- Statutory partners to work towards having longer-term contracts with VCSE organisations, along with options to review and break clauses. This approach avoids repeated contract extensions, and recognises the value of longer-term funding for VCSE staff and services.
- Involve VCSE organisations early in the commissioning process and in decisions that affect them. Use early market engagement and co-design to shape services together. Make it clear that there’s no expectation to do ‘more for less’, to avoid unsustainable pricing strategies in tenders.
- Funders are to openly acknowledge that lowering funding reduces service delivery expectations. Where needed, they should work with VCSE organisations to co-produce or co-design service reductions.
- Be open and clear about why competitive procurement processes are being used. Where competitive tendering is appropriate, co-design processes with local partners. Value co-production and the local economy in how tenders are evaluated.
- Pilot new Health and public procurement processes and share learning to develop joint understanding.
- Identify measures and indicators that can apply to a range of contracts across Health and the Council. Link them more closely to the outcomes that everyone is aiming for and make reporting requirements clear, fair and proportionate.
- Identify the intended outcomes of strategies and plans. Commission services based on these outcomes, and co-design simple processes and monitoring to evidence outcomes. This applies where funds are not subject to external monitoring requirements.
- Develop communication and reporting processes that share evidence of impact and outcomes across services and contracts. Share learning and develop commissioning practices.
- Develop a model of how to support and develop consortium approaches for larger local tenders and external funding applications. Seek funds to pilot the model.