Where crime prevention and security and crime improvement are relevant to the contract, appropriate criteria should be incorporated into the specification and contract conditions. This enables relevant and proportionate performance indicators to be developed to ensure delivery, and improvement throughout the contract. This may include a requirement to provide details of the supply chain and any changes to this, audits undertaken on supplier sites by the main supplier, and review of suppliers slavery and human trafficking statements published as a requirement (where applicable) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. For example:
Where evidence or certification is required it is important to verify the renewal of these as necessary throughout the term of the contract. This is best carried out at the time of the annual contract review unless required otherwise.
It may be proportionate to engage with Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) or Police Scotland to offer and receive intelligence on potential and emerging risks to the contract.
At the point of potential award there is always scope to reach a voluntary agreement with the supplier that they will work with you to deliver identified (and agreed) sustainable outcomes that can be captured as a contract commitment. Ongoing improvement and innovation can also be built into the management of the contract to further develop the products and services required.
Contracting authorities should outline how their procurement practices comply with their organisation’s Procurement Strategy as part of their Annual Procurement Report, which includes activity that complies with the Sustainable Procurement Duty, a statement of its policy on the procurement of fairly and ethically traded goods and services. An organisation’s Procurement Strategy could include their approach to serious organised crime.
