Consortia Working

A significant gap was identified through the Social Enterprise North West (SENW) consultation process regarding the lack of consortia working to procure contracts as a source of income for front line social enterprise.

There was also a related identified need for more education of investors and potential contractors as well as the need for Social Enterprises  “to get better at demonstrating their value” for example Social Return on Investment (SROI).  

Potentially consortia tendering could overcome numerous barriers for front line social enterprises in accessing major contacts and although there has been an amount of procurement support activity none appear to have achieved to instil confidence in procurement heads in the ability for front line social enterprise to deliver and to give recognition to the added value in procuring from the sector. e.g. SROI and more importantly ability of frontline social enterprise to deliver large value and volume contracts requiring geographic coverage.

This will be a regional project managed by a leading organisation that will develop a ‘Strategic Alliances Action Group’ (a consortium of support providers - accredited to give business advice and able to bring in appropriate legal and technical support) that will build on initial research of the current experience and impact of consortia/ partnership working, producing case studies on what works in forming consortia.

This project will also develop a consortia linked to cost/carbon footprint savings. Provide information on integrating SORI, social accounting outcomes, impacts and added value and will result in the creation of a register of tender ready organisations visible on the web.

The lead body will commission a reporting document showing findings and case studies and as this is the learning project findings will be used to encourage further work in this area to be supported by NWDA (i.e. a fund for the creation of strategic alliances in the social enterprise sector leading to procurement summit)

Through the process the project will give great emphasis on establishing a system for long-term identification of procurement opportunities. It will assess & evaluate what is required to form successful consortia identifying the scale of knowledge and capacity to enable social enterprises to successfully tender for procurement opportunities.   

Gaps, opportunities and issues will be discussed with procurer involvements, input from legal and financial experts, technical procurement expertise on due-diligence, costing etc and by engaging with Social Enterprise North West Strategic Group including representatives from the Universities, further education colleges, North West Assembly, Learning and Skills Council, Department of Work & Pension, Business Links, NHS and Voluntary Sector North West.