HouseMark Procurement Clubs

HouseMark would like to invite PfH Members to participate in a new HouseMark initiative - procurement clubs.

The purpose of the clubs is to provide good practice support and advice to staff working on procurement in social housing organisations. The club format will be based on the precedent of the HouseMark performance improvement clubs which have run successfully for a number of years.

HouseMark plans to run the clubs in three locations - Leeds, Coventry and London - three times a year. HouseMark anticipates that the club meetings will be of interest to:

• Senior managers responsible for procurement strategy
• Staff involved in operational procurement activity

HouseMark will be supported in this initiative by Procurement for Housing (PfH). However, the intention is that the club meetings are ‘learning events' rather than promotional opportunities for suppliers.

With this in mind, the first round of clubs will focus on:

• Avoiding procurement fraud and developing fraud response plans - session led by auditors PKF
• Contract award criteria - evaluating tenders and avoiding contractor challenges - session led by solicitors Anthony Collins

This initial round of club meetings will be held - between 11am and 3pm - on the following dates:

• September 10th (Friday) - Leeds
• September 17th (Friday) - Coventry
• September 29th (Wednesday) - Central London

HouseMark invites you to register an interest in attending one of these club meetings. Full joining instructions will be sent shortly before the events.

HouseMark and PfH hope that you will welcome this initiative, which is launching at a time when the role of procurement is becoming increasingly important in the context of the new Government's drive for increased efficiency and value for money.

If you would like to register your interest please contact Seema Mistry by emailing seema.mistry@housemark.co.uk or call 024 7646 0500.