From 1^st April 2009 there will be a new procurement framework available for play equipment design and installation. It has the potential to help local authorities reduce the cost and time involved in their procurement process.

The Pro5* group of local authority consortia, working with the DCSF, will make this national framework available for the entire public sector to access. The framework will cover all aspects of the refurbishment and building of outdoor playgrounds.

This framework will:

• be available at no cost to the purchaser

• facilitate mini-competition - addressing an authority’s specific requirements regarding stakeholder engagement (children, parents, local communities, planning requirements etc) - full details will be provided in the methodology to adopt document

• provide discounts from a range of companies

• be fully EU compliant. The framework will not only provide purchasers with savings compared with the “going it alone” approach, but will save considerable time and cost in relation to compliance with the EU Procurement Directives. Local authorities should not rely on the EU Works threshold to avoid EU compliance

• seek to achieve best value by aggregating the purchasing power of the DCSF play  funding

• cover bespoke design, manufacture and installation

• offer a supply-only schedule if requirements are confined to supply only

The DCSF urges all local authorities to take note of this new procurement framework when deciding on your procurement approach.  This could enable you to get the best value from your capital investment in play, and has the potential to make the procurement process more straightforward.

For further details please contact:

Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation

David Johnston

Tel: 0116 265 7943,

Email:  d.johnston@espo.org

* The Pro5 group is made up of the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation, The Central Buying Consortium, The North East Purchasing Organisation, The West Mercia Supplies and The Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation