UPS Communication & Engagement Plan

1. Introduction

Communicating and engaging with our stakeholders is key to helping the UPS team deliver on our strategic goals and objectives. This document sets what, how, to who and when we aim to communicate.

2. Communication Aims

  • To increase people’s understanding of, and access to, our services through pro- active communication to the user community.
  • To ensure that users and others are aware of current issues, legislation changes, new contracts and plans for the future.
  • To listen to the needs of users so that the right priorities can be established andresponsive services developed and delivered.
  • To maintain an appropriate and positive profile and reputation.
  • To encourage an informed and engaged workforce through good internal communication within the team and the organisation.

3. Principles

We will aim to make our communication:

• Honest, open and accurate;

• Accessible to all members of the user community or, where appropriate, targeted effectively at the right group;

• Clear, simple and user-friendly;

• Cost effective;

• Consistent and relevant; and

• Timely.

4. Procurement Structure

To allow us to build relationships in the University, we will implement a faculty facing structure where each faculty will have a designated procurement point of contact.

Faculty / Procurement representative
Science / TBC
HaSS / TBC
Engineering / Mark Johnstone
Strathclyde Business School / Magda Magiera
Professional Services / TBC
Estates Services / Allan Ferguson

These points of contacts will work with each faculty to identify ways to improve the service we provide and maximise value for money being delivered to the University.

5. Procurement Network

A procurement network will be created in the university, to aid the flow of information to and from departments by introducing the role of Procurement Co-ordinator. This network will mainly contain staff from departments who have an involvement with Procurement on a daily basis. The expected roles and objectives can be seen in the table below.

6. Our audience and users

We believe our users include the following groups of people:

Within the University framework

• Departmental administrative and support staff

• Heads of departments and faculty Deans

• Academic and research staff

• Faculties

• Procurement Network

• University Committees

External to the University

• Procurement Scotland

• APUC

• Suppliers

7. Methods of communication

Where it is appropriate we will if possible communicate with our users electronically and put in place mechanisms so that they can communicate with us in the same way. This will include e-mail communications, information placed on the Procurement website, on-line forms for completion, and the storing of data in shared files. We will review our methods of communication and seek to improve them and develop new ways of communicating. We will also communicate by:

• Using clear guidance and procedure notes.

• Issuing circulars.

• Creating and maintaining user groups.

• Providing briefing where appropriate.

• Running training courses and seminars on specific issues.

• Maintaining help-line support; and

• Through one-to-one contact by phone, e-mail, letter or meeting as appropriate.

8. Methods of delivery

The following table shows how we will communicate with our different audiences.

What / Who / When / How
Changes in legislation / 1)Procurement Network
2)University wide if appropriate / 1)As required
2)As required / 1)Email, training, webpage
2)Email, Prism, webpage
New Contracts / 1)Procurement Network
2)Key Stakeholders
3)University wide / 1)Bi-Monthly
2)Where appropriate
3)Where appropriate / 1)Newsletter, Email
2)Email, Weekly Digest, Web Page
3)Email, Weekly Digest, Web Page
General updates / 1)University Wide / 1)As required / 1)Email, training, webpage, roadshows/seminars
Procurement Best Practice / 1)Procurement Network / 1)Annually / 1)Presentation/roadshow
Feedback from Stakeholders / 1)Key Stakeholders, Procurement Network / 1)Ongoing, Bi-Monthly & Annually / 1)Attending staff/Frat Meetings, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, Feedback mechanism on website
Feedback from Supply Chain / 1)Key Suppliers / 1) Annually / 1)Supplier satisfaction surveys, review meetings

Community Engagement Operating Plan

1)Communicate to Deans engagement plan and next steps

  1. Email communication prepared and issued to Deans
  2. Initial meeting set up with Dean to introduce Faculty contact and discussion on future interaction between Procurement and Faculty.

2)Establish Procurement Network

  1. Update list of Procurement Co-ordinators (PC’s)
  2. Create communication plan to be sent to Network
  3. Arrange training sessions for PC’s

3)Develop a mechanism for 360° feedback

  1. Customer/supplier surveys created
  2. Website updated with facility for feedback
  3. Utilise PC’s network