plumbing Materials (Schedule No: 17/08 – PC/5) has been awarded.

The contract is divided into eleven lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - Brass and copper fittings
Lot 2 - Cast iron products
Lot 3 - Copper and lead products
Lot 4 - External plastic pipe materials
Lot 5 - Heating materials
Lot 6 - Internal plastic pipe products
Lot 7 - Sanitary ware products
Lot 8 - Showers and accessories
Lot 9 - Sink tops and taps
Lot 10 - Water storage tanks
Lot 11 - Plumbing sundry products

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011 (with an option to extend to 31 March 2012). A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available in the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

ELECTRICAL MATERIALS FRAMEWORK

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the Framework for the Supply and Delivery of Electrical Materials (Schedule No: 13/08 – PC/5) has been awarded.

The contract is divided into ten lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - A range of cables
Lot 2 - A range of cable management materials
Lot 3 - A range of circuit protection materials
Lot 4 - A range of heating materials
Lot 5 - A range of lamps
Lot 6 - A range of light fittings and accessories
Lot 7 - A range of security/safety products
Lot 8 - A range of ventilation products
Lot 9 - A range of wiring accessories
Lot 10 - A range of electrical sundry materials

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011 (with an option to extend to 31 March 2012). A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available in the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

BUILDING MATERIALS FRAMEWORK

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the Framework for the Supply and Delivery of Building Materials (Schedule No: 14/08 – PC/5) has been awarded.

The contract is divided into nine lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - Aggregate materials
Lot 2 - Dry lining and plastering materials
Lot 3 - Masonry materials
Lot 4 - Roofing materials
Lot 5 - Roofing tiles
Lot 6 - Ventilation materials
Lot 7 - Ceramic wall tiles
Lot 8 - Miscellaneous building materials
Lot 9 - Volatile items that include damp proof course and zinc ridge materials

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2010 (with an option to extend to 31 March 2011). A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available in the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

CLASSROOM MATERIALS CONTRACT

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the contract for the Supply and Delivery of Classroom Materials (Schedule No: 04/08 - PC/1) has been awarded on a shared basis to five suppliers.

The contract is divided into nine lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - Arts and Crafts
Lot 2 - Card and Board
Lot 3 - Drawing Paper
Lot 4 - Activity Materials
Lot 5 - Pens, Pencils and Crayons
Lot 6 - Modelling Materials
Lot 7 - Decorative Crafts
Lot 8 - Miscellaneous
Lot 9 - Discounts

The successful suppliers are:

Grosvenor House Papers (Lots 1 to 8)
Office Depot UK Ltd. (Lots 2 to 8)
Pisces Scotland (Lots 1 to 9)
Specialist Crafts (Lots 1 and 9)
W Enterprises (Abdn) Ltd. (Lots 3 and 9)

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2010. A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available in the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

SPORTS, GAMES & PORTABLE PE EQUIPMENT CONTRACT

Scotland Excel are pleased to announce that the contract for the Supply and Delivery of Sports, Games and Portable PE Equipment (Schedule No: 01/08 - PC/1) has been awarded on a shared basis to two suppliers.

The contract is divided into three lots, broken down as follows:

Lot 1 - Sports and Games
Lot 2 - Portable PE
Lot 3 - Mats

The successful suppliers are:

Foams 4 Sports Ltd. (Lot 3)
Newitts (Lots 1 to 3)

The contract duration is 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2010. A downloadable PDF with all the new information is available from the Members Area.

For further information, please contact the Scotland Excel HelpLine on 0845 606 8726.

 

CONFERENCE 2007

Scotland Excel held its inaugural National Procurement Conference and Exhibition - ‘Building for the Future’ - on 28 November 2007 at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. The conference provided a unique opportunity for procurement professionals to learn more about the changes ahead for local authorities and suppliers – from those implementing the changes – and how these will affect their organisations and the wider procurement landscape. The conference attracted almost 400 delegates including representatives from local authorities, partner organisations, suppliers and interested parties.

Speakers at the event included Ruth Parsons, Scottish Government; David Martin, Renfrewshire Council; Dorothy Cowie, Scotland Excel; Stephen Gribben, Executive Development; and Kim Godwin, Head of Supply Chain, BAA.

 

Key messages from the day:

“There are clear benefits to working collaboratively at sectoral and national levels.  The Scottish Government’s expectation is that all local authorities will engage positively with the Centres of Expertise.” - Ruth Parsons, Scottish Government

 

 

 

“I do believe that the whole issue of Scotland Excel and collaborative public procurement is an enormous opportunity for Scottish councils to prove that we are serious about the shared services and efficient government agenda. It is absolutely clear to me as a chief executive of a local authority that this is something councils should be interested in, even if they have some reservations on the detail.” - David Martin, Renfrewshire Council

 

 

“Scotland Excel’s Inaugural Conference has brought us to a landmark in the creation of a new public sector organisation designed to meet the challenges of the 21st Century procurement landscape.  Local authorities have a long history of collaboration but for the first time a real opportunity exists to create a platform to raise procurement standards, improve performance and apply consistent practices and procedures for all stakeholders across Scotland.  Collaborative working and sharing of best practice is at the heart of the changes not just between local authorities but for suppliers also.  Scotland Excel will be at the forefront of bringing these changes to fruition and providing an opportunity for local authorities to work together to deliver best value. This event has been a great success in bringing the procurement community together and the process of bringing the new organisation into operation by 1st April is well underway.” - Dorothy Cowie, Scotland Excel

 

THE SCOTLAND EXCEL PROJECT - BRIEFING PAPER - JUNE 2007

THE SCOTLAND EXCEL PROJECT
BRIEFING PAPER - JUNE 2007

Background

Funding has been received from the Scottish Executive for the Scotland Excel project which aims to deliver best value for local authorities across Scotland by creating a centre of procurement expertise.

Local authorities have positive experience of collaborative procurement and the Excel project aims to build on this and to provide a framework to enable the sector to work together across Scotland to secure further benefits in cost and supplier quality, whilst building capacity and excellence in procurement practice.

The original Scotland Excel bid was supported by 21 partner organisations including the existing 12 abc Member Councils, the 4 abc Associate Member Councils, the Highland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Strathclyde Police and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Services.

A Scotland Excel Steering Group was established in December 2006 and is chaired by David Martin the Chief Executive of Renfrewshire Council. The Steering Group has broad representation of Chief Executives and Senior Managers from across local authorities in Scotland and includes representatives from the Scottish Procurement Directorate, the Improvement Service and the Scottish Local Government Procurement Forum.

Aims and Objectives of the Scotland Excel Project

The objectives of the project are to create a customer-oriented organisation which will work with local authorities and partner organisations across Scotland to deliver best value public services by:

• Securing significant cost reductions and increase the quality of service from suppliers through collaborative procurement initiatives. The centre of expertise will act as the delivery agency for local authority category ‘B’ (sectoral) commodities, in line with the McClelland review recommendations. It will also play a role in the category ‘A’ (national) commodities and category ‘C’ (local) commodities, acting as the main point of contact and co-ordination for national initiatives and supporting the development of council procurement initiatives and facilitating cluster initiatives at a local level.

• Improving best practice procurement capacity and capability across the sector by  developing a comprehensive coaching, mentoring, training and development framework, aimed at all relevant staff in all functions.

• Creating a forum and communication medium for engaging with suppliers to deliver business benefits within the supply community by fostering innovation and effective partnerships with key suppliers, small-sized and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), trade associations, and other public and private bodies.

The resources and functions of the existing abc organisation will be incorporated into the new centre of procurement expertise and will form a key foundation to the establishment of the new organisation.  The new centre of procurement expertise will be both a larger organisation and also significantly different from abc in terms of organisation design, scope of services provided and approach to the delivery of key objectives.

Current Status

The project Steering Group was established to ensure that the project has the appropriate support and guidance from an early stage.   A project team is now established and, under the guidance of the Steering Group, has developed the detailed plans to manage the transition to the new centre of expertise in line with the McClelland recommendations and timescales. 

A number of workstreams have been established under the project these include:-

• Project Management
• Collaborative Procurement and Contracts Renewal Programme
• People, Organisation and Skills
• Communications and Change Management
• Customer Relationship Management
• Supplier Relationship Management
• IT

Work is ongoing to design the new organisation and to define the governance arrangements and best practice processes and procedures that will be adopted by it.  A key focus for June is to work closely with our procurement colleagues across the local authorities and partner organisations to clarify and confirm the commodities that will be managed collaboratively through the new organisation and to establish the timescales associated with these into three delivery “waves”.

Once these key work activities have been completed, it is proposed that a further series of updates be issued and workshops held to ensure that all key stakeholders, including the supply base, are kept abreast of the changing face of procurement in the local authority sector.

If you require any further information or have any views on the Scotland Excel Project, please contact Dorothy Cowie, Project Director, dorothy.cowie@scotland-excel.org.uk, Tel: 0141-842-6665.

 

THE SCOTLAND EXCEL PROJECT - BRIEFING PAPER - FEBRUARY 2007

THE SCOTLAND EXCEL PROJECT
BRIEFING PAPER - FEBRUARY 2007

Background

The funding for the project “Scotland Excel – Delivering Best Value for Local Authorities by creating a Centre of Procurement Expertise” is in place and the project is now in its first stage of development and is gathering momentum.

Local Authorities have positive experience of collaborative procurement and the funding will allow the Local Authorities to develop new collaborations and progress with delivering savings. The original bid was supported by 21 partner organisations including all 12 abc Member Councils, the 4 Associate Member Councils, the Highland Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Strathclyde Police and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Services and since then almost all other Local Authorities have pledged their support.

 

Aims and Objectives of the Local Authority

The aim of the Scotland Excel Project is to create a Local Authorities Centre of Procurement Expertise and to achieve Best Value public services by securing cost reductions, by 2010, of £47.8M per annum through increased collaboration and improved procurement performance, capacity and capability.  
 
As part of the development of this new Centre, abc is undergoing a significant process of review, organisational and operational design to ensure that it is appropriately integrated to support the delivery of the Excel vision and objectives.

 

The key objectives of the new organisation will be working with partner organisations to:

 Reduce cost and increase the quality of service from suppliers through collaborative procurement initiatives. The Centre of Expertise will act as the delivery agency for Local Authority category ‘B’ (sectoral) commodities, in line with the McClelland Review recommendations. It will also play a role in the category ‘A’ (national) commodities and category ‘C’ (local) commodities, acting as the main point of contact for national initiatives and supporting the development of Council procurement initiatives and facilitating cluster initiatives at a local level.

 Facilitate more effective dialogue between procurement professionals and partner service departments by creating a customer-oriented organisation.

 Increase the level of expertise and capacity in Local Authority procurement by developing a comprehensive coaching, mentoring, training and development framework, aimed at all relevant staff in all functions.

 Deliver business benefits within the supply community by fostering innovation and effective partnerships with key suppliers, small-sized and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), trade associations, and other public and private bodies, at all levels.

 Develop an approach that is scaleable for all Scottish Local Authorities.

 Manage the transition to the Centre of Procurement Expertise, in line with the McClelland recommendations and timescales.

 

Current Status

A Project Steering Group has been established to ensure that the project has the appropriate support and guidance from an early stage.  There will be a broad representation of Chief Executives and Senior Mangers from across Scotland including representatives from the Scottish Procurement Directorate, the Improvement Service and the Scottish Local Government Procurement Forum.

A Project Team is being established to assist with the work to design and develop the new organisation and establish the detailed plans to manage the transition to the new Centre of Expertise in line with the McClelland recommendations and timescales.  The Project Team, which will be based initially in Renfrewshire Council HQ, will comprise of representatives from the Local Authorities and abc staff and will be supported by temporary agency, contractor or consultancy support, as appropriate. The Project Director is Dorothy Cowie, Director of abc.

The main terms of reference for the Project Team during the initial stages will be:

 To assist in the review of the current abc organisation and the design and development of the new organisation.

 To gather and analyse data re contract spend, renewal dates to assist in the development of the detailed transition and implementation plans.

 To input into the development of a communications/stakeholder management plan to ensure that all key parties are aware of Scotland Excel, how it is being developed and the implications for their organisation/staff.

 To actively participate in the promotion of Scotland Excel both within their own Authority and to a wider audience as appropriate.

 To identify key performance indicators to ensure the project is on track in terms of the deliverables, the timescale and the allocated costs.

 To develop the key measures and reports to track such KPIs’s.

 To assist in the drafting of appropriate Service Level Agreements.

 To provide HR support in facilitating the changes and in establishing the new organisational structure.

 

The main work streams for the Project Team will be:

 Collaborative Buying

 People & Organisation

 Governance and Finance

 Marketing

 Customer Relationship Management

 Policy & Advisory

 Learning Development & Training

 Process & Technology

 Benefits Tracking

 Supplier Management

 

If you require any further information please contact Dorothy Cowie, Project Director, dorothy.cowie@scotland-excel.org.uk, Tel: 0141-842-6665