Third Sector
NAVCA (National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) and NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) have produced a comprehensive guide to procurement regulations specifically written for a voluntary organisation and community group audience.
A newly updated guide, Pathways Through The Maze, answers the most common questions voluntary and community organisations have about procurement processes and explains the legal requirements applying to public bodies’ procurement exercises.
Please follow the link to access a copy of the guide www.navca.org.uk/publications/maze
Need help with Commissioning and Procurement? NAVCA have a local Commissioning and Procurement Unit that gives help and support on the Commissioning and Procurement Agenda to aid in the development of a diverse local third sector.
Follow the link http://www.navca.org.uk/publications/lcpu/lcpuleaflet to read “Need help with commissioning and procurement?” leaflet for more information.
Regulation Guidance
ONLINE COMMISSIONING AND TENDERING TOOLKIT LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT THIRD SECTOR GROUPS IN LINCOLNSHIRE
An online commissioning and tendering toolkit has been launched this week to support third sector organisations looking to bid for public service contracts. It also provides a wide range of information to assist organisations in their development.
The toolkit forms part of the Linc2together website, a European Social Fund (ESF) project responding to the government’s initiative for wider commissioning of public services and can be found at www.involvinglincs.org.uk.
This comprehensive and informative resource acts as a self-assessment tool for organisations to utilise in order to get ready, and bid for, public sector contracts; by providing useful guidance and information through four stages. The toolkit covers all the key areas Third Sector organisations need to enter the tender process.
Stage 1 of the Lincs2gether toolkit looks at the basics any Third Sector organisation will need in place in order to consider starting the tendering process including policies and procedures, governance and relevant insurance. To proceed to the next stages of the toolkit, organisations will be asked to register their details. The benefits of registering include the opportunity to be partnered with similar interest organisations, access to specialist information which may be specifically relevant to an organisation, potential for direct advice and support and improved access to future contracts.
Stage 2 focuses on getting your organisation ready to participate in the tender process looking at TUPE, risk management and how organisations can register to tender.
Stage 3 addresses getting your organisation’s tender bid ready for submission, focusing on preparing a business case, providing information regarding specifications and looking at contract management.
Stage 4 of the Lincs2gether toolkit supports organisations to get ready and win the tender by good presentation, emphasising the importance of preparation by looking at presentational strategies, detailing who should be involved in the presentation and what preparation needs to be done before an organisation attends the tender meeting.
Helen Kearsley Cree, Lincs2gether Project Manager, said:
“This project will make a major difference to the way that contracting is undertaken in the future. The community and voluntary sector has a vital role to play and this project will ensure they play a more active part in providing services”.
For more information please go to www.involvinglincs.org.uk and click on to Contact Us to send a message.
