ConsortiCo Ltd is embarking on an exciting new journey. We launched ConsortiCo Ltd in August 2009 as a company limited by guarantee. It has the powers to operate across the nation and is here to support third sector organisations consort to access and deliver public service contracts.
ConsortiCo Limited has been developed in response to the larger, more complex public service contracts being ‘put out to tender’ by government organisations. These contracts often ‘parcel up’ work that we (charities and social enterprises) have been specialists in delivering for years. In the past government organisations supported our work with grants or service level agreements. Now Commissioners often buy (procure) services through ‘open and competitive tendering’ to ensure they get ‘best value’. They often ‘aggregate’ services together to reduce the cost of procurement and gain other cost savings through the reduction in the number of contracts they hold. They want to improve the quality of government funded services whilst improving efficiencies.
Organisations in the third sector need to react to these changes and develop new ways of working (in consortia) to access these larger and more complex contracts. We need to do this to continue to support our local ‘service users’.
We refer you to the Cabinet Office of the Third Sector publication, ‘Working in a consortium’. This offers guidance for third sector organisations involved (or wishing to become involved) in public service delivery. ConsortiCo Limited is our response.
We therefore encourage third sector organisations to contact us. We would like you to consider membership, become an equal share owner of the company, and enter into public service contracts in consortia. To access our membership Prospectus and Application Form please click here.
We also encourage Commissioners from the public sector to contact us to explore how we can develop Consortico Ltd in your area, for the benefit of your services, and to support your local third sector organisations. One of our commitments is to ensure all member organisations who supply public services under sub contract to ConsortiCo Ltd are ‘contract compliant’ and have positive track records. We already have the support of Commissioners at NHS Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough Council and meetings are planned with further Commissioners from further afield. Please read our news page for our latest developments.
Whether you are a third sector organisation or public sector commissioner we wish you well in developing your new business arrangements. Our hope is that you will at least consider ConsortiCo Ltd as your chosen consortium.
Brian Roe
Chairman – ConsortiCo Ltd
Consortico
