The Commissioning Joint Committee (the CJC) has released the latest version of its popular and comprehensive Standing Guide to the Commissioning of Local Authority Work and Services.
The guide is regularly revised and updated and is offered on an annual subscription basis, in CD-ROM format, to give subscribers information about the latest developments at their fingertips and in the most accessible format.
Coverage
By 'commissioning' the CJC means:
commissioning strategy - deciding how projected work and services should be packaged and commissioned
their procurement
the many other ways of getting work and services carried out, including delegation and transfer to partnerships and other vehicles; and
managing contracts once they have been placed.
What's new in the latest release (October 2008)
This year's revisions include:
the wider regulatory framework within which local authorities operate, including best value, intervention by ministers, and community strategies and planning
the exact and sometimes controversial scope of wellbeing powers
a complete revamp of all parts addressing the key options in packaging and commissioning
collaboration, meaning the many different processes (less formal than delegation)
which recent legislation has provided to help partnership working
recent decisions about freedom of information so far as they affect commissioning
the widespread effect of recent legislation about companies, charities, health services
and waste authorities.
As before, when navigating the guide, users can choose from a suite of free-standing versions of all its contents, depending on:
whether or not the EU directives apply to the procurement under consideration. If they don't apply, users are spared all the complex and voluminous material which is needed only if they do; and if users haven't yet decided, they can go straight to sources designed to help them find out; and
whether they are in England, Scotland or Wales.
Should users need to examine any of the different stages in competition they can peruse the different procedures provided for by the EU directives. All these procedures have a common paragraph numbering system so that users can make instant comparisons.
The fully searchable CD-ROM enables users to search powerfully and accurately for any given word or phrase.
Take out a subscription now and you'll receive:
The latest October 2008 release of the Standing Guide and subsequent releases during 2009.
A licence, if you are a local authority purchaser, to network the entire CJC Standing Guide to all established employees and elected members.
Details of licensing arrangements for other categories of purchaser, which includes those local authorities operating shared services arrangements, are available from CIPFA's Publications Department on 020 7543 5602 or publications@cipfa.org
Click to download its full contents: Word | PDF
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