Upcoming contract: Public Sector Resourcing (Temporary Staffing)

May 9, 2017, 3:29 p.m. by HelenMcNally

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The Crown Commercial Service is planning a new framework agreement for temporary staffing to replace the existing ‘Contingent Labour One’ framework which will come to an end in June 2018.

About the contract

The current framework contract is split into three lots managed by Capita, Brook Street and Hays respectively.

The spend through Contingent Labour One (2013 - 2016) was:

• Lot 1 Interim Managers and Specialist Contractors (Capita): £468m

• Lot 2 Administrative and Clerical Workers (Brook Street): £154m

• Lot 3 Operational Workers (Hays): £6m

By Feb 2017, total spend through the framework was £730m.

160 public sector organisations use the current framework, but there have been a number of issues reported with the framework. Although, 92% of Capita’s supply chain are SMEs and 65% of work awarded goes to them, the terms of the framework  were seen as being unfair to SMEs and several boycotted it altogether fearing that the terms were impacting the health of their business. In 2015, Capita was subject to two investigations of its role in the contract.

Following this criticism, the Crown Commercial Service is taking pains to reform the agreement, which will now be called ‘Public Sector Resourcing (Temporary Staffing)’. It will not be a standard framework, but instead a resourcing programme for government.

Instead of lots, the Crown Commercial Service is seeking one strategic partner to collaborate with on building a resourcing programme. This will begin in December 2018 to be implemented in April 2018. This means there is still a almost a year to go before interested subcontractors  can compete to be part of the supply chain.

To make sure the time needed for a successful transition is taken, the agreement will run for an initial four years, but could be extended by a further three years. We understand that the procurement process is already running two months late. An OJEU notice was due in March 2017 but still has not materialised. We are assured it will be released this month.

The procurement process to find a strategic supplier will be competitive with negotiation, and will be carried out in three phases:

1. Selection - capability and experience of bidders

2. Quality evaluation -  tender bids and presentations

3. Negotiation process - partnership approach, technology delivery model.

When it launches, the new framework agreement is to provide temporary staffing in the following areas:

• Administration and clerical workers

• Operational and support workers

• Interim managers

• Digital/IT specialists

• Digital, cyber, legacy technology or technology change skills and expertise

• Senior civil service level managers

• Professional contractors

• Universities and specialist providers

• Education and teachers

• Statement of Work

• Permanent: Executive and non-Executive

• Health

• Specialist/Niche

• Other.