Government 'lacks capability' to address longstanding digital procurement issues
06 Jun Commercial

Government 'lacks capability' to address longstanding digital procurement issues

Public Accounts Committee warns of “an insufficient level of digital commercial skills across departments”
by Tevye Markson
Industrial strategy: Civil service reforms aim to build 'enduring partnership' with business
23 Jun Commercial
Industrial strategy: Civil service reforms aim to build 'enduring partnership' with business
Outsourced staff accept 'groundbreaking' pay and benefits offer
12 Jun Commercial
Outsourced staff accept 'groundbreaking' pay and benefits offer
DSIT building 'one-stop tech shop' for public sector procurement
09 Jun Commercial
DSIT building 'one-stop tech shop' for public sector procurement
If the government is serious about closing the SME gap, it must go beyond ticking boxes and embrace structural change
29 May Commercial
If the government is serious about closing the SME gap, it must go beyond ticking boxes and embrace structural change
To shift the dial on SME involvement in public procurement, it's time for departments to take a more intentional approach
Home Office seeks 'AI infrastructure delivery partner'
28 May Commercial
Home Office seeks 'AI infrastructure delivery partner'
Multimillion-pound contract will support creation of a centralised service to help guide officials through the process of deploying AI
Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’
08 May Commercial
Home Office perm sec sets out plans to tackle compliance ‘weaknesses’
Antonia Romeo tells MPs multi-million-pound asylum-accommodation failings exposed need for “incentivised culture-change”
DBT seeks watchdog's advice on £136m Post Office subsidy to replace Horizon IT system
01 May Commercial
DBT seeks watchdog's advice on £136m Post Office subsidy to replace Horizon IT system
Department has proposed giving the public corporation significant funding to deliver ongoing tech upgrade work this year in support of eventual migration from Fujitsu platform
British Steel: Ministerial direction issued to allow for speedy intervention
30 Apr Commercial
British Steel: Ministerial direction issued to allow for speedy intervention
Perm sec sought ministerial direction to allow civil servants to “rapidly implement” policy
'Compassion is cost effective': How the third sector is driving success in high-profile government contracts
16 Apr Commercial
'Compassion is cost effective': How the third sector is driving success in high-profile government contracts
Major Kathy Betteridge shares what the church has learned from delivering the government's Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract for England and Wales
Growing digital profession will help government shed 7,000 contractors, Little tells MPs
11 Apr Commercial
Growing digital profession will help government shed 7,000 contractors, Little tells MPs
Hitting target for 10% of civil servants to be digital, data and cyber professionals will save half a billion pounds a year, COO says
Why is it so hard to sell an idea to government (even one that could make millions for the public purse)?
04 Apr Commercial
Why is it so hard to sell an idea to government (even one that could make millions for the public purse)?
To an outsider, reaching the right civil servants with an idea that could revolutionise services or save money seems impossible
Home Office set to dump major asylum-accommodation provider
25 Mar Commercial
Home Office set to dump major asylum-accommodation provider
Department will end £2bn-a-year contract with Napier Barracks operator Stay Belvedere Hotels
Government to freeze thousands of civil service procurement cards
18 Mar Commercial
Government to freeze thousands of civil service procurement cards
"Wasteful spending" crackdown aims to reduce credit-card use by more than 50%
Plan to overhaul 'overly complex' digital funding models promises 'paradigm shift'
13 Mar Commercial
Plan to overhaul 'overly complex' digital funding models promises 'paradigm shift'
After a review that revealed delays and inefficiencies, government will trial a quartet of mechanisms for staged, portfolio and risk-based funding methods
To manage innovation, governments must fix procurement 
11 Mar Commercial
To manage innovation, governments must fix procurement 
Procurement systems should be like good software: fluid, flexible, and constantly evolving. Realising this transformation requires more than changing rules
Ministers mull creating 'Commercial Innovation Hub' for departments
14 Feb Commercial
Ministers mull creating 'Commercial Innovation Hub' for departments
National Public Procurement Strategy looks to better align spending with government's five missions
Home Office spent nearly £100m on failed asylum accommodation
05 Feb Commercial
Home Office spent nearly £100m on failed asylum accommodation
Report into acquisition of HMP Northeye site urges Home Office to address its "dysfunctional" culture around commercial decisions
Government appoints new chief commercial officer
05 Feb Commercial
Government appoints new chief commercial officer
MoD director general Andrew Forzani says he is “extremely proud” to take on the role
DBS staff fix strike dates in customer-contact dispute
27 Nov 2024 Commercial
DBS staff fix strike dates in customer-contact dispute
Officials will stage two-day walkout as part of wider industrial action in run-up to Christmas
Private Finance Initiatives: A guide to successful transition Partner Content
20 Nov 2024 Commercial
Private Finance Initiatives: A guide to successful transition
Did you know the government recommends a seven-year lead time for PFI contract expiry planning? Proxima reviews the practicalities of managing these long-term agreements and avoiding costly mistakes
From MEAT to MAT: Balancing cost control with quality in public procurement Partner Content
31 Oct 2024 Commercial
From MEAT to MAT: Balancing cost control with quality in public procurement
Public sector procurement has undergone a subtle yet significant change with the transition from Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) to Most Advantageous Tender (MAT). Proxima takes a look at what this means for procurement professionals
MoD creates standalone defence procurement role
28 Oct 2024 Commercial
MoD creates standalone defence procurement role
Ministry of Defence says the bolstered director of armaments role will help to fix "broken" defence procurement system
Office for Investment 'revamped' with new minister
15 Oct 2024 Commercial
Office for Investment 'revamped' with new minister
"Larger and better equipped" unit now straddles No.10, the Department of Business and Trade and the Treasury
DWP security strike: GMB members vote to accept revised pay offer
08 Oct 2024 Commercial
DWP security strike: GMB members vote to accept revised pay offer
Outsourcer G4S says all staff will now get "the pay rise they deserve"
A practical guide to addressing Scope 3 within the public sector Partner Content
27 Sep 2024 Commercial
A practical guide to addressing Scope 3 within the public sector
Using insights from the 2024 Scope 3 Maturity Benchmark Report, Beth Bradley-Smith, Principal Consultant at Proxima, discusses public sector decarbonisation challenges and offers practical guidance on addressing sustainability initiatives
Departments scramble to deal with collapse of construction giant ISG
24 Sep 2024 Commercial
Departments scramble to deal with collapse of construction giant ISG
ISG had £1bn-plus pipeline of work for MoJ and other projects for DfE and DWP
Recruitment for government chief commercial officer opens seven months after departure announced
20 Sep 2024 Commercial
Recruitment for government chief commercial officer opens seven months after departure announced
Job advert goes live for £250k chief commercial officer job vacated by Gareth Rhys Williams