The Supply Chain or should I say Providers are increasingly thirsty for news from DWP.
Most feel that due to their size (smaller turnover or staff) they are being left out in the cold with no information.
I am sure that DWP have a plan but it would be really helpful if they undertook a program/process of Stakeholder Engagement – Yes Minister specialises in this and we are happy to help…. sorry about the blatant pitch…but we can help.
In the last two days I have spoken to Providers who are preparing to lay off staff, others are extremely tense and angry that there has been no communication with them.
Others have called me and have been inquiring whether i have any news on the proposition that we are moving away from Prime Contractors to Super-Primes.
I really do not know, but what I can say is that confidence is eroding and even potential SUPER PRIMES will have reservations about the veracity of contracts going forward.
For example, lets consider the cost of tendering; in fact lets look at the costs of information security and Data Protection, lets calculate the implementation period, lets look at implementing PRaP, lets look at the cost of partnership building and stakeholder engagement, lets assesses the break even point on contracts, lets look at the cost of investing in new facilities, systems and processes, lets look at unit costs on outcomes based contracts, lets look at the increased sanctions and conditionality that will be applied, lets look at the role of providers moving towards a policing role vis-a-vis clients, lets look at the reduction of jobs in the market place, lets look at and discuss what 12 month sustained job outcomes look like (financially).
Its at times like this when ERSA – or some other body, collective or association needs to have a strong voice not only for it’s members but for the sector as a whole.
I completely agree, where on earth is ERSA when we need them?. As the days go by without information and as providers stare into the abyss…..we have at least 9 months of uncertainty. For all of us on the frontline these are extremely trying times. The sector has seen enormous changes in the last 10 years, some of us have managed to weather the changes at great costs to our organisations but this appears to be one change too many……it is about time that providers stood up to DWP and say enough is enough….the ministers and policy makers in DWP have no idea what it takes to run EMPLOYMENT programmes or how difficult it is even without the current economic climate to get a customer into a job…….saving costs at the expense of providers……they effectively want us to subsidise government programmes……this may be the final death knell on an otherwise vibrant sector