Commissioning best practices
The Council's commissioning of new and existing services and works should encourage and enable private and voluntary sector service and providers to embed themselves in Lancashire communities and build social value and community wealth over time. To deliver this, our commissioning practices must embed social value enablers from the start. The below are a few best practice examples that Lancashire works towards.
1. Embed community-centric strategy
Commissioning begins with a clear strategy that prioritises community needs and aspirations. This could include early engagement with local stakeholders and co-production of services with community groups.
Commissioning best practice: we use outcome-based commissioning focused on long-term social impact.
2. Design for long-term social value
The large proportion of the Council's contracts are based on recurring service needs. Contracts are structured to encourage long-term relationships with service providers and the wider sectors. Commissioning structures the future procurement process and contract to deliver sustained benefits to communities, beyond the immediate scope of the goods, services or works.
Commissioning best practice: we use procurement pipelines to support continuity of engagement with the market. We apply a category management approach with the market, taking into account future commissioning approaches that include SMEs and VCSEs.
3. Support local training and employment
Commissioning either requires or incentivises the Council's local employment programmes, especially targeting NEETs and underrepresented groups. The Council have existing training partnerships with colleges and community organisations that can be leveraged to support contract delivery.
Commissioning best practice: we include minimum levels of qualifications for roles within contracts and, where appropriate, embedded apprenticeship quotas and skills development in the contract.
4. Grow local SME supply chains
It's not always possible for the Council to disaggregate our spend to support SME's and VCSEs. But larger contracts can still build resilient local economies in Lancashire through local sourcing plans as part of the contract delivery and encourage capacity-building support for SMEs and social enterprises
Commissioning best practice: we use lot's or disaggregate commissioning, where possible, and tender through local supply chains. Where this is not possible, we embed the need for local sourcing across the service delivery.
5. Apply the social value model consistently
Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, commissioners must consider how procurement and contract management can deliver economic, social, and environmental benefits. Whilst this needs to be relevant and proportionate to the commissioning outcomes, we use a consistent approach to measuring and monitoring social value to enable the reporting and benchmarking of social value across multiple commissioning activities.
Commissioning best practice: we ensure the social value enablers are related to the commissioning outcomes, are proportionate to the contract size and complexity, and do not discriminate SME's and VCSE's.
6. Align with NPPS and Procurement Act 2023
The National Procurement Policy Statement (2025) and The Procurement Act 2023 mandate that the Council have regard to strategic priorities like social value and SME inclusion.
Commissioning best practice: when commissioning, we consider whether the goods, services or works will deliver value for money through
Driving economic growth in Lancashire,
Deliver social and economic value to the communities of Lancashire, and
The Council has the commercial capability to deliver value for money and stronger outcomes for Lancashire.
7. Use collaborative commissioning
The Council aim to commission services together and consistently across Lancashire. Commissioning is seen as a system stewardship process, not a market management tool. Embedding shared purposes and outcomes enables a consistent message and return from the market.
Commissioning best practice: we work with neighbouring local authorities to agree a shared commissioning strategy. We publish joint procurement pipelines to support a collaborative engagement with other local authorities and the wider market.
Commissioning summary
Commissioning with a focus on long-term social value and community wealth is not just a compliance exercise, it’s a strategic opportunity to reshape Lancashire's economies, empower Lancashire communities, and deliver public services that leave a lasting legacy in Lancashire.
Through embedding social value throughout the commissioning, procurement and contract management lifecycle, supporting local employment and SME growth, and aligning with national policy and legislation, commissioners across Lancashire ensure that every pound spent delivers multiple benefits. This approach fosters inclusive growth, strengthens local resilience, and builds trust between public bodies, service providers, and the communities they serve.