Social housing organisations, like many contracting authorities across the UK public sector, rely extensively on the collaborative procurement carried out by centralised procurement authorities (CPAs), as a means by which to legally accelerate their procurement process for goods, works and services and to tap into the scale and value that can be achieved when collaborative procurement is skilfully carried out.

One of the most useful pieces of Cabinet Office guidance for those that rely on frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems procured by CPAs is the Transitional and Saving Arrangements. This guidance confirmed that frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems procured under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCRs) remain legally compliant to use after the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 (the Act) and until the point that they expire. This is an incredible boost to the implementation plans and procurement strategies of social housing organisations as it means that they can continue to rely on procurements that have long provided them with value for money, social value and legal surety.

On the eve of our first framework procurement under the Act we couldn’t help but reflect on how a centralised procurement authority can remain a vital and strategic procurement partner for social housing organisations of all sizes.

In this article we reflect on four essential areas where a CPA can support you in your procurement strategy.

1. Can the CPA provide a direct route to accountability?

A CPA is legally responsible for the framework and dynamic market procurement carried out for use by other contracting authorities. In some ways the CPA is the custodian of your procurement compliance. Do you have a clear route of accountability to the decision makers within the CPA who procured with your needs in mind?

2. Does the CPA have a team that is resourced for your needs?

The Act is clear that the definition of procurement includes the award, entry into and management of a public contract. As well as the resource to procure in a way that complies and that minimises risk under the Act, what level of support is available to you within the CPA in respect of the management of public contracts that are awarded under the commercial tools established on your behalf?

3. Does the CPA have a presence throughout the procurement cycle?

The Act places many more obligations on the public contracts awarded under frameworks and dynamic markets than the PCRs – many of which need to be addressed in the procurement of the commercial tool itself. From foreseeing modifications to conflict-of-interest assessments, to monitoring changes in excluded and excludable status of suppliers, does the CPA offer continuity of staff and expertise to support you from beginning to end?

4. Do their commercial tools grow and evolve?

One of the benefits of procuring in the same markets repeatedly is the specialism that accrues for the CPA. The most sophisticated CPA will use their consistent contract management resource and market presence to capture the learning from each procurement carried out via its tools. This learning will manifest in the evolution of their frameworks and dynamic markets for the benefit of all its customers.

The procurement team here at Procure Plus will soon being running our first procurement under the new act, we’ll be sharing our learnings once the process is complete, however, we’re here to help with any questions you might have on the Act.