Understanding supply – analysing and managing the market

What do we mean by understanding supply? 

The ability to conduct market research that may include assessing sufficiency and / or completing early market engagement to inform options and business cases and / or specifications. 

It is essential in any commissioning activity to understand both supply and demand, including sufficiency of provision, and use this data to engage with and where necessary, shape the market to achieve value for money.  

Knowledge

• Knowledge of procurement and contract law. 
• Understanding of best practice public sector commissioning, sourcing, and procurement processes.   
• Understanding of market research and analysis.  
• Understanding of market insight tools.  

Skills 

Able to:  

• Complete market research: Using market insight tools and data to understand sufficiency and / or recent, similar contracts which have gone to market and been awarded to inform specification and requirement development.  
• Develop a fair process: Creating equal opportunities for suppliers to be involved, through an existing framework or via notices which enable a representative sample of different supplier types to respond.  
• Engage effectively with suppliers: To test the specification, award criteria and requirements via appropriate communications channels, providing appropriate feedback mechanisms to gather intelligence.  
• Problem solve: To shape the market, working with supplier to understand how your requirements and demand for services can be met. Understanding any barriers and assessing the potential options to ensure sufficiency i.e. co designing services, long term partnerships etc.  
• Ensure transparency: Creating an audit trail of all the engagement completed, including where any notices were published and when, and records of any discussions.  
• Manage risk: Associated with supplier engagement and commissioning, mitigating them within the council’s risk appetite. 

Behaviours