QMU Procurement Report - Section 3: Community Benefit Summary

For every procurement over £4m, Queen Margaret University will consider how it can improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of its area through inclusion of community benefit clauses, to assist with achieving sustainability in contracts activity, including targeted recruitment and training, small business and social enterprise development and community engagement. Where possible, relevant and proportionate, and where they are considered not to have a negative impact on the delivery of value for money, such clauses may be included in regulated procurements valued at below £4m.

The general University policy on identifying community benefit requirements is to conduct risk and opportunities assessments through stakeholder consultation and engagement – on a case-by-case basis the question is asked, ‘could a community benefit clause be usefully included’? Where relevant and proportionate to the subject matter of the procurement, the requirement is then built into the procurement specification and into the eventual conditions of contract performance.

Where applicable, as part of the tendering process, suppliers are invited to describe their approach to delivering community benefits or achieving social value through a contract. Relevant community benefits are cited, such as:

providing ‘upskilling’ opportunities (e.g. Toolbox talks) with students and staff,
offering advice and assistance on the best practice methodology,

employment, student work experience and vocational training opportunities,
apprenticeships,
local subcontractor opportunities available to SMEs, 3rd sector and supported businesses,
direct involvement in community based schemes or programmes,
equality and diversity initiatives,

supply-chain development activity,
educational support initiatives,
to minimise negative environmental impacts, for example impacts associated with vehicle movements and/or associated emissions and impacts on protected areas, buildings or sites.

Tenderers are invited to describe how such benefits will be delivered through the contract and promoted to contract users. Where community benefits are included in a procurement (at or above the £4 million threshold), the award notice would include a statement of the benefits that are expected to be derived from the contract.

Queen Margaret University has awarded 9 regulated procurement contracts over the reporting period. One of these was over £4 million in value.