WINNING IS EVERYTHING

The Government recently published a Procurement Policy Note (PPN 06/20) detailing its new model for delivering social value in procurement. It was designed by a joint team from the Cabinet Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), who worked with Claire Dove, the Government’s Crown Representative for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). The new social value model will be applied to all new procurements as of January 1^st 2021.

This model goes above and beyond the requirements of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, stating that social value must be “explicitly evaluated in all central government procurement”, as opposed to merely “considered” as required by the 2012 Act. All new procurements must weight social value as at least 10% of a tender’s total score in order to ensure it plays a significant role in bid evaluation.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the new model is the addition of “COVID-19 recovery” as a key theme. Bidders must describe how they will “help local communities to manage and recover from the impact of COVID-19” by conducting activities that, in delivering the contract:

• Provide employment or retraining to those left unemployed by the epidemic;
• Support people and communities to manage and recover from the impacts of the virus;
• Support organisations and businesses to manage and recover from the impacts of the virus;
• Implement social distancing, remote working, and other workplace conditions that support the COVID-19 recovery effort;
• Support the mental and physical health of those affected by the virus.

It is noteworthy that, while this new model currently only applies to central government contracts, historically this has usually trickled down to also apply to local authorities and other Public Sector organisations.

To read the PPN, please click here.

The government has introduced two key public procurement changes that have been implemented with respect to COVID-19. I am writing to you to explain (as briefly as possibly), what these policies may mean for you, and what relief – but also opportunities – may be accessible during the crisis.

The new Cabinet Office Policy Procurement Notices (PPN) offer guidance and advice to public bodies, but also companies, that are engaged in public procurement practices. These PPNs apply to all Contracting Authorities (CA). This is defined as being: all central government departments, executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, Local Authorities, NHS bodies and the wider public sector. 

Both PPN draw heavily on the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR). The PCRs include provisions which are designed to cover the implementation of emergency procurement measures.

Overview of ‘Supplier relief due to COVID-19’ (Action Note)

The Cabinet Office issued a COVID-19 related PPN on the 20^th March. This PPN set out information as well as guidance for CAs on the payment of their suppliers. The guidance is intended to ensure service continuity during and after the outbreak. CAs have been advised to act now in order to ensure at-risk suppliers are in a position to resume typical service delivery once the outbreak is over.

The PNN became effective on the 20^th March but is scheduled to apply until the 30^th June 2020.

The PPN is guided by the understanding that the outbreak is unprecedented and will have a significant impact on businesses of all sizes. It recognises that many suppliers to public bodies may struggle to meet their contractual obligations and that this may put their financial viability, ability to retain staff and their supply chains at risk.  CAs are advised to take action to continue to pay suppliers. This will assist suppliers to cope with the current crises and to resume normal service delivery when the outbreak is over.

The PPN stresses, in particular, that CAs should pay all suppliers as quickly as possible to maintain cash flow and protect jobs. CAs should also take action to continue to pay suppliers at risk due to COVID-19 on a continuity and retention basis. Contracting authorities can consider making advance payments to suppliers if necessary. Typically, advanced payment would require treasury consent; however, due to the circumstances treasury consent is granted for payments in advance of need where the Accounting Officer is satisfied that a Value for Money case is made by virtue of securing continuity of supply of critical services in the medium and long term.

Moreover, CAs are advised that they should aim to work with suppliers and, if appropriate, provide relief against current contractual terms, e.g. relief on KPIs and service credits. This aims to maintain business and service continuity rather than accept claims for other forms of contractual relief e.g. force majeure.

Please note that the PPN contains a number of caveats and so, if the information above is of interest, the PPN should be read in full here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874178/PPN_02_20_Supplier_Relief_due_to_Covid19.pdf

Overview of ‘Responding to COVID-19’ (Information Note)

The Cabinet Office issued a broader PPN, in relation to COVID-19, on the 18^th of March. It is intended to distribute information and associated guidance on the public procurement regulations as they relate to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The PPN explains that there will be a range of commercial actions that must be considered by CAs in responding to the impact of COVID-19. It outlines how CAs may need to procure goods, services and work with extreme urgency; and that this is permissible under the Public Contracts Regulations (2015) using regulation 32(2)(c).

The PPN, and associated guidance i.e. regulations32(2)(c), relate to the following options which can be used to facilitate emergency public procurement:

• Direct award due to extreme urgency (regulation 32(2)(c);
• Call off from an existing framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system (DPS);
• Direct award due to absence of competition or protection of exclusive rights;
• Call for competition using a standard procedure with accelerated timescales;
• Extending or modifying a contract during its term.

Additionally, depending on the nature of the CA’s requirement, there are further options available such as the additional delivery of supplies from an existing supplier (regulation 32(9)).

This PPN can be read in full here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/873521/PPN_01-20_-_Responding_to_COVID19.v5__1_.pdf

We would be happy to help you if you need additional resources. For example, emergency procurements can run on intense short timelines i.e. 14 days. If needed, our extensive professional capacity can be used to augment, strengthen and speed up your bid writing facilities.

Furthermore, we anticipate that procuring authorities will make more extensive use of DPS for procurements during this emergency. If you would like us to help you identify relevant DPS then please do let us know.

A successful Bid Qualification service is fundamental to the submission of bids. Unfortunately, the S.C.O.T.S.M.A.N does not work well when qualifying public sector bids. In light of this, NewBusiness.Dev has developed their own methodology called START DIRECT(ly)™. You can find out more here.