Discovery: How do LAs make procurement decisions?

We are conducting a discovery to better understand the procurement process when councils purchase a digital service/technology. We know that procurement processes can vary significantly between local authorities and we are keen to understand internal processes and behaviours. In doing this, we hope to enable industry to better engage with local government as well as create a level playing field for SMEs, whilst ensuring councils get the most appropriate and competitive solutions for them and their users.

We welcome hearing from all those involved in the procurement process – from digital leads to commissioning to procurement.

We will not share any of the data you submit on this form outside techUK, and we will only use it for the purposes of learning more about how local authorities procure technology and digital services.

If you do agree to talk with us in more detail at a face-to-face meeting or on call, we will anonymise your identity when sharing our research findings. Your identity will only be known by the researcher(s) who interviewed you, and all identifiable data will be removed from transcripts once this particular discovery project is complete.

We treat this information confidentially and use all quotes anonymously - unless explicit consent is granted by you later. We won't share this information outside techUK.

If you have any questions or problems completing this form, you can email Georgina.maratheftis@techuk.org

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* 1. What type of council are you from? Name council (Optional)

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* 2. What is your job title? (Optional)

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* 3. Describe the procurement process and steps you take to buy a digital service or software package, and how long does each step take? (You could use a recent example to outline your approach)

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* 4. How did you go about identifying what you will be procuring?

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* 5. Who is involved from start to finish in the procurement process? (List approximate number of people and job titles)

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* 6. Do you search for standards or case studies that you could build on first?

Yes

If yes, where do you search for this information?

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* 7. Do you conduct discovery or analysis on user needs?

Yes

If yes, for what type of procurement?

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* 8. Does your authority use central e.g. G-Cloud and/or regional procurement frameworks?

Yes

If yes, list in what circumstances you use this framework?

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* 9. Where do you find information on the latest frameworks?

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* 10. Do you talk to other councils?

Yes

If Yes, at what stage of the procurement process?

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* 11. Do you do any pre-procurement market engagement?

Yes

If no, why? If yes, could you elaborate further on the type of engagement you typically carry out?

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* 12. Have you seen The ICT Commissioning playbook Alpha?

Yes

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* 13. Have you used it?

Yes

Do you think it will be useful in supporting better outcomes from procurement? If yes, how?

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* 14. For each of the following please indicate the level of importance to your organisation in achieving the best outcomes through procurement: (not important, low importance, high importance, essential)

	Not important	Low importance	High importance	Essential
Approach to digital transformation	Approach to digital transformation Not important	Approach to digital transformation Low importance	Approach to digital transformation High importance	Approach to digital transformation Essential
Best practice in contract negotiation and management	Best practice in contract negotiation and management Not important	Best practice in contract negotiation and management Low importance	Best practice in contract negotiation and management High importance	Best practice in contract negotiation and management Essential
Relationship between the council and supplier	Relationship between the council and supplier Not important	Relationship between the council and supplier Low importance	Relationship between the council and supplier High importance	Relationship between the council and supplier Essential
Collaborating and/or sharing best practice with other councils	Collaborating and/or sharing best practice with other councils Not important	Collaborating and/or sharing best practice with other councils Low importance	Collaborating and/or sharing best practice with other councils High importance	Collaborating and/or sharing best practice with other councils Essential
Value for money	Value for money Not important	Value for money Low importance	Value for money High importance	Value for money Essential
Return on investement	Return on investement Not important	Return on investement Low importance	Return on investement High importance	Return on investement Essential