Procurement News

Fleet Treat

The UK public sector collectively possesses the largest fleet in the UK, with over 300,000 passenger and commercial vehcles.  Many of these vehicles, owned and operated by local authorities, can be expensive to run and harmful to the environment. The North West Centre of Excellence has been working with two organisations, the Office of Government Commence and the Energy Saving Trust to help local authorities operate their fleet in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way. View the briefing note here.

ITs an eAuction

The NWCE wants to support the next eAuction for IT Hardware run by the Office of Government Commerce. The last eAuction obtained a potential of £3m (36%) savings. A firm commitment is needed by the end of July 2007 with the contract likely to be available in January 2008. If you need any further information or would like to participate please email Roy.Dallas@atosorigin.com.

The Name Game

Do you have the creativity to help the NWCE to name the new local authority procurement portal?
The name will be marketed by local authorities, the NWCE and business organisations such as Chambers of Commerce and Business Link.  Therefore, as with ‘The Vault’ brand, it can be more conceptual. It should be a name that can be used to market the portal and generate interest from both businesses and other organisations.
Click here for your chance to pick the new name.

Framework of the Week - Translation Services

The NWCE's framework of the week highlights key frameworks or agreements councils can use.   Do you speak the language of efficiency?  This week's agreement can help councils save money for translation services.   Click here for further details. 

Construction News

The Road to Savings

The Highways Agency is buying a new fleet of salt spreaders and ploughs to serve the whole of their network including motorways.  The new contract will allow both local highway authorities and DBFO companies to buy vehicles, sharing both the Highways Agency’s bulk buying power and high quality specification.  The fleet will include pre-wet, dry and liquid spreader options for both fixed body and de-mountable vehicles.
A second  industry open day will be held, subject to levels of interest.  It will be open to the Highways Agency’s service providers, DBFO companies and LHAs.  The event will provisionally be held in the Birmingham area in July/August 2007.
To register an interest in attending or to find out more, click here or email Allyson Goodfield at the Highways Agency.  Telephone 0117 372 8557.

National News

Lights, Camera, eAuction

Fourteen councils and six NHS Trusts have joined together to save nearly £7 million in the latest IT hardware eAuction run by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) with the London Centre of Excellence (LCE).
The councils and trusts auctioned IT hardware requirements worth £13.7 million at pre-auction benchmarked prices, achieving a price at the end of the five hour auction of £6.9 million: an average saving of 50 per cent across the six lots.  This brings the number of central government and wider public sector organisations that have so far participated in OGC eAuctions to 325, saving a total of £21 million since the first eAuction in September 2005.    
For further information click here. 

Easy as ABC

The IDeA has produced an A-Z guide to help local government communities connect better with each other. The A-Z of Local Government Communities of Practice and Professional Networks
references key public sector networks across England, Scotland and Wales and is searchable by keyword or by name. For more information click here.

Big Challenges, Big Questions

The paper was produced by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Local Government Employers (LGE) have produced a paper to help local authorities face workforce challenges associated with shared service delivery. 'Delivering through people: big challenges, big questions' can be viewed by clicking here.

Events

Free Energy Management Workshops from the Carbon Trust
throughout June 2007

Learn more about energy management, reducing spend and analysing consumption. For further details on these events click here.

 
Equality and Diversity Framework for Procurement event
June 25 2007, Huyton Suite, Knowsley

The NWCE is supporting a joint conference to look at the topical issue of the LGA Equality Standards. The event on June 25 at Knowsley, will examine the development of procedures for equality and diversity within procurement. It will also reveal what’s involved in the pre-qualification toolkit that councils need to use to ensure contractors and partners are implementing equal opportunities within service delivery and employment. 
For further information about the event and to book your place click here.

FREE tickets!
The Challenge of the Games - A Sustainable 2012?
June 26 2007

The NWCE has four free tickets available for this event, which will look at ensuring a sustainable approach to the Olympic Games in London. Topics discussed on the day will include sustainable procurement principles; sustainable construction; effective partnership working; information exchange with previous hosts - learning the lessons of the past; the role of business in realising the 2012 vision.
For further information click here . If you are interested in a free ticket contact us now!


BeGIN to be Green
June 27 2007

The north west’s green procurement event, ‘BeGIN 2007 is coming to Haydock Park Racecourse, St Helens on June 27 2007.
For further details click here or email l.mcgeechan@envirolinknorthwest.co.uk.

 
On with the Showcase!
June 28 2007

THE NWCE and seven of its partners are joining forces for a major event at the end of June.
The Local Governance Showcase will take place on June 28, 2007 at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton and will focus on a comprehensive range of topics including efficiency and procurement, public service reform, performance management; collaborative delivery; service transformation and partnership working.
The event is aimed at a host of local authority representatives – from leading elected members and chief executives to efficiency practitioners and business improvement managers.
For more information about the showcase and its special features, click here. 

BREW (Business Resource Efficiency & Waste) Event
Northwest Regional Networking Event - Resource Management
June 28 2007

The BREW Centre is holding a workshop designed to educate, support and inspire local authority officers to develop resource management strategies in line with the new waste strategy. 
Further information about this even can be found here.

  
Negotiation Skills
July 2 2007

The NWCE has organised a one-day Negotiation Skills programme is being held on July 2 2007 at Manchester Youth Hostel.  This programme will cover  a wide range of the skills, tools and tactics needed for effective negotiation. The tutor will be Dr Brian Farrington, an experienced negotiator in the public sector who has represented central government departments and local authorities in their negotiations with a wide variety of suppliers and contractors. 
Don’t miss out.  For further information and to book your place click here.

Constructing Efficiency 
One day workshop - July 2 2007, Manchester Town Hall

Manchester City Council, supported by the National e-Procurement Project, Construction Excellence, the Construction Confederation, Constructionline and Valueworks, are hosting a free one-day workshop to discuss the use of e-procurement technologies in construction.   
For further information and to book email peterd@imaginist.co.uk.

New Municipal Waste Technologies Events
July 10 2007 

A free event for waste professionals to examine the implications of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme.
For further information click here.

Estates and Property Services Management Workshop
July 19 2007

As part of the NWCE procurement programme an Estates and Property Services Management workshop is being held.  Click here for further infornation and to book a place.