procurement

Today, the Public Services (Social Value) Act comes into force. The new legislation requires local authorities and other commissioners, including housing associations, to consider the social impact of their public service contracts before they start the procurement process.

A number of disability charities have complained about their names being included in an ATOS tender to deliver the PIP contract. According to an article in the Guardian, they claim that the private IT firm Atos made misleading statements about proposed co-operation with disability groups to help secure a £400m contract to perform disability assessments. Labour and several disability charities have demanded that this must be investigated immediately.

The public sector in Scotland is to buy more goods and services from businesses that employ disabled people, Nicola Sturgeon has said. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities was welcoming a new national framework contract that will make it easier for Scottish public bodies to buy from supported businesses. The estimated framework value is £5m - £20m over the maximum possible framework period of 4 years.

SERCO and NCVO are working together to produce a code to promote good practice and co-operative working between the private sector and voluntary and community sector in the delivery of public services. They’re seeking your comments as they draft this tool.

The National Audit Office has published its investigation into levels of fraud within contracted employment programmes.

SOVA are seeking to strengthen their service provision by developing a provider framework that includes oprganisations that are interested in developing innovative and open partnerships, and would like to work with SOVA to help transform the lives of those most in need.