Hey there👋

Curious about how Parliament shapes your day-to-day as a civil servant?

🏛️ Or perhaps you’re eager to uncover the latest wage boost news? 💥 

Well, you’re in the right place!

Let’s explore today’s hot topics, from the Ministry of Defence’s digital makeover to an exciting £2.5 billion opportunity with NHS SBS! 🌟

Today's highlights include:

• 🏛️ Parliament Week for Civil Servants: Learn How Parliament Impacts Your Role!

• 💥 Big News for Workers: Wage Boost Ahead!

• 🏛️ UK Ministry of Defence Gets a Digital Makeover!

• 🌟 £2.5 Billion Digital Solutions Opportunity with NHS SBS

DAILY SPEND WATCH

OPPORTUNITY PICKS

🚀 Unlock a £2.5 Billion Opportunity: Digital Workplace Solutions for NHS Shared Business Services

Overview:

• 📅 Contract Length: 4 years (May 2025 - May 2029)

• 🏢 Authority: NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS)

• 💷 Contract Value: £2.5 billion

• 🌎 Location: United Kingdom

• 📝 Procedure: Open to SMEs

💡One Insight That Can Transform Your Proposal!

If there's one takeaway, it's this: Invest significant effort in detailing your approach to social value and sustainability. This isn't just a tick-box for NHS—it's a core element with heavy weighting. Make it specific, measurable, and impactful.

INSIGHT OF THE WEEK

Curious about the latest trends in public spending? 🤔

Procurement Trends
Gross current procurement has surged by 2.5%, reaching £157.3 billion! This uptick reflects a growing investment in services and goods across various sectors.

Central Government Spending
Meanwhile, central government spending on pay skyrocketed by 8.5%, totaling £187.2 billion. This increase highlights the ongoing pressures from inflation and workforce demands.

HM Treasury Public Spending Statistics, July 2024

NEWS

🏛️ UK Ministry of Defence Gets a Digital Makeover!

The UK MOD is undergoing its biggest reform in 50 years, aiming to modernize with digital tech and data. Key changes? Streamlined processes and a fresh focus on innovation, inspired by support operations in Ukraine.

👔 Leadership Shift: The Chief of Defence Staff now directly commands service chiefs, gaining more control over investments.

🎯 Fixing Procurement: A new National Armaments Director will lead equipment modernization and bolster the UK defense industry.

💡 The Goal: More efficient operations, smarter tech use, and a leaner MOD free from outdated data silos. Is this the overhaul the MOD needs? Time will tell!

💥 Big News for Workers: Wage Boost Ahead!

The National Living Wage will rise by 6.7%, benefiting over 3 million UK workers from April 2025.

Key changes:

• Living Wage: £11.44 ➔ £12.21 per hour

• 18-20 Minimum Wage: £8.60 ➔ £10.00 per hour

• Apprenticeship Wage: 18% increase; apprentices earn £6.40 ➔ £7.55 per hour

For full-timers, this boost means £1,400 more annually; younger workers earn £2,500 extra. The big picture? It’s a step toward a unified adult wage rate, aiming to enhance productivity and support economic resilience across the UK.

🏛️ Parliament Week for Civil Servants: Learn How Parliament Impacts Your Role!

Ever wonder how Parliament influences your work as a civil servant? Now’s your chance to find out with Parliament Week, kicking off on 18 November. 🎉

📅 What's in Store?

• Opening Event: Jessica de Mounteney, head of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, will reveal what it takes to turn policy ideas into law.

• Historical Insight: Dr. Mari Takayanagi will share the fascinating stories of women in Parliament.

• Key Talks: Leaders from the House of Commons and House of Lords will discuss Parliament's role in civil service.

💼 Why Attend? Boost your understanding of Parliament and gain insights to apply directly in your role. All events are open to those with a gov. uk email. Get involved!

TECHNOLOGY

🚀 Dezbor: Effortlessly build beautiful, no-code dashboards and admin panels powered by AI for seamless data management! 📊✨

📧 SendSheets: Send personalized emails straight from Sheets and Gmail, using your data to make each message feel custom-made! 📋✨

🗣️ AssemblyAI: Unlock top-tier speech-to-text accuracy and fast processing with AI-driven models, delivering precise transcriptions via an easy-to-use API! 🌐🎙️

TIP OF THE DAY

Building Strong Supplier Relationships: Drive Collaboration Forward 🤝

Communicate Openly and Regularly 📞
Set up quarterly meetings with suppliers to discuss performance and expectations. Keep a record of these conversations to track progress and goals.

Evaluate Supplier Performance Consistently 📊
Use a scorecard with key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure supplier performance. Share these results openly to support continuous improvement.

Encourage Innovation Through Partnerships 💡
Host brainstorming sessions with suppliers to explore new ideas and solutions that could bring value to both sides.