| A new tool developed by nef (the new economics foundation) in partnership with the London Borough of Camden to encourage outcome-based commissioning of local services and incorporate wider community benefit both in the tendering process and in the performance management of contracts. |
The Sustainable Commissioning Model (SCM):
a) values both the service-level and wider 'community-level' outcomes (economic, environmental and social) created by contracted services. These community level outcomes should be drawn from the agencies own corporate objectives (e.g. for a local authority it would be the community strategy or corporate plan.)
b) tracks savings to the service, council and wider public sector of the achievement of these outcomes over the course of the contract, using financial ‘proxies’ and a social return on investment approach
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Camden has successfully piloted the SCM with a service to provide Day Care support to people with mental health problems. Using the model, a consortium of a national mental health charity with a Camden subsidiary and two locally-based smaller voluntary sector groups won the contract. The consortium showed the value of their approach, demonstrating positive social, economic and environmental outcomes for the Camden area, as well as for individuals using the service, in their tender.
The lead procurement officer involved noted that the model and the other activities had really enhanced the quality of the four tender responses, saying that the winning tender was 'one the best I have ever seen.'
Camden is currently piloting the SCM with a further 5 services, including contracts in the Children, Schools and Families department and Supporting People.
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