KnowHowNonProfit.org

It brings together a wide range of information, resources and best practices related to many aspects of managing or running Third Sector Organisations.

A very competent website with considerable financial backing (£2m+) means that there should be value here for anyone trying to find answers to their questions or trying to learn from others. Think of it as a Business Link Information portal for the Third Sector.

A very important aspect is the interactivity. There are blogs, forums and other web 2.0 technologies employeed to get people comunicating and interacting – both with the website team and with each other.

So KnowHowNonProfit is an excellent starting point if you need answers.

Similar resources

Don’t forget that locally the Third Sector Hub tries to supply answers and bring people together too. The Third Sector Hub website at www.thirdsectorhub.org.uk does not aim to act as an information service – sites like KnowHowNonProfit do this well. But we do try to supply locally relevant support and information, so try the website or contact us.

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the SCMS website

If your organisation is not already registered then it is free to register yourself, after which you will be able to access current and future contract information and download and submit bids automatically.

In many cases the SCMS system is the only method of obtaining information about a PQQ or tender and may be the only way to submit your bid.

North East Lincolnshire Council has used SCMS for the recent Change Programme (Economic Wellbeing) initiative, so being included in the system is important for TSOs who wish to be involved with similar opportunities.

Support with SCMS

It is free to register on SCMS, but support has also been previously offered through CERT’s “Doing Business with the VCS” project. This support may or may not be available as you read this, so contact CERT direct at www.cert-ltd.co.uk.

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Concise Compact Guide

Why is this a resource? Because the principles laid down in the various guides are something to lead both our behaviour and that of our partners and those who contract with or work with us. By understanding the Compact codes and by helping others to understand them we improve the quality of the work we all do together.

If we want others – in the public sector and elsewhere – to abide by the Compact, then we too as Third Sector Organisations should adhere to its principles.

Some of these guides are newly rewritten. The “Funding and Procurement Code of Practice” is now a joint code between North and North East Lincolnshire. And to make it simple, a new “Concise guide” has been recently written.

The Third Sector Hub has developed a website dedicated to our local Compact here – www.vanel.org.uk/compact.
All of the guides can be downloaded from the site in .pdf form, or printed copies of most of the guides are available from VANEL offices in Grimsby.

Nick Triplow is the local Compact Consultant – contact him on compact@vanel.org.uk.

Are you signed up to the Compact? (list here)
Do you understand and follow the codes?
Do you promote the Compact to others?

Don’t forget that decisions public bodies make are governed by public law. The Compact forms guidance for public bodies and thus an understanding of the Compact helps strengthen decision making across the board.

www.vanel.org.uk/compact

Related resources:

Information about the Compact nationally.
Compact Voice website.

A “Compact Bulletin” is posted regularly to the Compact website.

The Third Sector Hub helps encourage understanding of public law – see our articles here.
We occasionally run training courses or briefings on public law and Nick Triplow speaks regularly at events around the region about the Compact.

If you have something to ask or say about the Compact, you can discuss it in the legal forums on the Hub discussion boards here.

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Pathways through the maze

Sustainability for TSOs should at least take procurement and service contracts into consideration. This publication answers all of the key questions organisations will have about procurement legalities, processes and issues.

Printed versions of the publication have been distributed to members of NAVCA but the guide can be downloaded as a .pdf for free.

Download the publication here.

Visit the information page on the NAVCA website here.

Related resources:

The publication itself contains a number of useful related resources.

There is a Compact code for procurement for North & North East Lincolnshire. This is available on the Compact website here.

The Local Commissioning & Procurement Unit (LCPU) was established in 2008 and helps third sector groups through the commissioning process. Their minisite is here.
Download their flyer here.
They have many useful guides and resources listed here – download all the details as a .pdf here.

Within North East Lincolnshire, CERT runs the “Doing Business with the VCS” project to help organisations through PQQs, tenders and the procurement process. Contact Chris Mason at CERT on 01469 572313.

More information about procurement related resources is posted in the “Sustainable Finance” section of the Third Sector Hub website. Go here.

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