Voluntary Norfolk

Third Sector Guide for Commissioning

"In my role as an advisor on Third Sector Commissioning at CSIP I have seen various publications about commissioning and procurement but this publication is unique in its approach. By asking a series of questions, it allows public sector commissioners and contracts people to undertake a kind of self assessment of their approach to each aspect of the commissioning/procurement cycle in relation to the third sector. It encourages those involved to develop an action plan designed to improve the process and gives examples of good practice as well as citing national policy documents."

Ian Hartley (CSIP - Eastern)

Are you a public sector commissioner or procurement officer?

Do you want to know how to effectively engage with the third sector throughout the commissioning and procurement process?

If so, Voluntary Norfolk has published a new guide to commissioning with the third sector which has been designed to work alongside your existing commissioning frameworks.

The Guide will help you by:

- Explaining what the third sector is and how it works

- Showing how involving the sector can help achieve sustainable outcomes and value for money

- Giving examples on how to engage the sector in service planning, delivery and evaluation

- Providing a mechanism for evidencing good practice in working with the third sector

The Guide has been primarily written for Norfolk's public sector partners but will be just as useful to public sector bodies outside of the county. Third sector organisations, particularly those delivering public services, are also likely to find it of interest as a means of assessing what good practice in commissioning can look like.

The Guide includes:

- An overview of the policy context

- A set of Checklist Questions relating to the main stages in the commissioning cycle

- References to a range of sources, including good practice examples and government guidance

- A checklist template for use with the Checklist Questions

- A glossary of terms

Accesssing the Guide

The complete Third Sector Guide for Public Sector Commissioning in Norfolk is available as a Pdf download for free below.

Third Sector Guide for Public Sector Commissioning in Norfolk (PDF)

Using the end notes There are many end notes in the Guide providing additional information, examples and references to national guidance and best practice. Clicking on the yellow reference numbers will take you to the appropriate end note, and clicking on the end note will take you back to the main part of the Guide.

The Third Sector Checklist Template Word document below has been populated with all of the checklist questions from the Guide for you to save and use as it is, or amend for your individual use.

Third Sector Checklist Template (Word)

Saving the template To download the template, please click 'save as' to save to your computer.

A bound copy (45 pp) of the Guide in a loose-leaf folder is also available. Free to public and third sector organisations in Norfolk (£4.00 p&p applies if posted) and £12.00 to organisations outside the county (plus £4.00 p&p).

Please make cheques payable to 'Voluntary Norfolk' and send with your order, detailing the number of copies required and the delivery address, to:

Third Sector Commissioning Guide

Voluntary Norfolk

83-87 Pottergate

Norwich

NR2 1DZ

(Please allow 14 days for delivery).

For further information on the Guide please contact:

Jo Clapham

Public Services Development Manager

jo.clapham@voluntarynorfolk.org.uk

Tel: 01603 883842