Thornton and Lowe recently attended a Meet The Buyer event during which the Localism Act 2012 was discussed.
In summary, the Localism Act is geared to allow communities and groups more influence on the services that are provided, with a view to decentralising service provision. The Localism Act will allow communities to challenge authorities on provided services, if they believe that a better service is available.
If a local authority receives a challenge under the Localism Act, there will have to be a process by which it is ascertained if it is necessary and possible to change the service provider. The authority will also have to consider the feasibility and the financial risk of changing. If the authority agrees that a change is required, then the procurement process will be triggered.
The Localism Act is yet to be tested, but it highlights the importance of including your stakeholders as much as possible. We would recommend that when you complete your tender responses, you should reference how you engage your stakeholders as proactively as you can.
If you would like any advice or support on completing your tender documents, please give us a call.
