Brexit and Tendering 2020
Janet Roberts
Managing Director of The Tendering Academy, the online school dedicated to your successful tendering for health and social care contracts
A quote from TS Eliot seems appropriate at the start of the Brexit and transition year.
For last year’s words belong last year’s language
And next year’s words await another language
T.S. Eliot
Although as far as procurement is concerned, legally little will change at the end of January, but much has already changed, and we can expect more high-level changes during the year in reparation for the final exit on 31st December 2020. The UK was accepted into GPA Membership in February 2019, and through the year we have seen a growth in social care tenders open to "GPA Participation" . Please NOTE the GPA agreement prohibits tendering for Health contracts (selling the NHS). The new changes we know we shall see relate to a much greater emphasis on localism, full implementation of the Social Value Act, and greater emphasis on Community Assets. All of these are already appearing in tenders across the country.
These changes are being driven by two factors. First GPA thresholds are higher than those we are used to under the EU, and the Agreement does not apply to sub-threshold tenders, leaving governments freer to follow their own policy agendas when purchasing smaller contracts; Second we know that the new government intends to follow a “Buy British” agenda which extends to evidence of contractors buying from local suppliers, contributing to the communities in which they work with an emphasis on strategies for local employment. The days of very large providers working with levels of management which is “distant from” local communities appear to be numbered over the next 2 to three years. We also have a growing emphasis on the American model of “flat management” with resources moving to the front line.
Time to look at corporate structures, and work towards these new agendas. The rise is at hand of the small, local provider model which is fully integrated with local community groups facilities and services, with the ability to mobilise local resources whilst reducing cos
Managing Director of The Tendering Academy, the online school dedicated to your successful tendering for health and social care contracts
5 年Thank you Sue yes it would. Also good that this is happening now! A priority for all providers is to get two policies in place: Social Value; and Community Assets for Care. Then to develop procedures and engage in training so that all staff and Trustees/Directors understand the importance of these elements to securing and delivering contracts. best wishes.
CEO at LinkAble
5 年Great read. If it's true that ’The rise is at the hand of the small, local provider model which is fully integrated with local community groups facilities and services, with the ability to mobilise local resources whilst reducing costs’ it would at least a one positive of Brexit!