The Consortium has facilitated a series of Procurement Reference Panel meetings over the last six years. This informal network provides a quarterly forum for procurement professionals from our membership to meet, help shape our framework development plan; share best practice, discuss current and emerging procurement issues, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Following the success of the Procurement Reference Panel meeting we held in Telford in March, we are planning to organise another meeting to be held on the 6^th June. We would like to encourage our membership based in/around the Midlands area which would like to participate in our next meeting to let us know as soon as possible.

There is no obligation to attend regularly and we contact the group in advance for agenda items to ensure the sessions are focused and topical each time.

The last meeting’s agenda covered a range of topics, including:

• Should Housing Associations still be contracting authorities / Are Housing Associations contracting authorities? And subject to the Public Contract regulations?
• Procurement risks associated with Brexit – The HCA expect housing associations to be able to demonstrate that they have considered this
• Current projects best practice – members of the panel advised on their current procurement projects with the aim of sharing any best practice, issues or general updates they think the group would find useful.
• Social Value in procurement and Social Value Toolkit

There are only 20 spaces available for the session which is being held on Tuesday, 6^th June 2017 at Walsall Housing Group offices (100 Hatherton Street, Walsall, WS1 1AB)

Please forward this information on to any colleagues within your organisation who may be interested in attending.

For more information please contact Nicola Benson on 0191 566 1000 or by email at Nicola.benson@consortiumprocurement.org.uk