L4M4- Chapter 3- Compliance with sourcing Flashcards
What are the key areas of regulation that organisations must follow?
Data protection
Ethical Practice
Health, safety and environment and workers rights
Marketplace competition
Product safety standards
What is the BSI?
British standards institution
Produces technical standards that products must conform to
What difference does being in the public sector have on legislation applied to sourcing?
Bound by the laws of the nation they operate in
Must still comply with laws that affect the private sector
In the UK they must also abide by:
1) The freedom of information act- anyone can access info held by a public sector organisation
2) UK public contract regulations- govern how public sector organisations should carry out procurement
Public sector tendering over a certain amount must be open to competition
How does the EU Public Procurement Directive affect tendering?
Public sector tendering over a certain amount must be open to competition
Must start with advertising a call for competition in the OJEU (in the UK it is the Government Contract Register)
If you are not ready to issue a call for competition you may issue a PIN
What is a call for competition?
A notice released by a buying organisation through OJEU to make potential suppliers aware they may participate in tendering. It gives info about the process and allows for involvement
What is the OJEU?
Official Journal of the EU
In the UK it is the Government Contract Register
What is a PIN?
Prior information notice
A notice released to suppliers through the OJEU that flags the intent to tender in the future
The UK public contract regulation 2015 contains rules for public sourcing, what are they?
Procedures must be followed for format of the tender (inc advertisement, eligibility and information provided by suppliers)
Stages that must be followed when conducting a tender
Timescales
Contract award criteria
How is private sector sourcing different to public?
Private may choose not to conduct competitive tendering
Private sector are still bound by the laws of the country in which they operate
Main purpose is to make a profit
Also need to keep stakeholders and customers satisfied
What is different about third sector sourcing/ not for profit
Similar to private sourcing
Some charities may not have specialist procurement teams/ knowledge
Still bound by the laws of the country in which they operate but also have some additional regulations vs private eg. things that regulate how they operate depending on which country they are in
They do not need to make a profit but are looking to support causes they deem important
Mainly NGOs and funded by donations which means cash flow can be difficult so procurement teams still need to save money
What are the ESG considerations within sourcing?
Corruption- inc cultural considerations (what is and isnt accepted- aka cultural relativism), anti corruption legislation
Bribery
Fraud
Conflicts of interest
Human rights
Modern slavery
What is cultural relativism?
This is where in different cultures there will be different perceptions on what is and isnt acceptable. Ie what is normal may be different from culture to culture. An example is facilitation payments.
What are facilitation payments?
AKA a grease payment
A form of bribery in which a sum of money is payable secure or speed up the delivery of an action.
In some cultures it is acceptable but in others it is not.
What is a code of conduct?
A series of rules set by an organisation that outline suitable behaviours and values. This is used to uphold uniformity and standards of an organisation
What is bribery?
Corrupt exchange of something of value by one party to ensure a favourable outcome
They can take other names, for example a facilitation payment could be considered a bribe
It is not always explicit, it can for example be gifts/ hospitality
What is fraud?
It involves someone unlawfully obtaining funds or resources for their own benefit
What is workplace fraud?
Small scale thefts taking place in the workplace that are difficult to detect e.g. taking inexpensive stationary home
What is embezzlement?
Rather than direct theft or money, individuals misuse funds or resources that they have authority over that benefit them
What are the 3 reasons someone commits fraud?
Perceived pressure- e.g. personal debt
Perceived opportunity- e.g. vulnerability in a system allows an individual to exploit
Rationalisation- e.g. internal dialogue justifies it (I will only do it once)
What are the common types of fraud?
Advance fee- where the victim is asked to pay up front but never receives the goods or services
Corporate fraud- targeting an organisation
Identity- A false identity is created to commit the fraud
Individual fraud- targeting one person
Can include cybercrime- phishing, account theft, money muling (where people receive stolen money and are told to withdraw it), fake official requests
How can fraud affect supply chains?
Often it is via trust or through lying in a contracting process e.g. it is fraudulent to deliberately exaggerate the scale of capacity when agreeing a contract
What is a conflict of interest?
a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity
Example would be nepotism (using perceived or actual power to benefit friends and family)
Conflicts of interest can be declared and tracked to ensure fair audit and not to incriminate people
What is the universal declaration of human rights?
30 rights that apply to the UN from 1948. Includes the right to freedom, free speech etc. They are not guaranteed in every country
What can a procurement professional do if they suspect a supplier of modern slavery?
Due diligence checks
Contact the modern slavery helpline if UK based
Review the suppliers conduct documents to ensure they reject slavery
Introduce yourself to workers when visiting
How should the public sector source?
Find best value for money (not always cheapest, may be best ESG)
Held accountable to public scrutiny due to funding
Openly auditable
Use competitive tendering to ensure transparency and ethical conduct
Buyers can still use different tender processes (open, restricted, competitive with negotiation, competitive dialogue and innovation partnership) but need to be selected appropriately
What are the pros and cons of open procedure tenders for public sector?
Used for well specified requirements with no pre-requirements
Allow for a wide range of submissions and highly competitive
Means theres a lot to review
What are the pros and cons of restricted procedure tenders for public sector?
Used when interest is likely to be high. Buyers may want to assess technical and financial capabilities and choose a selected group of suppliers
Due to clear spec there should not be follow on negotiations
What is competitive with negotiation tenders for public sector?
Suppliers that respond to the call for competition are invited to join by invitation only and lets bidders know there may be negotiations following their bids
This can help get the best possible outcome for the buyer
What are the pros and cons of competitive dialogue tenders for public sector?
Similar to restricted but allows the buyer to speak to suppliers after selection but before evaluating bids
When buyers have clarity on the specific requirement they can discuss with the suppliers and issue/review final bids
What are the pros and cons of Innovation partnership tenders for public sector?
This is effectively a new to market product
suppliers require expertise and capacity and can form a partnership to take an idea through to realisation
What are the key stages within the procurement process that must be followed in the public sector?
1) Specification- requirements, avoid favouritism, define requirements, methods required
2) Selection- review regulations, exclude unsuitable suppliers, review financial and technical suitability
3) Award- MEAT, investigate abnormally low tenders
What are the regulatory challenges of importing internationally?
Documentation
Duty and Tariffs
Customs controls
Exchange rates/ currency
What is an NGO?
Non Governmental organisation
Usually these are non profit making but have an important role in the economic development of developing countries. Including for example after natural disasters
Also fund caregiving e.g. Oxfam
Also highlight topical issues and aim to correct them- e.g. WWF
What documents are used within the EU for movement of goods?
T1 document- must accompany goods whilst in transit
Import/Export license
Single Administrative document- used for goods either entering or leaving the EU
Computerised transit system
Customs declaration service- used to submit import/export requests