Report demands change in commissioning if the Big Society is to be realised
A new report, The Civil Effect, published by think tank ResPublica states that commissioning processes must change dramatically if the coalition government’s vision of the Big Society is to be achieved.
Asheem Singh, deputy director and author of The Civil Effect said: “The government must concentrate on overhauling the commissioning system, ruthlessly slashing bureaucracy to cut the cost of bidding and exploring the benefits that can be achieved through a greater use of technology.
“When tendering costs approach 20% of the cost of the service as a whole, there is something seriously wrong with the system.”
Amongst the recommendations made to give organisations a fair chance in bidding for contracts, the report suggests setting up localised networks of commissioning hubs to act as bases for organisations to bid for contracts; creating a Minimum Standards Framework giving autonomy to commissioners and users in the managing and measuring of services, and a Big Society Bank to provide short-term finance to social enterprises.
Stephen Bubb, chair of the Social Investment Business which sponsored the report said: “The government’s commitment to greater involvement of third sector organisations in public service delivery is a fantastic opportunity. But the current very expensive and bureaucratic process of tendering and commissioning government contracts presents real barriers to small charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises.
“With support from commissioners, the sector should organise as consortia to bid for these contracts, which provide both investment and the chance to expand their services to help more people. This report contains a number of interesting ideas on how this can be achieved.”