We at whatimpact.com hope you enjoyed the summer and are looking forward to the busy Autumn period.
Social value in public sector procurement has now been a mandatory requirement for several years and the new Procurement Act coming into action next month will enhance it even further. whatimpact has launched three white papers, over three years, exploring the challenges that the public, private and third sector face when managing social value requirements. Click to download them here!
Next week, we will be launching our latest report on how the voluntary sector sees PPN06/20 affecting private sector interest in terms of local partnerships. There are still many challenges in the process of creating a real impact on a hyper-local level. The report will be shared with you on Tuesday 9th September!
The social value market in all sectors has evolved from focusing only on monetised social value proxies to including more evidence-based impact. There is a huge demand for social value brokerage systems, where at the local level technology is harnessed to match VCSEs (local charities, initiatives and social enterprises) with local authority contractors and their supply chain. Government organisations are now reconsidering their role as a facilitators, for the benefit of local organisations and to enable activities to happen. Too many suppliers fail with their deliverables. We also see quite weak social value plans in bids in the first place due to the difficulties with finding local initiatives to support and engage with.
whatimpact.com offers the most robust system for this local connectivity in the UK! There is a difference between a VCSE directory and whatimpact’s outcome-based mapping system enhanced by AI. Our matching system supports social value criteria set by contracting authorities. Our validated impact reporting aligns with all major social value frameworks, and the reports are automatically available for the contracting authority.
The new Procurement Act requires more transparency and focus on the most advantageous bid. There is a real need for clear social value criteria and evaluation models that allow organisations to review qualitative aspects of implementation: practicality, tangibility, locality and anticipated impact of activities. The mandatory feedback required for any social value plan is only possible if there is a feedback system to back the scoring. Delivery plans, proof of past delivery and success, and named local partners are just a few criteria to set for scoring. Proxy values are not enough to evaluate with.
With this in mind, we at whatimpact are now delivering highly secure dashboard technology where local authority procurement and social value management can build their own social value criteria and monitoring system, connected to our social value brokerage systems through API. This means that for social value planning, delivery and reporting, each local authority can evaluate, score, monitor and get evidence of grassroots impact in real-time.
We are discussing with several authorities the possibility of building their own social value frameworks based on their five-year strategic goals and actual local needs. In essence, local procurement buying power can be harnessed to generate positive change in an extremely strategic manner. Whether the authority is using monetised values or not, this model is the way forward for generating and understanding the tangible impact on a local level.
Social value criteria mustn’t be ready-made but built to reflect the procurement budget and types of contracts in local areas. Suppliers in various industries struggle with expectations of direct employment, local environmental impact and apprentices, even if they do not deliver the contract work locally. However, with flexible, innovative social value criteria, all these outcomes can be achieved by encouraging these suppliers to partner with local VCSEs who already have impactful projects in place.
We are currently facing serious economic challenges and most government organisations have faced budget cuts. Although this can create difficulties, it also allows for a thorough review of social value strategy going forward, considering how best to facilitate the process so that grassroots benefits are maximised. It is important to consider costs from both the contracting authority and the suppliers and how much resources can be increased within local communities with an interactive social value delivery system.
If you wish to hear more and are reviewing your social value systems and how you can efficiently support your suppliers to deliver social value, book a call with the whatimpact team.
Speak to you soon, all the best,
Tiia Sammallahti
CEO
whatimpact.com
References
Local Government – Newport City Council
Newport City Council engaged whatimpact to assist with delivery of a Culture, Heritage and Grassroots sports grant scheme funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. We have been extremely pleased with the speed at which they have been able to put the scheme in place on whatimpact.com platform. We have engaged with a large number of new VCSEs and are reaching vast range of SPF outcomes. We monitor and audit the process through a well-functioning evaluation and monitoring dashboard. We are also happy with the ease of collaboration which has really allowed the Council to distribute much needed funds with speed and diligence.
Newport City Council
Shared Prosperity Fund Programme Manager
Central Government – Ministry Of Defence
We have worked with whatimpact as a founding partner in the Defence Supplier Forum Social Value data platform project. This work has been both innovative and highly collaborative, bringing contributors from MOD, defence suppliers, local government, and the third sector together on a pro bono basis.
whatimpact have been an active and engaged partner, delivering their elements in a professional and timely manner. They have contributed significantly to the SV data platforms’ progress to date, through unique insights and experience in:
- partnerships between companies and VCSEs;
- matching and linking funders to causes (at the level of individual SV Model award criteria); and a deep understanding of SV in practice means.
Peter Coy
Social Value Implementation Lead
