Procurement Strategy 2024 - 2027

About Us

For a number of years procurement services had been delivered through a regional collaboration and latterly an external provider (MINT LLP). A decision was more recently made to bring all commercial and contract management services back in-house to the Force.

Our newly formed team will deliver the strategy along with implementing amendments to our working practices to reflect the forthcoming changes to Procurement Law. In addition, the team will bring innovation and apply commercial acumen to help ensure we deliver best value.

The team will be responsible for the annual non-pay budget expenditure of £50m ensuring compliance with internal governance and wider procurement legislation. Further we will work to support the wider Force in achieving its annual efficiencies targets annually.

The strategy provides a framework for how Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner will realise value through procurement and support the delivery of the ‘A Safer Nottinghamshire for all’ Police and Crime Plan 2025-29.

The aim of our strategy is to ensure procurement activities are undertaken efficiently and economically whilst contributing to the realisation of the economic, social and environmental benefits whilst aligning with the strategic aims and objectives of the Police and Crime Plan.

This strategy will intrinsically link into the Forces wider strategies of Finance (including Value for Money & Efficiencies Plan), IT, Estates and Facilities, Fleet, and Environmental/Sustainability.

The Commercial and Contract Management team are transitioning through a period of change on their journey to becoming an established in-house Procurement function striving for commercial excellence.

Procurement and contract management has a key role to play in ensuring that the Police and Crime Commissioner continue to deliver high quality services, working in collaboration with partners to realise joint benefits, supporting the local economy and providing opportunities for businesses to engage with the Force.

Team Structure

Vision

The vision of the Commercial and Contract Management team is:

To actively be seen as an enabler in securing best value in the procurement of goods, services and works for the Commissioner and the Force, whilst mitigating risk by ensuring compliance with UK legislation.

We shall provide a high quality and efficient service whilst being attentive to the needs of our stakeholders.

Through the application of commercial acumen and innovation, we will develop
comprehensive and robust contracts ensuring best value is secured, but not at the detriment to quality.

The effective delivery of the Procurement Strategy will support the Police and Crime Commissioner’s three strategic pillars within the Police and Crime Plan;

• Communities and Victims First

• Strengthening Partnership Working

• Effective and Resilient Policing

This will intrinsically link into the Force’s Pledge “Proud to Serve”

Values

• Professional: Being professional is about having pride in what we do and inspiring confidence by delivering clear standards of service.

• Respect for all: Having respect for all is about valuing people as individuals and treating people as they want to be treated.

• One team: One team is about working together, rather than in silos, and valuing the contributions others can make.

• Utmost integrity, trust and honesty: Demonstrating utmost integrity, trust and honesty is about being accountable and doing what we say we’ll do.

• Doing it differently: Doing it differently is about being prepared to challenge the status quo and never being afraid to try something new.

Key Priorities

Strategic Planning

Develop our procurement activity by adopting a strategic approach, ensuring markets are explored and developed, whilst giving due consideration to collaboration and aggregation, with a view to making savings and efficiencies.

Pipeline

To develop a robust and comprehensive Pipeline of the Force and Commissioners future needs. This will allow us to effectively manage resources to support all areas across the Force.

Market Development

To carry out a strategic review of the market to encourage and support the participation of current suppliers and new entrants to market. Further, we shall understand the requirement and take a balanced view of national agreements and establish which contracts may be more appropriate for local procurement and the use of Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s).

Collaboration and Aggregation

To proactively identify, develop and participate in collaborative opportunities across UK Forces and other Public Sector Organisations. In addition, we will look to make best use of existing framework agreements whilst maintaining effective partnerships with the Police Digital Service and BlueLight Commercial.

Process and Procedures

Be seen as enablers within Force, utilising efficient and consistent processes (see Appendix 1) ensuring we work effectively with our stakeholders, enabling us to successfully deliver procurement projects to meet Force requirements.

Early Engagement

Through inclusion and engagement at project boards, working with cross functional services, look to apply commercial acumen to projects from inception.

Efficient Procurement Processes

Commercial and Contract Management Team works in the most efficient way, by introducing a suite of procurement documents and tools, effective working practices, and a Team Charter to support consistent working practices and behaviours.

Enabler

To understand and deliver Force and Commissioners needs whilst observing Contract Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.

Sustainability and Ethics

Inspire a more sustainable commercial environment, by applying an Ethical Procurement Strategy and a Social Value approach to reduce the effects of modern slavery and meeting our responsibilities around climate change.

Embed in Procurement Process and Practice

The Commercial and Contract Management Team will work with Service Areas to embed a culture of ‘thinking social value’ into our procurement and commissioning activities.

The Force will look beyond the basic cost of awarding a contract or commissioning a service and look at the potential collective benefit to the local community. The social, economic, and environmental outcomes that all parties are aiming to achieve, including supporting the local economy wherever possible, spending locally, and creating employment opportunities for local people will be captured.

Supply Chain Management

Working with partners and independently to effectively identify and manage the risk in the supply chain for goods, services and works, giving due consideration to everything from raw materials, production, delivery and financials with a focus around modern slavery given its high profile and the impact risks associated with its activity.

Contract Management

Work with Suppliers to deliver continuous contractual improvement through effective contract management, meeting the requirements of our stakeholders whilst encouraging innovation and efficiencies.

Supplier Performance Monitoring

Ensure contracts are effectively managed, reported upon and performance is monitored in accordance with contractual KPI’s and SLA’s. This will help ensure the Force only pays for the services it receives.

Continuous Contractual Improvement

Encourage innovation throughout the lifetime of the contract, seeking improved quality, reduced waste, and overall customer satisfaction.

Contract Review

To review existing contracts and exit strategies, whilst understanding what has worked well and what hasn’t throughout the lifetime of the contract. Further, undertake research to establish developments in emerging technologies by acquiring market intelligence through desktop research and market engagement days.

Training and Development

Actively develop the Commercial & Contract Management Team ensuring team members feel invested in, inspired, and motivated to deliver the needs of the Force and its communities. Creating a culture of “grow within”.

Integration of Commercial & Contract Management Team

Conducting a skills assessment of the team to identify capabilities and areas for development. We will also look to hold a number of team and wider service events per year to support team development.

Continuous Development

Pivotal to the success of the team is that team members feel supported, challenged, and developed. We will commit to supporting the professional development of the team through the delivery of both formal and informal training. Succession planning will be kept under constant review to ensure team members that have been invested in will see opportunities for future progression within their professional careers.

Wider Force Development

To develop the skills of the wider Force to ensure staff and officers feel empowered to undertake their roles and responsibilities actively and effectively in both procurement and contract management.

Best value

Demonstrate best value in the goods, services and works we procure, ensuring through fit-for purpose specifications we only procure what is needed and deliverable, whilst considering each service against in-house provision alongside the decision to procure.

Spend Analysis

Understand the Force’s spend, identify greater areas of opportunity for aggregation and achieving economies of scale.

Market Engagement

Consider the benefits of conducting effective pre-market engagement.

Specification Development

To review and develop specifications, giving greater consideration to outputs and outcomes to encourage innovation and continuous improvement.

Key Performance Indicators

We will develop and report upon our service performance measures to include;

• Number of contracts awarded and contract value

• Total value of procurement savings both cashable and non-cashable

• Total value of cost avoidance

• Income generation

• % of contracts awarded in collaboration with other public sector bodies

• % of contracts awarded to local suppliers

• Social Value

• Number of exceptions

• Customer Satisfaction

Annex 1 - Procurement Procedure Flowchart