PROCUREMENT ADVICE AND SUPPORT

   Voluntary Action Sheffield offers the following support and advice for
   voluntary and community organisations involved in delivering public services
   against contracts or beginning to think about doing so.

   We have put together a menu of options for you to chose from and these are
   listed below. The options are designed to meet the needs of organisations at
   different stages of contract-readiness. All of them can be adapted to meet
   the needs of individual organisations or groups of organisations. If any of
   these are of interest to you, please contact Jo Henderson on 0114 253 6632,
   or j.henderson@vas.org.uk

   An Introductory Presentation - Understanding the Procurement Agenda - a
   presentation  for organisations beginning to think about selling their
   services or developing goods and services to create income. This covers an
   explanation of how procurement and commissioning works, the national and
   local  policy  context,  the  legal framework, what you need to become
   contract-ready  and  how to plug into the necessary networks to access
   opportunities. We organise these presentations in response to requests. 20
   minutes plus time for questions.

   An Introductory Workshop - Understanding the Procurement Agenda - This
   incorporates the above presentation and gives organisations an opportunity
   to explore the possibilities and risks of going down the contracting route.
   The workshop will give you time identify whether or not procurement is for
   you and how it might affect your organisation. Half-day workshop.

   Consultation sessions - individual advice for organisations - at whatever
   stage of the process you are in. We can provide direct advice, signpost to
   more specialist help and, where appropriate, put you in touch with other
   organisations that might be potential partners.

   Workshop - Becoming Contract Ready - for organisations actively considering
   going for competitive tenders. This sets out what an organisation needs to
   have in place to successfully deliver public services and win contracts. The
   workshop takes you through a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and gives a
   general explanation of how the tendering process works. Half day workshop

   A  Stage  2 Presentation - Collaboration and Partnership Working - for
   organisations already delivering services to look at how they might work
   with others to become stronger and/or more competitive. The presentation
   covers  the  policy  context,  gives  examples of different successful
   collaborations, looks at some of the organisational models and identifies
   some of the risks. 20 minute presentation plus time for questions.

   Collaboration and Consortia Workshop - These workshops are sector specific;
   that is they will be delivered to organisations working in the same field,
   that have the potential of coming together to tender for contracts. The
   workshops will be designed for each group of participants. Where possible
   the workshops will involve relevant commissioning and procurement officers
   who will identify specific local policy around consortia.

   Other support related to procurement from VAS includes. . . . . . . 

   Full Cost Recovery - workshops on what it is and how to implement it in your
   organisation - Contact: Community Accounting Service [hyperlink]

   Legal Issues - advice for individual organisations around governance and
   contracts - Contact: Bev Cross, b.cross@vas.org.uk

   Quality Systems - Support and advice from Quality Development Officers on
   how  to  implement  PQASSO  or  other quality systems relevant to your
   organisation.

   E-mail: [1]j.henderson@vas.org.uk

   The Circle,

   33 Rockingham Lane

   SHEFFIELD S1 4FW

   www.vas.org.uk

References

   1. mailto:j.henderson@vas.org.uk