What does the Government’s new Procurement Act mean for Outcomes Partnerships?

Today, the rules which govern how commissioners can procure public services are changing. The new Procurement Act introduces a number of changes that will transform public procurement processes and bring several significant benefits. In a nutshell: exciting times lie ahead for the realm of public service commissioning.

It’s the largest set of changes affecting public procurement in a generation and brings with it new opportunities to deliver exceptional public services and achieve better value for taxpayer’s money. Its ambition is to contribute towards a more dynamic, innovative, inclusive, and impactful approach.

From an Outcomes Partnerships perspective, the new UK Procurement Act has the potential to greatly accelerate the adoption of this type of contracting, which we at BOP are looking forward to seeing unfold. For while innovative commissioners across the country are already leveraging outcomes partnerships to create more effective, more holistic services, the Act will make opting for this approach even easier.

How?

The National Procurement Policy Statement – which outlines key goals for public procurement and key considerations for contracting authorities – reinforces the need for bold, strategic procurement decisions. Decisions which focus on:

• Social value and long-term impact: Ensuring services deliver real, measurable benefits to individuals and communities.
• Innovation and collaboration: Encouraging procurement teams to think beyond traditional models and explore new ways to commission effective, preventative solutions.
• Fair access for SMEs and VCSEs: Creating opportunities for diverse providers to contribute their expertise and enhance service delivery.

The Procurement Act has the potential to level the playing field for SMEs; it will make it easier for mission-driven organisations to bring their expertise and innovation to the public sector by encouraging SME engagement, by creating flexible procedures that remove barriers to entry, and by breaking larger contracts into smaller lots.

Removing barriers and prioritising value beyond cost is directly aligned to taking an outcomes approach, which focuses on achieving meaningful, measurable outcomes (at better value for money) through collaborative design, flexible delivery and clearer accountability.

At BOP, we hope this new legislation will empower procurement teams to be bold in their commissioning decisions; to choose to prioritise the achievement of outcomes that truly change lives, rather than putting short-term efficiencies first.

We’re committed to working with commissioners to co-design solutions that do exactly that: deliver lasting impact, sustainably. If you have questions or would like to discuss partnering with BOP, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch at: laura.harding@bridgesoutcomes.org