
The Connected Procurement and Commissioning (CPC) Network Leadership Group (NLG) have discussed and agreed upon the programme priorities for 2024-25. Every financial year the leadership group made up of senior procurement and commissioning colleagues from across the iNetwork membership set out what the CPC programme will focus on. The priorities develop with trends and challenges in the local public sector and are agreed with NLG meetings before the start of each financial year.
We are increasingly seeing the positive impact procurement can make to our residents through social value, climate change and ethical procurement; these will continue to be key themes throughout the new procurement regulations, and the CPC programme will continue to support our members with these changes.
During 2023-24, the CPC programme has supported members to access training on identifying and reporting bid-rigging practices with the Competition and Markets Authority, partnered with YPO to deliver 2 weeks of events focused on Net Zero, delivered monthly iN The Loop podcasts alongside our other iNetwork programmes, hosted discussions on contract management, social value and supply chain risks.
Whilst the core focus for the 2024/25 remains the same, we will also be looking at how emerging technologies might impact procurement processes and the power of collaboration. The updating of public procurement regulations will be another key focus throughout the upcoming year, as we support our members to navigate the changes in practice the Act will inspire.
The CPC programme will seek to host a number of events in collaboration with other iNetwork programmes, providing the opportunity to further collaborate with colleagues and partners in a range of sectors on key issues with a focus on driving forward sustainable change within public sector organisations
The priorities for 2024-2025 are listed below:
CPC Priorities 2024-2025 |
1. Effective Co-commissioning and Procurement Innovation – This priority will support procurement and commissioning leads to jointly commission more effectively to deliver savings and efficiencies. Maximising opportunities for new approaches to procurement and collaboration with internal departments to drive savings. Key aims include: |
1.1 Support new ways of proactively innovating, collaborating, and promoting business change by providing a space for the local public sector to think about, and encourage best practice in the application of procurement and commissioning standard. |
1.2 Support commercial practices in the local public sector by encouraging collaboration and the sharing of best practice and knowledge around the delivery of savings, efficiencies and income generation. |
1.3 Stimulate a change in the conversation from specific services to genuine collaboration and innovation in line with new procurement regulations. This includes promoting ethical spending, increased transparency and community wealth building. |
1.4 Develop excellent contract and supplier management approaches to maximise value for money, promote savings and manage present and future risks. |
2. Tackling Policy Outcomes Important to the Public Sector – This priority will support, and respond to, the evolving strategic policy objectives of the public sector through improved procurement and commissioning practices. These include, embedding social value to support inclusive and sustainable growth, addressing poverty, inequality, and modern slavery, building resilient local economies and promoting sustainability within the supply chain with a focus on carbon reduction and Net Zero. Key aims include: |
2.1 Support policy objectives by encouraging wider engagement between internal and external stakeholders to promote and deliver innovative practice, prompting positive economic, environmental and social value change. |
2.2 Support the membership to understand and champion the role of strategic procurement and commissioning practices in addressing the climate emergency with additional focus on measuring Scope 3 emissions. |
2.3 Support the sector to adapt and take advantage of the changes in procurement legislation and regulations to promote innovation and best practice, including the adoption and monitoring of new technologies within practice. |