Case Study for Learning Management System Software Package

With the introduction of PPN01/21, social value was to be scored as part of the tender evaluation criteria for the Education Authority’s (EA’s) contract for a Learning Management System (LMS). It was established early in the commissioning stage of the LMS project and through the development of the procurement strategy, that scoring social value had to be included to be fully compliant with the PPN.  This contract was a key enabler for the EA to deliver its Strategic priority of Developing All Our People to carry out their jobs successfully.

EA’s objective was to procure a LMS with a suite of e-learning courses to deliver a range of statutory and mandatory training to support EA’s corporate strategy and legal obligations and a system that supports a modern workforce requiring modern approaches to learning and development so that people can learn using a variety of platforms. 

It was also essential for EA to include and score social value connected with the delivery of this contract.  This required social value criteria to be developed and included within the published procurement documents for this competition.

By Thinking Social at the pre-procurement stage, EA Procurement along with its internal IT client and partners in SIB, were able to develop and include the scoring of social value into the procurement strategy.

The development of the actual Buying social – award criteria required input from Procurement as well as our partners in SIB.  The use of the standard Social Value schedules and points scoring mechanism was identified as the preferred option for this first EA ICT procurement to include scoring of social value.

Some Key Social Value contractor initiatives include:

• Supporting the EA with providing students and schools with participation in a programme of STEM events (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The aim of which is to promote STEM education, lifelong and life-wide learning and community engagement.
• Provide an extensive number of young people to a contractor-led event to provide a talk to help them to discover the possibilities of a career in technology.
• Accommodate work experience placements for students from the local community.

The Contractor’s proposals for the social value criteria highlighted a number of education focused possibilities which would be of great benefit to children and young people and align with EA's Vision to inspire, support and challenge all our children and young people to be the best that they can be.  In addition, this contract demonstrates how procurement and contracts can contribute the PfG namely our children and young people have the best start in life.