EXOR LAUNCHES COMPLIANCE TOOL FOR PUBLIC SECTOR TO MANAGE ADULT SOCIAL SERVICES SUPPLY CHAIN

Leading health & safety accreditation and compliance company, Exor Management Services, has launched an innovative assessment service to give Local Authorities the ability to assess and manage their Adult Social Services supply chain.  Key to the Exor Social Services Assessment Service is providing a cost-effective and consistent method by which to ensure service providers meet Local Authorities’ own operating standards.  This will not only help local authorities manage their supplier network, but will make it easier for compliant businesses to win new contracts.

With public sector budgets under severe pressure, local authorities have a clear imperative to ensure all external spending is properly managed and is giving their communities the best possible value.  This is particularly crucial in the area of Adult Social Services where a wide range of external providers are typically employed to deliver a variety of services to the local community.

“The management of risk is a central issue in the procurement of goods and services in the public sector” confirmed Ian McKinnon, Managing Director, Exor Management Services.  “From financial stability and Director history to health and safety and environmental issues, it is crucial that every aspect of a supplier’s business is on a par with a local authority’s own standards – if not exceeds them.”

The Exor Social Services Assessment Service provides a set of standards that local authorities can apply to each of their service providers.  These include:

• Financial Stability and Viability
• Corporate Governance
• Director history and business experience
• Insurances & Registrations
• Health and Safety
• Equal Opportunities
• Environmental
• Work In Occupied Dwellings

“Operated by our expert consultants, working in partnership with the local authority’s own Procurement team, these standards enable local authorities to monitor the business operation of suppliers on an on-going basis without having to implement onerous additional checks or controls”, continued Ian McKinnon.  “The result is they can free up internal resource to do the more important one to one contact with suppliers in order to identify opportunities for additional facilities and services for their local community.”

The Exor Social Services Assessment Service was initially developed as part of a wider project funded by the former London Centre of Excellence (LCE), now known as London Advantage, to better manage the market for accommodation based services, initially for people with learning disabilities.  It has subsequently evolved to provide an assessment tool for the complete range of businesses that can provide services to the Adult Social Services sector, from day care and transportation, to education and health services.

“The flexibility of the Exor service means Local Authority Procurement Teams can apply their own criteria in terms of business operations and performance, but they don’t have to spend an inordinate amount of time checking and re-checking suppliers” added Ian McKinnon. “And it gives them the ability to contract with new providers with the confidence and knowledge that they meet requirements in all key business operation areas right from the start.

“It also provides a crucial commercial advantage for those suppliers who sign up.  They won’t have to fill out lengthy pre-qualification forms each time they tender for new contracts from local authorities.  And they will gain higher regional and national visibility for their business as a result of being part of the scheme.”

Exor’s service can be applied across a range of business's from a Sole Trader to a Limited Charity or a multi-National Plc. All are assessed in a process that is transparent, administratively simple and rigorous and ensures that they meet the requirements of the local authority.

“The Exor Social Services Assessment service gives local authorities the ability to ensure there is a consistent approach when dealing with service providers, assessing all parts of a supplier’s business” concluded Ian McKinnon.  “Delivered via the web, it is easy to use and can be applied to a local authority’s entire supplier database, giving procurement or commissioning officers an efficient way to certify their suppliers capabilities.”