Balonne Shire Council’s Post

Are pipeline notices a game-changer for public procurement? The Procurement Act 2023 introduces Pipeline Notices, aiming to revolutionise how suppliers engage with public sector opportunities. Key points you need to know: • Above-threshold authorities (£100M+ annual spend) must publish annually • Covers planned procurements valued at £2M+ for the next 18 months • First notices due by May 26th, 2025 There’s an issue: while designed to boost early market engagement, some experts worry these notices might create confusion with premature, low-quality information. Will Pipeline Notices truly level the playing field, or add another layer of complexity to an already intricate process? Here are my thoughts on potential impacts: • This is broadly a good thing, helping and encouraging forward planning for both buyers and suppliers • Contracting authorities are already suffering resource strains so we’re adding ever more admin work. I expect lots of opportunities will simply not be captured properly and will come out under the ‘we didn’t have enough time waiver’ • Coupling this with the extra approvals put in place by the new Government we risk creating so many steps in the process that no one manages to get things done! We really need an overall streamlining of procurement processes. 💬What's your take?

Should we delay our large scale procurement that is planned to be tendered via a competitive dialogue procedure because we want to take advantage of the new regime or should we expedite it to get it out before the new regs? These are discussions I have been having with my clients over the last few weeks. My answer, it depends! It depends on the procurement in question, it’s unique circumstances and how advanced into the procurement lifecycle it is. Let’s consider these 2 scenarios Scenario 1 - the procurement has as advanced in planning and preparation, the market engagement has been undertaken, the scope is well defined and specific projects issues are worked through, procurement strategy is drafted, the evaluation framework is developed, then in this scenario, I would recommend proceeding under the current regs. As a lot of the pre procurement activities have been completed and the competitive dialogue procedure allows for design of a bespoke process that if fit for purpose, capable delivering intended outcomes and achieving value for money through dialogue and negotiations of requirements, solutions, commercial structures, and risk. Scenario 2 - procurement is at early stage of the lifecycle, scope still being defined, a few project issues to work through, market engagement commence but not concluded. In this scenario, I wouldn’t recommend expediting and rushing it out of the door to avoid the new regs. That would be counterproductive and not achieve the desired commercial outcomes. The current regime is tested and supported by case studies. The new regime although provides more freedom and flexible, it’s untested and the extent of additional benefits to what can be gained in designing a bespoke process under the competitive flexible procedure in comparison to the competitive dialogue is unknown. So in summary, consider each procurement on its own merits. Don’t delay or rush procurements without fully considering the pros and cons of doing so. Agree? What else would you add? #publicprocurement #new #regulations #better #outcomes

Procurement in a Nutshell: Procurement Act 2023 Guidance – Assessment Summaries. In this Nutshell, Tim Care analyses the recently published guidance on 'Assessment Summaries', evaluating the recommend form and content of such feedback and when this must be given to suppliers. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eERKdjzb #PublicSector #Procurement

💡 Choosing the right tendering procedure can make all the difference in public procurement success. Each procedure is tailored to meet different needs—whether it's a straightforward contract or a complex, innovative project. 📋🔍 As we mentioned in our last post, understanding the key principles of public procurement is fundamental. Now, let’s dive into the specifics👇 Below, we’ve highlighted 3 common tendering procedures: 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: Best suited for smaller contracts that require a simpler approach. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Ideal for more complex contracts where flexibility and discussion are crucial. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Designed for when new solutions need to be developed in collaboration with suppliers. Whether you’re a supplier or a public official, knowing which procedure fits your requirements is essential. Stay tuned for more insights, or visit our website to dive deeper into procurement procedures 👉 https://lnkd.in/dnssZTkJ

These are some of the projects that our people have supported. We've been all around the world. How can we help YOU? #Negotiations #ContractManagement #Procurement #ProjectDelivery

The National Procurement Policy Statement has been presented to Parliament under the Procurement Act 2023. The Statement will come into effect on the same day as the Act comes into force (28 Oct 2024). Relevant authorities should have regard to the following national priorities: 1. Value for money (which should be "at the forefront of all procurement activities") 2. Social Value - three specific themes are set out and interestingly there is a note not to "gold plate" the Equality Act 2010 by setting "unnecessary" EDI requirements 3. SMEs - reinforcing the requirement to reduce and remove barriers to SMEs 4. Commercial and Procurement Delivery - making sure authorities have the right operational policies and processes in place to manage the key stages of commercial delivery and signposting to the Playbook series 5. Skills and Capability for Procurement - authorities to consider their capability and workforce plans to deliver value for money in procurement and contract management skills. Authorities with a third party annual spend profile of £100m or more or referred to the CCIAF (Commercial Continuous Improvement Assessment Framework) as a suggested benchmark. https://lnkd.in/dTNR4GBr

Tendering and procurement are essential processes in acquiring goods, services, or works from external sources in both public and private sectors. Here’s an overview of both: ### Tendering **Definition:** Tendering is the process where organizations invite suppliers to submit bids for the supply of goods or services. It is commonly used by government agencies and large corporations to ensure transparency and fairness. **Types of Tendering:** 1. **Open Tendering:** Open to all qualified bidders. Publicly advertised. 2. **Selective Tendering:** Only selected suppliers are invited to bid. 3. **Negotiated Tendering:** A single supplier is invited to negotiate terms. 4. **Single-Stage and Two-Stage Tendering:** In single-stage, bids are submitted at once. In two-stage, initial bids are used to shortlist suppliers before final bids. **Steps in Tendering Process:** 1. **Preparation:** Define requirements, prepare tender documents. 2. **Advertisement:** Publish the tender notice. 3. **Submission:** Suppliers submit their bids. 4. **Evaluation:** Assess bids based on pre-defined criteria. 5. **Awarding:** Select the winning bid and award the contract. 6. **Contract Management:** Oversee contract performance.

The Cabinet Office has today issued the first set of guidance documents for the Procurement Act 2023 covering: - Contracting Authority definition - Covered Procurement definition - Valuation of Contracts - Mixed Procurement - Exempted Contracts - Thresholds The documents can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eTh222uT #procurementact2023 #procurement

The second set of Procurement Act 2023 Guidance was published on Friday covering: Guidance: National Procurement Policy Statement Guidance: Pipeline Notice Guidance: Technical Specifications Guidance: Planned Procurement Notice Guidance: Preliminary Market Engagement https://lnkd.in/eTh222uT #procurementact #procurementguidance

"Boost Procurement Efficiency with Competitive Tendering" Struggling with ineffective procurement processes? Discover the benefits of Competitive Tendering: Encourages fair competition Ensures best value Enhances transparency Optimize your procurement strategy now: https://lnkd.in/g4URcYP2 #CompetitiveTendering #Procurement #SupplyChain #TenderManagement