Current Procurement Landscape
Following the Review of Public Procurement in Scotland considerable progress has been made reforming the procurement landscape.
Five centres of procurement expertise are now in operation. The National Procurement Centre of Expertise
Procurement Scotland) works alongside four sectoral centres of expertise, leading, facilitating and supporting reform in Central Government,
Local Government,
Health and
Universities & Colleges.
Public Procurement Reform Board
The Public Procurement Reform Board oversee the implementation of improved procurement across the Scottish Public Sector. They have an interest in the implementation of the entire Centre of Expertise network, as well as other aspects of the 'McClelland Programme.' The Board is chaired by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth.
Procurement Reform Delivery Group
The Procurement Reform Delivery Group has met regularly since February 2008. Their members include Heads of the sectoral Centres of Expertise and the Scottish Procurement Directorate. Ruth Parsons, Director of The Scottish Governement's Public Service Reform Directorate, chairs the group.
Their remit is to:
- Facilitate the delivery of the reform programme's objectives on time, while maximising efficiency of resource and remaining within budget constraints
- Make decisions on recommendations made to it in relation to developments within the procurement reform agenda
- Ensure the required level of cross-cutting co-operation and working is achieved
- Identify, manage and resolve dependencies between initiatives, particularly where one initiative's progress depends on work done by another
- Monitor and manage risks and issues
- Co-ordinate the resolution of issues and the implementation of contingency measures for risks if appropriate
- Assist in the management of the programme and key stakeholders through use of reporting as a communications channel.
CGCoPE Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board is the key group exercising governance over CGCoPE establishment and operations. The Supervisory Board, chaired by the Chief Executive, Scottish Legal Aid Board, consists of a number of Chief Executives and senior managers from across the central government sector, including core Scottish Government, Agencies & NDPBs. The Board is well established and continues to meet on a quarterly basis.
Supervisory Board members represent the views and interests of their 'constituents', thus ensuring that CGCoPE senior management is kept aware of stakeholder views.
Their remit is to:
- Provide strategic direction, advice and support to CGCoPE and the Procurement Delivery Group
- Agree scope of CGCoPE operations
- Endorse future plans and key design decisions
- Actively champion CGCoPE, including supporting collaborative procurement through communications to Central Government organisations
- Within a national framework, set targets for achievement of Best Practice Indicators
- Monitor performance of CGCoPE
- Review and agree CGCoPE's Annual Business Plan
- Ratify criteria to select and prioritise Category B commodities
- Ratify the initial list of Category B commodities and any subsequent amendments
- Review and agree CGCoPE's Training & Development Plan.
CGCoPE Procurement Collaboration Group
The Procurement Collaboration Group (PCG) consists of seven Heads of Procurement plus CGCoPE representing over 80 central government organisations. This group supports the implementation of reform in central government.
Their remit is to:
- Agree and prioritise collaborative procurement
- Agree high risk/high value procurement strategies and contract award decisions
- Advise on planning, monitoring and measuring benefits from collaborative procurement
- Lead the development of procurement best practice
- Contribute to the development of the CGCoPE Business Plan
- Support collaborative procurement activity
- Contribute to the development of sectoral training and development.
Procurement teams in Scottish Government, Agencies and NDPBs
Key to delivery of reform is the work undertaken by the procurement teams across central government. Considerable support has been provided by Agencies and NDPBs to design and support the establishment of CGCoPE and other reform activities. As an organisationally-dispersed model CGCoPE is represented by central government procurement staff on various cross-sectoral groups implementing improvement including Benefits Realisation, Best Practice Indicators, Policy Forums, People & Skills and will continue to support delivery of advanced procurement.
Procurement Policy Forum
This cross sectoral meeting, which takes place in Glasgow, includes three CGCoPE members and is chaired by Paul McNulty, Head of Procurement Policy and Development, Scottish Procurement Directorate.
Currently this group has met four times on a quarterly basis with a history of interesting key note speakers and debate amongst members.
If you would like to learn more about this forum, or read minutes, please see link below:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Procurement/policy/procurepolicyforum
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