What governs an excellent public sector partnership?
Andy Mills, Sector Director for Central Government at Equans UK & Ireland, recently delivered a plenary speech at the Government Property Strategy 2023 event by Public Sector Connect.
Andy reflected on his extensive experience of working within the civil service, including seven years as the Chief Property Officer for the Ministry of Justice, to share his perspective on how collaboration between the public and private sectors, especially in sustainable facilities management (FM), can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes.
Across my many years working in public sector FM roles, I’ve seen countless press headlines focusing on public-private sector partnerships. What continually stands out to me is how the connection between government and the private sector plays such a pivotal role in supporting effective service delivery. Our relationships need to strike a balance between commercial efficiency and effective collaboration, maintaining the necessary governance while building robust and trusted connections that extend well beyond contractual obligations.
How do we strike the right balance for success?
Firstly, the skillset of both public customer and private supplier teams, and how these skills complement each other, is crucial. We are ‘one team’ with shared objectives. I believe in a concept I've termed ‘connected competence’. It's about leveraging the skills and resources from both the public and private sectors to create a united community of expertise. There are many professionals who, like me, have moved between public and private sectors, which gives an opportunity to capitalise on these experiences to codesign services to better meet the needs of government.
The contractual environment also matters. Working in central government FM for over two decades, I’ve noticed a distinct shift towards longer-term contracts. This is an exciting trend because these extended agreements create an environment conducive to partnerships, innovation, and investments that span multiple contract cycles. For instance, during a typical five-year contract, by the time you've set up, you're already thinking about the next contract. Longer-term partnerships allow a private sector partner to align with the government's longer-term objectives, fostering innovation and the blending of skills from both public and private sectors to enhance customer-focused value add outcomes.
Supply chain collaboration
Supply chain collaboration is another crucial aspect to consider. Procurement in the property delivery sector isn't just about isolated services; it's part of a broader delivery chain that includes consultancy advice, project delivery, FM delivery, integrators, and more. Not everything can be accounted for in contracts, and it's the relationships and interactions between these delivery partners that ensure seamless outcomes for clients through collaboration and innovation. I vividly recall a scenario where an issue arose between an integrator and an FM company. The ‘blame game’ didn't matter; what mattered was ensuring that the client received the required data in the right format. This highlights the necessity of a strong partnership ethos.
I believe that it’s also key for the private sector provider to offer tailored solutions that really understand the government’s priorities. In my career, I've been actively involved in addressing the strategic challenges faced by central government and I think private sector promotion of unique selling points can sometimes be limited. It's more useful to develop USPs that align with government policies, like social value. We need to think about how services can support broader government objectives, empathising with the pressures faced by both the workforce and the customers they serve. It's about delivering FM services that enhance the government's ability to meet its core mission - serving citizens.
Now, onto innovation. It's not about blindly chasing the latest trends; rather, it's about tailoring innovation to the specific needs of each project. Our approach should be proportionate, addressing the challenges presented by different scenarios. For instance, when dealing with older, low-tech facilities like prisons, it's crucial to develop solutions that are fit for purpose, that leverage data effectively and provide timely, measurable results.
Ultimately, our aim should be to deliver value for money to the taxpayer. This means shaping services that recognise the challenges and constraints faced by government in managing its estate, aligning with government’s objectives and data requirements. It's not just about cost-effectiveness; it's also about delivering solutions that put citizens and civil servants at the heart of service delivery.