In this episode of Talking Procurement, host Faye Dolan, Framework Director at Procure Partnerships Framework, is joined by Laura Shepherd, a procurement leader who's spent more than fifteen years navigating both sides of the public and private sector.

From councils and central government to consultancy and education, Laura has seen how policy plays out in practice, and few people are better placed to unpack what the new Procurement Act really means on the ground.

As the Act reshapes how public sector projects are planned, procured, and delivered, Faye and Laura get candid about what's actually happening behind the headlines:

• How teams are adapting to the new regime - and where the pressure points are showing
• What the move from MEAT to MAT means in real terms
• The growing admin and resourcing burden linked to transparency and notices
• How frameworks can help manage risk, maintain compliance, and keep delivery moving It's a grounded look at reform in practice; what's working, what isn't, and how procurement teams are navigating change in real time.

Social value sounds straightforward in theory. But in practice? It's misunderstood, under-resourced, and far more powerful than most realise.

In this episode of the Procure Partnerships Talking Procurement Podcast, Isabelle Parasram, CEO of the Institute for Social Value, explains the confusion and reveals what social value really means, and how procurement teams can harness their buying power to drive meaningful change.

Drawing on her career spanning law, politics, and leading the social value sector, Isabelle shares candid conversations she's had with local authorities, bidders, and communities.

Procurement professionals are feeling anxious. Geopolitical turbulence, tariff uncertainty, and political instability are creating unprecedented challenges, but they're also opening doors for innovation.

In this episode of the Procure Partnerships Talking Procurement Podcast, Ben Farrell, Global CEO of CIPS, shares candid insights from conversations with procurement leaders across the globe, revealing what's working, and what's desperately needed, in UK public procurement.