Plan
Having clear and transparent commercial pipelines and a good understanding of the market to plan for the procurement process.
Remember to adapt activities to your local context, and take steps that are proportionate to the value, risk, complexity and profile of your requirements.
-
1
Familiarise yourself with the procurement legislation and Welsh Procurement Policy Notes (WPPNs).
Currently, the main procurement rules in Wales are contained in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), which apply to all public sector organisations in Wales.
-
2
Understand your market for the goods or services you are buying.
To develop the right procurement approach, you should understand who the suppliers are, where they are based and their size. This will help you understand whether the product or service is readily available. You should do this through ongoing engagement with the market .
-
3
Be clear and transparent about your requirements.
You should clearly outline what you need from the procurement process. This includes specifying the goods or services you require as well as any technical requirements, deadlines, and budget constraints. Use the Sell2Wales pipeline planning functionality to maximise transparency of your future procurements.
-
4
Consider social value.
In Wales, public sector organisations are required to consider the social value of their procurement activities in the context of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This means considering how the procurement process can support the local economy, create jobs, and promote sustainability.
-
5
Use the appropriate procurement procedures.
There are currently a number of different procurement procedures available in Wales, including open, restricted, innovation partnership and competitive dialogue. You should specify which procurement procedure you intend to use, based on the value and complexity of the procurement, and on the market.
5 things to know
Getting started
What to think about first
The ‘Plan’ stage of the procurement journey will typically include:
- A commercial strategy;
- Published (or plans to publish) pipelines; and
- A market strategy, including an approach to market management.
At this stage you should start to consider how through your commercial and procurement activities, you plan to:
- Achieve the 7 wellbeing goals, 5 ways of working and 4 lenses of value contained within the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, to drive greater social value through the consistent delivery of more well-being impacts;
- Align delivery model options with departmental, organisational and Welsh Government strategies, priorities and policies, including having regard to the principles contained within the Wales Procurement Policy Statement; and
- Support economic prosperity and embrace and exploit innovation, working with a responsive market of companies and allowing businesses in Wales to thrive.
CIPS
CIPS Procurement and Supply Cycle
The ‘Procurement and Supply Cycle’ developed by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) includes 13 steps to guide you through the procurement process for goods and services. At this early stage in the process, the following steps from the CIPS ‘Procurement and Supply Cycle’ are worth considering:
- Define business needs and develop specification;
- Market analysis and ‘make or buy’ decision; and
- Develop the strategy and plan.
Net Zero
When developing your commercial and market strategies, consider how to tackle carbon emissions through your procurements and contracts
- Procurement is a significant source of CO2e emissions, and is also therefore a critical function in achieving the Welsh Government’s net zero target by 2030. This target includes reducing Scope 3 emissions, which encompass various activities such as business travel, employee commuting, waste disposal, and transportation of products – procurement and commercial professionals can’t achieve this alone, so think about how engaged your whole organisation is in this process.
- The Sustainability Risk Assessment Tool/Policy Mapping Tool, which is currently in development will be recommended for identifying reduction areas in procurement, and sharing this information will facilitate early market engagement.
- Research is essential in procurement – focus on market changes, new technologies, and alternative service methods.
- Effective communication with suppliers during early market engagement is also fundamental. Are you on the same page in relation to net zero aims.
- Use the guidance available to you. The Welsh Procurement Policy Note (WPPN) 12/21 offers detailed information on reducing CO2e emissions in supply chains, contributing to the 2030 net zero goal for the Welsh public sector.
Resources
We’ve brought together a range of resources to support you at each stage of your procurement journey.
Visit the links below to view the resources relate to this stage.