Introduction
The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 requires public bodies in England and Wales to consider how procurement activity can have an overall positive impact on the economic, social, and environmental wellbeing of people and communities. The Procurement Act 2023 reinforces this, with Section 12 stating that contracting authorities ‘have regard to the importance of maximising public benefit’.
At Policy Partners Project we have provided policy, procedure and practice websites since 2014, which integrate national and local policy, procedure, learning tools, advice and information for the children and adults’ social care and safeguarding sectors. Whilst these sites are designed and developed for use by practitioners, many of our websites are public facing which helps ensure openness and accountability when delivering services to adults with care and support needs, children, their families and carers and the wider public.
Working in partnership with our customers is key to our approach; we work at their pace to build websites which can be tailored to their local needs and priorities. . We are members of the Good business charter and have Cyber Essentials + accreditation, which is renewed each year following an independent technical audit of our IT systems.
Our Company Ethos
The ethos of the Policy Partners Project complements the goals of Social Value:
- efficiency – we aim to produce our products as efficiently as possible to ensure best possible value for money for our customers;
- effectiveness – we design our products to maximise their effectiveness for customers in terms of ease of use and savings in terms of time and money;
- environmental concerns – by providing easy access to key information, our products save staff time and resources. Publishing material online reduces the need for printing and ensures that amendments can be made quickly and easily (as documents do not require reprinting for example). We hold meetings and training sessions online to minimise the environmental impacts of travel (where we do need to travel to meetings, we use public transport). We monitor the carbon impact of our websites (using websitecarbon.com). We also aim to choose environmentally conscious options when we need to use third party services, for example we use ANS to host our cloud server, who provide their own carbon guarantees;
- responsive – we are responsive to customer needs and suggestions. This includes conducting online questionnaires and seeking structured feedback in order to ensure that our products meet customer needs. We respond to all queries swiftly;
- partnership – we work in partnership with our each of our customers to ensure we have a clear understanding of their local services, priorities and communities and work with to help them to prepare for CQC / Ofsted inspections.
- innovative and flexible – we do not use a ‘one size fits all approach’; the structure of our websites is very flexible and can be revised to suit the requirements and services of our each of customers;
- growth and development – we constantly review our products to ensure that we stay up to date with latest developments in the adult and children’s sectors and relevant information technology, including security and accessibility. We review our products in a planned and structured way, to ensure that they remain current and relevant to our customers;
- financial renumeration: we believe in paying people well. We pay our associates above the living wage and performance related bonuses are also paid.
We are a female-founded and female-owned micro-business (with 1-9 employees). The National Procurement Strategy for Local Government in England recognises micro-businesses as playing a major role in creating jobs and generating income for those on low incomes, helping to foster economic growth, social stability, and a source of innovation. Increasing the number of female owned businesses – particularly outside of London – has also been recognised as a priority for Government).
Since 2023 we have held Good Business Charter accreditation. This is a trusted symbol of responsible business, which demonstrates our commitment to ethical business practices and the environment.
Outcomes for Customers
Our products are dynamic and evolve in line with national and local policy, procedure and practice, and reflect and support changing ways of working.
Our websites have short, medium and long term outcomes for customers:
- short term outcomes – within the first six months to one year, customers achieve an integrated set of policies, procedures and practice guidance which supports their frontline staff and managers to do their jobs and provides information and advice to the public. We work in partnership with customers at regular meetings to action their individual ‘Go Live Plan’.
- medium term outcomes – in the second and third years of the contract customers will further achieve a fully localised and regularly updated website. We hold ongoing online meetings with staff to conduct refresher sessions to ensure that content continues to be embedded into front line practice through supervision, appraisal, induction and training. Where required, staff surveys are built in.
- long term outcomes – in subsequent years, the customer’s website has become the ‘go to place’ for front line staff and managers, and members of the public. It can continue to be revised as required by customers.
Where required, our customer sites can be used to get feedback, interact and engage with adults, children and families who use services and carers to inform the development of services in the sectors and the provision of information and advice.
Content can help raise public awareness of key issues such as safeguarding and mental capacity to support adults, children, families and carers to remain safe and well.
Content can support specific groups and respond to their needs for advice and information, particularly through our quick reads and audio content. Content can also integrate information about local community resources and groups.
Our Social Value Model
The Procurement Policy Note 002 The Social Value Model identifies four missions; the most appropriate for Policy Partners Project is:
(3) Kick start economic growth: To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 – with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off
Outcome: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises
- Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals.
- Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain. Illustrative examples: co-design and co-creation of services; collaborative performance management; appropriate commercial arrangements; inclusive working methods; and use of inclusive technology.
- Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees.
- Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual.
- Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract.
- Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings).
- Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives.
This includes the most appropriate social value outcomes and criteria for our contracts.
Model award criteria A: Create a diverse supply chain to deliver the contract including new businesses and entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals Including creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and helping new organisations to grow, supporting economic growth and business creation.
Model sub criteria A: As a microenterprise, we work with a diverse range of companies and individuals. We work with sole traders (associates), SMEs (to gain Cyber Essentials +, our hosting company and our accountants, independent cafes and restaurants) and also large companies / public bodies such as LAs and Microsoft.
Standard reporting metric A:
- 3ai. Direct spend with start-ups: The value of contract opportunities awarded under the contract in £
- 3aii. Direct spend with SMEs: The value of contract opportunities awarded under the contract in £
- 3aiii. Direct spend with VCSEs: The value of contract opportunities awarded under the contract in £
- 3aiv. Direct spend with mutuals: The value of contract opportunities awarded under the contract in £.
We can provide a breakdown of our costs in relation to these four metrics.
Model award criteria B: Collaborate in co-design and delivery with communities and anchor partners.
- We adapt each customer’s website for the needs of the customer, who know their local services and population well.
- We incorporate feedback from consultations with staff and members of the public as required in terms of content, layouts and use of local images for example.
- We develop new functions of our websites, for example increased accessibility features, in consultation with and as a result of feedback from users.
Standard reporting metric B:
- 3bi. Number of engagement activities with the community, community representatives and or anchor institutions.
We can report on the number of different engagements and attendees at the sessions we provide.
Contact Us
For more information, please see Contact Us.
