Commissioning and Procurement
Why is commissioning important?
In recent years central government policy has emphasised public service reform. Government policy identifies improvements in the commissioning (or “buying in”) of services as being crucial to this reform.
This supports the view that the voluntary and community sector has the potential to deliver some services more effectively than other public or private sector providers. This has led to a raft of government policies to increase the commissioning of services from the voluntary and community sector.
In October 2006, Third Sector Alliance — LVSC’s policy network — commissioned a piece of research Let's Get the VCS In: Public Sector Commissioning.The research highlighted the increase in the Government’s commissioning of services, from the voluntary and community sector in London, between 1999 and 2003.
NAVCA (the National Association for Voluntary and Community Action) have noted that grant funding, particularly for smaller community groups, has decreased over recent years as commissioning has increased.
The shift from grant funding to the commissioning of services means it is vital for voluntary and community sector organisations to make informed decisions about which funding path to take.
We are aiming to provide, here, a very simple guide to help you make those decisions. You will find guidance on:
- What is commissioning
- Which government policies favour commissioning from the voluntary and community sector
- Help to decide if, and how, your organisation should become involved in the commissioning process
Links:
Definitions and Commissioning
Model documents and case studies
History and Policy
3SA report
Third Sector Review Interim Report
Last updated 11th August 2009
