North East Procurement shortlisted for national award

A top North East procurement organisation has been nominated for a national award for its innovative procurement model.

North East Procurement (NEP) has been shortlisted in the Innovative Procurement Model category in the 2014 Housing Innovation awards.

The awards, which celebrate the pioneering spirit and highlight inventive ways of working in the housing sector, will see NEP compete against several national housing organisations including; Circle Housing, Grainger PLC and Network Housing Group (NHG) & PH Jones.

Since it was founded in 2008, NEP has grown into an organisation that manages housing related procurement projects totaling around £50 million per annum, working with social housing providers across the North East collectively managing over 220,000 properties.

Designed to help its members to buy products, materials or labour through OJEU compliant frameworks at highly competitive rates, a percentage of the money saved is invested into the organisation’s Future Sparks Fund which supports various community and employability initiatives.

Over the past five years, the organisation has procured £140 million worth of products and services with just over £1 million invested in community projects ranging from identifying and removing barriers to employment, placing local trainees into paid work opportunities, investing in community mentors and supporting the development of a heritage resource centre.

Tracey Peggie, Employment Initiatives Manager at NEP, said: “We are honoured to be shortlisted in the innovative procurement model category alongside several reputable housing organisations. NEP was created to not only bring efficiencies in procurement for our members, but to also support our communities with employability and regeneration initiatives.

“Being shortlisted is testament to the success we have had over the past five years and we are delighted to be recognised for our achievements.”

Winners will be announced at the ceremony at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London in on Thursday 6 February.