Central government resources

The creation of the Office of the Third Sector may be a recent development, but guidance has emerged from various Government agencies including:

    * the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) - www.ogc.gov.uk

    * the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, now reformed as the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) - www.communities.gov.uk

    * the Home Office Active Communities Directorate, alongside the Social Enterprise Unit, both of which have been ‘absorbed’ by the Cabinet Office to form the Office of the Third Sector - www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector 

The information below is intended to be a guide to best practice as developed by central government, although it is by no means comprehensive.  We’ve also included links to the original documents for those who are interested in reading the reports in their entirety.

The Procuring Social Enterprise programme is intended to be a work in progress. Over time, the resources it offers will grow, as we continue to work with social enterprises, local authorities and other second-tier organisations to develop best practice in establishing Public Social Partnerships.

Think smart... think voluntary sector: Good practice guidance on procurement of services from the voluntary and community sector - OGC and the Home Office

Written in June 2004, this report is still as valid as ever. The checklist in the executive summary should be pinned to every procurement officer’s notice board. It is reproduced here - the full report elaborates on each point and can be viewed at http://commercial.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/thinksmart.pdf?view=Binary (page last accessed on 01/02/07).

For an introduction to social clauses - also known as social requirements or social considerations - it’s worth looking at The Scope for Using Social Clauses in UK Public Procurement to Benefit the UK Manufacturing Sector. Published by Anthony Collins Solicitors for the Manufacturing Forum, the report provides a thorough analysis of all aspects of incorporating social clauses into public spending using strong case studies and plain English. It is available to view at www.dti.gov.uk/files/file34323.pdf (page last accessed on 09/02/07).

For a better understanding of the wider sector strategies of the Office of the Third Sector and the department for Communities and Local Government, see also:

Partnership in Public Services: An action plan for third sector involvement - http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/public_service_delivery/

Social enterprise action plan: Scaling new heights - http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/social_enterprise/action_plan/

Developing the local government services market to support a long-term strategy for local government - http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1504332

Local government resources

A lot of useful work has also emerged at local government level, with councils reaching out to the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises active in their borough. The Social Enterprise Coalition lists a number of case studies on their website: www.socialenterprise.org.uk/page.aspx?SP=1892.

Often cited as the first major obstacle for third sector organisations, the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) has attracted considerable interest in terms of making it more accessible to social enterprises and SMEs. The OGC has provided useful resources (for more information, visit www.ogc.gov.uk/tools___services_pqq_4651.asp - last accessed on 12/02/07), but work has also been performed at the local authority level with Haringey and Enfield partnering with Middlesex University and Fit to Supply to create the Trade Local Development Programme. Running up until March 2005, the programme delivered procurement support and capacity building to businesses across the two boroughs. Several workbooks were developed through the programme, and they can still be downloaded from the Haringey website at www.haringey.gov.uk/index/business/sellingtothecouncil/procurement_support_for_smes.htm.
The workbooks provide a useful resource for businesses that may be looking to understand what is required to do business with local authorities, and they can inform local authorities of the pressure under which third sector organisations can find themselves.

Non-governmental resources

Produced by the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) and the New Economics Foundation (NEF) with support from the Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government (SOPO), More for your money - a guide to procuring from social enterprises provides a useful and highly readable guide to social enterprises, although it is slightly out of date. It can be downloaded at www.socialenterprise.org.uk/cms/documents/more_for_your_money.pdf  (page last accessed on 12/02/07).

The New Economics Foundation concentrates on regenerating local economies through smarter and more efficient spending. It places an emphasis on locally-based businesses, with an established tool, the ‘Local Multiplier 3’ (LM3), highlighted in Public Spending for Public Benefit, available online at www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/ddgebi55g5qi3w55qyuj3n5521082005175605.pdf.
Don’t let the length of the report intimidate you - like much of the NEF’s work, it is well-written, informative and illustrated with useful case studies.

Other resources

London Development Agency - Procurement Development Programme - Interim Report, March 2006 www.lda.gov.uk/upload/pdf/Procurement_Development_Programme.pdf

Improvement and Development Agency - Procurement essentials  www.idea-knowledge.gov.uk/idk/aio/69799 

Office of Government Commerce - Smaller supplier… better value? The value for money that small firms can offer www.ogc.gov.uk/documents/CP0083_Small_supplier_better_value.pdf

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister - National procurement strategy for local government www.communities.gov.uk/pub/723/NationalStrategyforLocalGovernmentProcurementPrintVersionPDF362Kb_id1136723.pdf

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