Why and Why now?

The timing could not be more perfect to conduct business process mapping now.

One in every three pounds of public money, some £300 billion a year, is spent on public procurement and ensuring value for money is as essential as it has ever been.  Also, the Procurement Act 2023 introduces a range of changes and opportunities for local authorities that need implementation.

Mapping and optimising your whole commissioning lifecycle will position you to adapt your processes, and create the foundations for continuous improvement and all of the multiplier benefits that come with it.

Now is the time to ensure all of your processes are in order so that your team can work in the most leveraged way possible moving forwards, rather than getting dragged into doing non-essential work that doesn't add value.

What is process mapping?  

Business process mapping is a way of gaining an overview of the different steps and stages in a process, with linkages to different factors such as decision-making.  Once a process is understood, then efficiencies can be identified and implemented.  

This toolkit has adapted business process mapping for public sector procurement and contract management, with the approach tested with local authorities.  Use the guidance in the toolkit to best fit your council in order to run your own process mapping, making changes and adaptions relevant to you.  

If completely new to the world of process mapping here is a simple illustration of the steps and decision-making in ordering a cup of coffee: