Efficient & Sustainable Public Sector Procurement Conference

9.35
Opening remarks from the Chairman

9.40
The National Audit Office on how public sector buyers can best demonstrate savings

• Where public sector savings reports typically go wrong
• Tips on quantifying and reporting efficiency savings and added value
• Examples of reporting systems that are particularly effective, and ineffective
• What the NAO is looking for: lessons for buyers for future reporting

10.10
The Principles of Sustainable Procurement

• Defining sustainable procurement
• The Challenge to purchasers e.g. Future challenges facing organisations
• Sustainable Procurement Task Force recommendations
• The Engagement model - embedding sustainability in the supply chain

10.40
Question and answer session

11.00
Morning coffee

11.30
Case study: The Royal Mail Procurement Transformation Project: recruiting and retaining buyers

• The targets we were set and the strategy we set out to meet them
• The core skills and competencies that we identified
• Finding the right people – the most effective channels to reach candidates
• How we made our offer stand out from the competition
• Our interview and assessment strategy
• The results to date

12.00
Case study: Doing more with less - how public sector buyers, and OGC, can deliver better services with fewer resources

• The impact of Gershon on frontline service provision in the short, medium and long term
• What we did, how we did it and what went wrong
• What we would do differently and what advice we would give our peers
• How the downsizing of the OGC has impacted its effectiveness

12.30
Question and answer session

12.45
Lunch

14.00
Defining sustainability in public sector purchasing: green buildings, environmentally sustainable materials or suppler diversity/equality?

• Is sustainable procurement an environmental or a social issue?
• Is sustainability a higher priority than cost reduction?
• Should sustainability costs be recorded up front or over whole life?
• What contribution can procurement make to the Sustainable Development Agenda?
• Supplier sustainability: recommendations for rating suppliers and their environmental/diversity policies

14.25
Question and answer session

14.45
Training and retaining effective buyers in the public sector

• The core skills needed to succeed in public sector procurement
• An update on the CIPS Public Sector Faculty: its progress on people development in the sector
• CIPS initiatives with OGC and the Scottish Executive: lessons that can be applied in other public sector organisations

15.10
Question and answer session

15.15
Afternoon tea

15.45
Case study: Competitive neutrality – how the Department for Work and Pensions has ensured a level playing field in supplier bidding

• Positive encouragement or positive discrimination?
• What has worked and what has not
• Advice we would give to anyone starting a competitive neutrality programme
• How likely is it that competitive neutrality will become compulsory in public sector procurement?

16.15
Case study: The impact of reform and recent policy initiatives on procurement at the Home Office

• How division of the department will affect the procurement team
• What ID cards, biometrics and Homeland Security will mean for purchasing – getting to grips with new technologies and services quickly

16.45
Question and answer session

17.00
Closing remarks and close of conference

This programme may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Redactive Events Ltd reserves the right to alter the venue and/or speakers.