Strategic Assessment and Action Plan

Starting in summer 2020, we held a number of internal workshops and seminars, along with seeking feedback from our partners, including other fire and rescue services and police forces nationally, which has led to the creation of our 2021-2025 strategy.

Our Procurement and Commercial strategy is supported by an assessment which brings together all of the insight, evidence and data we’ve used to develop this blueprint.

This includes:

The ten year forward assessment of risks and challenges presented in the Customer Safety Plan
An analysis conducted by the Commercial and Procurement team of the current environment they are operating in, including current and possible future legislation in a post EU-Exit world
A strengths and weaknesses analysis conducted by the Commercial and Procurement team
Engagement across the organisation, capturing what everyone that works for us thinks the future holds
National and international research on the impact of climate change and impacts on the natural environment
Operational debriefs of incidents we have attended Feedback received from completed projects
Green papers on EU transition arrangements
Government guidance related to trade in a post EU exit environment
Government guidance on modern slavery and social value
Completed people impact assessments and equality of access case studies
Case studies of good practice in dealing with suppliers published by government
The outcome of research on exposure to, and mitigating the impacts of, contaminants in the workplace

We have developed an action plan which is a ‘live’ document and will be updated regularly by the Corporate Services Board and the Strategic Assets Board.

The action plan outlines the activities we need to complete to implement the strategy.

Priorities and key objectives

To provide continuous support and guidance for all procurement and commercial matters, including access to market intelligence to support our business cases and purchasing decisions	Continue to improve the quality of statements of needs published to the market Include whole-life costs in decision making on all purchasing Encourage pre-market engagement where this will get us a better product or service

To provide access to innovative products and services to support the evolving and diverse nature of services to our customers	Maintain the category management approach to our spend Continue to work with partners and other agencies to purchase collaboratively Continue to maintain an indepth and up to date knowledge of our markets

To continue to be transparent in ongoing and future procurement activity	Continue to publish all information required under the government transparency code for local government Reduce the number of purchases made without a competitive process Always maintain a published pipeline of future purchases

To provide fit for purpose goods and services available to the front-line	Always engage with users in all procurements Regularly seek feedback on the products and services we have purchased Continue to effectively manage our contracts as a whole to ensure quality and performance is maintained

To consider inclusion and social value impacts and initiatives in all procurement opportunities	Consider the social value contribution our suppliers can make as well as value for money and publicise how we worked with suppliers to deliver such initiatives. Continue to publish all opportunities to suppliers in an open and transparent way Ensure equality, diversity and inclusion impacts are factored into all procurements and contract management processes. Continue to diversify our supply chains, to ensure opportunities for our business are accessible by newer, smaller and innovative suppliers.

To continue to support our local community through implementation of the Modern Slavery Policy	Publish a transparency in supply statement annually Review the training provided to everyone that works for us on modern slavery to keep pace with new and emerging customer needs Always maintain a published pipeline of future purchases