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se2 partnership - social enterprise south east

Guidance on procurement

If you think that social enterprise could help deliver your LAA objectives, and are not sure what to do first, you need to:

  • decide which aspect of your LAA that social enterprise could support
  • find a local social enterprise that could help with this aspect
  • check that you have a procurement or system that support social enterprise. Check out the entries under "Guidance on Procurement" below. 

How to find the right social enterprise:

  • Does your local authority have a Social Enterprise champion or department that works with voluntary and community groups? Find out if they are already in partnership or a network with a social enterprise that could help.
  • Visit www.nearbuyyou.co.uk to check for social enterprises in your area
  • Check out SE2's map of social enterprises in the South East. They're adding to it all the time, so keep looking!

Guidance on procurement

The following resources give information on buying from social enterprise:

Think Smart… think voluntary sector! Good Practice Guidance on Procurement of Services from the Voluntary and Community : published in 2004  by the Office of Government Commerce( OGC) and the Home Office Active Communities Unit.

Procurement Checklist: A quick and dirty summary of ThinkSmart

Read about the leisure trust movement here

Read More For Your Money, a guide produced by the Social Enterprise Coalition and supported by The Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government.

Hearts and Minds: findings by the Audit Commission on commissioning from the third sector