Applying Data Science, AI/ML To Improve Social Outcomes in NHS (and wider) Procurement

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In 2020 the Government set out how procurement would transform post-EU exit through a [Greenpaper][0] as well as procurement policies focussed on [Social Value][1] assessments and [Net Zero][2] plans for large contracts.The combination of these policy shifts is driving wholesale change in how Government and the Private Sector work together. The specific challenge within the NHS, echoed across the rest of Government and industry alike, is digital experiences are not sufficient to enable tracking of social/climate outcomes from procurement. There is limited ability to track impacts and outcomes end-to-end with measurement on social/climate based outcomes currently being done separately after the event.[Cimple][3] is teaming up with [NHS SBS][4] and [Behavioural Insights Team][5] to research the challenge end-to-end combining the situation within the _Health Family & System_, the digital interface developed by Cimple and the data/behavioural science expertise of BIT.The **scope of the project** is to use digital techniques including data science, behavioural science and applications of AI/Machine Learning to improve societal outcomes delivered through Government Procurement. The project will:* Use procurement and finance data to define social/climate measures, aligned to policy, to be tracked.* Develop behavioural nudges and features into the existing Cimple platform to improve social/climate impacts from procurement.* Connect future spend data back in to measure and report on the improvements as well as define develop policy improvements.The Smart Grant submission is a **mixture of industrial research and experimental development.**The **outcome of the industrial research** is to understand the data, data gaps, the techniques to assess social and climate impacts and the behavioural nudges to be developed to improve buyer behaviour end-to-end.The **outcome of the experimental development** will then be to deploy features into the Cimple platform to change buyer/supplier behaviour and to enable tracking of social and climate outcomes post contract award. This will be tested with NHS SBS customers across Health Family & System. Positive feedback loops will help to measure the efficacy of policy and inform policy improvements.The specific **outcomes from the innovation** are the ability to:* Assess social value outcomes throughout the supply chain for true end-to-end tracking.* Nudge Cimple buyers towards higher social value suppliers, ensuring information translates into action.* Build live open data streams, as advocated by the [National Data Strategy][6], to enable positive feedback loops and optimisation of government policy.[0]: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/green-paper-transforming-public-procurement[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0620-taking-account-of-social-value-in-the-award-of-central-government-contracts[2]: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0621-taking-account-of-carbon-reduction-plans-in-the-procurement-of-major-government-contracts[3]: https://cimple.uk/[4]: https://www.sbs.nhs.uk/[5]: https://www.bi.team/[6]: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-data-strategy