Views on commissioning invited

Voluntary sector organisations are invited to give their views on the Government’s public sector bidding plans, following the publication of a commissioning green paper.
The consultation document does not contain specific new proposals, but instead seeks responses to the Government's current plans for action.
These include payment by results, setting targets for service delivery by independent providers, streamlining the procurement process and giving voluntary organisations a new 'right to challenge' local authorities when they think they can provide better services.
The consultation also asks for feedback on the Government’s plans to launch a new website called 'Contract Finder' in March next year. The free site will host all central Government tender documents and contracts. Much of this information is already contained on NCVO’s 'Funding Central' website, which has been funded by Government to run for three years from 2009. The green paper says "the Government will consider the relationship between Contract Finder and Funding Central".
Nick Hurd, the minister for civil society, said the green paper would feed into a public service reform white paper next year.
The deadline for responses is 5th January 2011.
Modernising Commissioning can be downloaded from the link below.
[from: Third Sector Online 8.12.10]

♦ A consultation event on the proposals is being held in Preston on 20th December. For further details of the morning meeting, contact Lami Atta-Ahmed, Five Counties Officer, Voluntary Sector North West. Tel: 0161 276 9303. E-mail: lami.atta-ahmed@vsnw.org.uk.