People and corporate services news round-up April 2022

Stationery and copier paper

A new framework for the provision of stationery and copier paper will soon be available for the Welsh public sector. The framework has been awarded to Lyreco on a single supplier basis, and will commence on the 1 June 2022 for a period of 4 years.

For the first time, the procurement process included evaluation of social value; focusing on decarbonisation and support for indigenous Welsh business within the successful supplier’s supply chain. Measurement and reporting of the social value commitments will be monitored and recorded throughout the lifetime of the agreement utilising the Welsh TOMs (Themes, Objectives, Measures) model through our quarterly KPI collection.

Framework guidance will be available on Sell2Wales when the new agreement goes live on 1 June 2022.

PPE and Workwear – Dynamic Purchasing System (reserved contract)

We are looking to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the supply of high visibility, personal protective equipment (PPE), uniforms, workwear and leisurewear.

Utilising Regulation 20 of the Public Contracts Regulations (2015), the DPS is advertised on Sell2Wales on a reserved basis. Only organisations that are classified as a sheltered workshop may apply for a place on the DPS. A sheltered workshop can be defined as a business that has a minimum of 30% of employees that are classed as disabled or disadvantaged workers.

In order to maximise the available markets for any successful suppliers, the DPS will be available for public bodies across the whole of the United Kingdom to purchase through it.

Once established, the DPS will provide a number of benefits including:

• Greater access to employment opportunities for disabled or disadvantaged people
• Increasing the diversity of the public sector supplier base, by drawing from the wider pool of talent and skills available in the workforce, that are currently underutilised i.e. disadvantaged workers who face barriers to entering the labour market
• Contribution to increased social inclusion and interaction of disabled people in the labour market and their communities.
• Provision of a simple straightforward route to market for public bodies to procure from these businesses compliantly
• It will remain open for its entire period, allowing new or already established sheltered workshops/supported businesses the chance to join the DPS at any point throughout its lifetime.

This new agreement will run alongside the current DPS for PPE and Workwear which commenced on 1 October 2021.

If you require further information, please e-mail: CommercialProcurement.PeopleCorporate@gov.wales