UK SBS BLOJEU-CR16091BIS Identifying social as in the BEIS Longitudinal Small Business Survey

There is a HMG manifesto commitment ‘to give more people the power and support to start their own social enterprise’.

As part of this the Office for Civil Society (OCS, formerly in Cabinet Office and now in DCMS) and BEIS support social enterprise and, historically, the Cabinet Office has produced a bi-annual report on social enterprise market trends in the UK. The analysis in these reports has been drawn from the BEIS Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS).

This new research is being commissioned in response to changing market trends. There has been an increase in businesses that are making a long-term commitment to social or environmental impact but are also making profits. These organisations can take a variety of organisations forms (including traditional CLSs, registered social enterprises and CICs). This research aims to enable HMG to better understand these businesses and to test and improve the data collecting methodologies used in relation to social enterprises/mission-led businesses. The concept of social enterprise is quite difficult to define and so there are some challenges with the historical self-identification process. This research should ensure that HMG has the most robust and accurate data on social enterprise market trends in the UK.

Additional information: UK Shared Business Services eSourcing

As part of the strategic alliance between UK Shared Business Services Ltd (UK SBS) and Crown Commercial Service (CCS), UK SBS can use the CCS eSourcing Suite for future procurements.

If you have not yet registered on the eSourcing Suite, this can be done online at https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk by following the link ‘Register for CCS eSourcing’. Please note that, to register, you must have a valid DUNS number (as provided by Dun and Bradstreet) for the organisation which you are registering, who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so.

Once you have registered on the eSourcing Suite, a registered user can express an interest for a specific procurement. This is done by emailing expressionofinterest@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Your email must clearly state: the name and reference for the procurement you wish to register for; the name of the registered Bidder; and the name and contact details for the registered individual sending the email.

Crown Commercial Service will process the email and then enable the Bidder to access the procurement online via the e-Sourcing Suite. The registered user will receive a notification email to alert them once this has been done.

The Sourcing documents can then be accessed on the eSourcing Suite at: https://gpsesourcing.cabinetoffice.gov.uk using the instructions detailed in the Specification documents within Contracts Finder.

As a user of the e-Sourcing Suite you will have access to Emptoris email messaging service which facilitates all messages sent to you and from you in relation to any specific RFX event. Please note it is your responsibility to access these emails on a regular basis to ensure you have sight of all relevant information.

For technical assistance on use of the e-Sourcing Suite please contact Crown Commercial Service Helpdesk : Telephone: 0345 010 3503

Training documents to support Bidders utilise Emptoris CCS eSourcing are available in the Contracts Finder Tender documents section.