Red Framework, White Light

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy


Last week I had an enjoyable day down with Devonshires, at a session at their London Finsbury offices, near Moorgate. It was great to meet some existing contacts and a lot of new twitter followers in person. Some looked a little older than their profile pics I have to say 8-)

I have worked well with Gareth and his team, when working for recent clients I have been helping procure, and on the supplier side of the fence. The session was to look at some of the rules around OJEU, getting the most from procurement and particularly the wording of contracts.

The session at Devonshire's Moorgate office

A majority of IT and Telecoms procurements, these days can use Open or Restricted procedures. Few are blue sky enough, in order to really warrant the flexibility of Competitive Procedure with Negotiation (CPN), or Competitive Dialogue Procedure. Key takeaway was the watchword is transparency at all times, in order to maintain a level playing field.

Questions from the thirty or so attendees, from across the socialhousing sector, were very interesting. Frameworks came up, which was interesting as just about all HMS providers are now on RM1059 and other related ones. The question was could a contracting authority buy directly from a solution on a framework? Would this be guaranteed to represent best value?

The easy answers are yes and possibly.

While buying directly from a framework is possible, particularly for a HMS, could an organisation really confirm that the 'value for money' box is ticked, without really testing the market to a sufficient degree?  In some cases, for certain solutions, I have seen a cost differential of up to a factor or over ten times. That is a possibility of paying 9 times over the odds for similar functionality. RSL's can build a lot of new homes, refurb' many kitchens & bathrooms, and provide varied neighbourhood improvements for that. 

That is one of the reasons that a procurement penalty shootout might still be the best, even if a framework is available. Think carefully and be sure you are really ticking the VfM box.

... Also keep an eye out for the CCS 'Mystery Shopper'.
  

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: Is getting to Go-Live, your chase to the finish? 

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I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Red Frame/White Light.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
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OJEU - Their Law

If you do the Twitter thing, follow me at @HousingITguy
or LinkedIn here https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy



Since the morning of the 24th June, when we learnt the UK has voted for #Brexit (Yay / Boo, depending which side of the 52% / 48% divide you were on), many people have asked me, how I think it may affect OJEU procurement. It's an interesting question and a lot of people assume, probably incorrectly that brexit may simplify the whole business of procurement. I am very doubtful.

The OJEU rules have become the way that public procurement is to be done, across socialhousing and many other areas. While there are scores of pages of rules to follow, I am of the opinion that it enables contracting bodies to make measured and considered decisions, that on the whole drive good VfM. The rules are more a tool, than a straitjacket. Granted, suppliers jump are made to jump through some hoops, but for the benefit of thoughtful decisions being made by contracting bodies. 

While the OJEU rules seem to have been around pretty much forever, it's worth considering what we did before. Many of the more organised organisations had an internal set of procedures, usually trying to achieve a similar outcome. Having worked on both sides of OJEU, when MD of a supplier and over the last five years with my clients, I can see how the current rules protect both parties. Having a single set of rules better controls the 'challenging' of a procurement, from both viewpoints. Having different standards of procedure going forward, would work to the detriment of both parties on trying to determine valid grounds of challenge and also mitigating its possibility.

The OJEU rules have been deeply incorporated into UK law and our government will need an appetite to repeal, or amend those rules. Where UK companies are bidding for contracts in the EU or in fact EFTA, if we are still allowed to, that is, the current OJEU rules will have to be adhered to anyway.  Westminster might well prefer to retain a means of regulating housing, NHS and local council purchasing, to police process, in order to ensure value for money. If under brexit, we still have to follow the OJEU rules, chances are away from the EU top table, we will have no future power to influence future changes.

We are certainly in for interesting times, let's wait & see.

I will be doing a session at a Devonshire's solicitors seminar event, September 15th 2016. You can sign up for free, lunch and canapés afterwards included. It would be great to see you there, at Finsbury Circus, London, EC2M 7DT. Sign up now on this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RSH9QDP

Catch the blog monthly archive at https://archive.org/details/@housingitguy

Related Post: Is it time to introduce (Pre) Tenant Driving Tests? 

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

I would be pleased to connect with you on LinkedIn - http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tonysmiththathousingitguy Message me with any issues or queries, you would like to be explored in this blog. We generally receive a couple of suggestions each month.


The Prodigy - Their Law.
(c) Tony Smith, Acutance Consulting www.acutanceconsulting.co.uk 07854-655009


Access a quick list of our Social Housing ICT blog posts here

Could we help you or your organisation? Our contact details are here , get in touch we will be pleased to chat about your problems and help with your organisation issues.
File Under: 360,1stTouch,4Js. , 07854655009 ,365Agile," """" ",,#UKHousing,#HousingDAY, #HomesForBritain,#InternetOfTenants, #Shout,1st Touch,3squared,Accuserv,Acutence,Aareon,Academy,ActiveH,AirWatch,Alignment,ALMO,Anite,Apex,ArchHouse,Archouse,asbestos, Asprey e-state pro,ActiveHousing,Asset Management,Aurora,Average IT Costs,App,Associates,ACL,Abritas,AMS,AX,aspireview,Agile365, BO,BPR,Browser Applications,Business Objects,Business Planning, Business Process Review,Business social networking, Blockwise, Block wise,BI,BancTec,BluTek,Bluebox, Castle,CBL,Cedar Open Accounts,Cx,Change,Cheaper Housing IT,Chics, CHR,Citrix,Civica,Clearview,CMS , CCS IT Keystone CCSIT,Civica Genero,Contractor Systems,CORE,CorVu,Cost Reductions,Covalent,CRM,Crystal Reports,CTI,CTX,Customer Relationship Management,Cashflow, COA,Coactiva,Codeman,Comino,Competitive Dialogue process,complex IT procurements,Component Accounting, Community Reward Services, Consilium, Consolidation, Consultancy,Consultant,Contact 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