The document discusses a collection of case studies being commissioned by the Strengthening DPULOs Programme to explore the relationship between commissioners and Disabled People's User-Led Organizations (DPULOs). The case studies aim to provide examples of where DPULOs and commissioners have worked successfully together, the factors that enabled their success, and lessons that can be learned. The collection of case studies will be disseminated widely to help support DPULOs in their work and relationships with commissioners.

1. DPULOs Making a Difference: Working with commissioners
Introduction
The Strengthening DPULOs Programme have commissioned a
collection of case studies exploring the relationship between
Commissioners and DPULOs. This work is part of the “DPULOs Making
A Difference” series, commissioned by the Strengthening DPULOs
Programme at the Office for Disability Issues (ODI). (You can find out
more about the programme by visiting
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/dpuloprogramme or www.facebook.com/dpulos).
Commissioners working in all areas of the public sector – social care,
health, children’s services, employment, justice system, education etc. –
will be vital to the future strength and sustainability of Disabled Peoples’
User-Led Organisations.
Yet the experience DPULOs have of commissioners – and that
commissioners have of DPULOs – can be very varied. This gives rise to
a wide variety of outcomes for DPULOs themselves and the work they
do: from thriving and growing year on year to struggling to survive from
one month to the next.
Great examples exist of where DPULOs and commissioners have
worked well together for the benefit of disabled people in their
communities. These examples include innovative use of commissioning
and procurement, as well as through softer approaches such as
partnerships and relationships. Such “working well” leads to:
The voice of disabled people being captured and represented in a
local area
Innovative and effective service delivery by DPULOs.
However, these examples aren’t necessarily well known – to either
DPULOs or commissioners. Furthermore, the factors underpinning why
this work happens in some places and not in others isn’t as well
understood as it should be.
A collection of case studies
Building on and extending work that others have done (such as SCIE
http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/ataglance/ataglance25.asp and ripfa
http://www.ripfa.co.uk/user-led-organisations/) the Strengthening
DPULOs Programme has commissioned a collection of case studies to

2. address these gaps. The collection will show how DPULOs and
commissioners have worked successfully together and the reasons for
this.
The collection will cover:
Examples of how commissioners and DPULOs have worked together
The practicalities of how the relationship worked
What the successful results were of this relationship
The key factors that enabled this success to happen
What general lessons we can learn from DPULOs and
commissioners working successfully together.
The case studies should provide examples of:-
Commissioners reserving contracts for DPULOs using existing
legislation and regulations (i.e. article 19 of the EU Procurement
Directive)
Significant contracts being issued for voice/engagement-related work
Strategic partnerships / secondments between DPULOs and
commissioners
Commissioners working with DPULOs to support their move into new
service delivery areas or taking over a failing service
Effective engagement between DPULOs and emerging Health &
Wellbeing Boards and local HealthWatch organisations
A commissioner using a Section 106 agreement to benefit / establish
a ULO
How DPULOs and commissioners have worked together to deliver
value for money at a time of austerity
How commissioners and DPULOs have worked constructively
together without compromising independence or voice
A DPULO working with a commissioner to coproduce a tender
specification
How a DPULO and commissioner have worked together to address
TUPE issues
An example of a DPULO and commissioner working effectively
together in employment, education or transport
Complementary work
This collection of case studies would complement other work the
Strenthening DPULOs Programme are doing on the role of

3. commissioners in the sustainability of DPULOs. This other work
includes:
Promoting DPULOs through funding and procurement – targeted
work with local authority commissioners in a particular region
A piece of qualitative research with commissioners to understand
their views and perspectives of DPULOs, and the barriers that may
affect commissioners being able to buy the services of DPULOs.
Dissemination
The collection of case studies would be widely disseminated through the
DPULO network associated with the Strengthening DPULOs
Programme and all its communications channels, including the ODI
website, monthly email and social media.
It is also the intention to disseminate this report to each local authority in
the country, as well as relevant representative bodies (such as the Local
Government Association). A full stakeholder map will be developed as
part of this work; any suggestions that people have of networks we
should share this work through would be welcome.The collection will
also inform the work of the Strengthening DPULOs Programme and
others on how best to support DPULOs in their work and relationships
with commissioners.