Commissioning and Procurement Plan

About Commissioning and Procurement 

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Delivering value

It is our responsibility to deliver the best possible social and financial value for Newcastle through the services we provide. Where external partners deliver contracts on our behalf, we work closely with residents, providers and other key stakeholders to design and secure this value.

During planning and commissioning, we design contracts that meet the needs of residents and build capacity in our local marketplace. During procurement, we purchase our requirements in an equal, fair and transparent way. During active contract management, we make sure that agreed outcomes are being achieved and use our shared learning to inform future commissioning and procurement.

A joined up approach to commissioning and procurement 

Commissioning and procurement is delivered as a single service in Newcastle, serving the whole Council. We have organised our teams  to support our objectives in the most effective way:

• Our teams deliver commissioning and procurement, making sure that the ways we plan and buy are joined up for maximum value
• Our team is skilled in championing and securing both sides of the 'value coin' – social and financial 
• Category management increases efficiency, prevents duplication or siloes of provision and allows multiple outcomes to be considered across integrated services
• Commissioning for life course services ensures we think about service design and market shaping from a citizen's perspective

In some cases the commissioning and procurement team takes responsibility for the whole of the commissioning and procurement cycle. In others, the team supports and enables officers across the Council to design, buy and manage contracts themselves.

Our Commissioning and Procurement Plan for 2020/21 - 2023/24 is an accessible guide to  how commissioning and procurement in the Council works. It sets out our aims and objectives, our processes and tools and our plans for improvement.

This plan has been written for:

• people in organisations who wish to provide goods, works or services to the Council;
• people in local communities and organisations who want to influence the Council’s commissioning and procurement activity and understand how it benefits them and their neighbourhood; and
• people who work for the Council or Your Homes Newcastle who need to commission or procure.

Although these interests are very broad, we have chosen to incorporate the information about each perspective into one Plan, so that whichever group you belong to you can also understand the rules and procedures that other people you may come across are following. 

Commissioning and Procurement Plan 2020/21 - 2023/24

• Commissioning and Procurement Plan 2020/21 - 2023/24
• Appendix 1 - Progress and Development Plans
• Appendix 2 - Commissioning and Procurement Structure
• Appendix 3A - Social Value Commitment 2020
• Appendix 3B - Social Value Opportunity Identification Report Template
• Appendix 3C - Social Value Outcomes and Measures Framework
• Appendix 4 - Procurement Routes Flowchart
• Appendix 5 - Evaluation Roles and Responsibilities
• Appendix 6 - Delegated Officers
• Appendix 7 - YHN Authorised Officers

/sites/default/files/business/C&P Plan Drafts 202021/2. C&P Plan 2020 with updated EU thresholds 2.pdf