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”
by Jim Dunton
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
British Steel: Ministerial direction issued to allow for speedy intervention
30 Apr Commercial
British Steel: Ministerial direction issued to allow for speedy intervention
'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
Vendor view: The impact of Covid on local government’s supplier relationships Sponsored
10 Feb 2021 Commercial
Vendor view: The impact of Covid on local government’s supplier relationships
Our sister title PublicTechnology talks to David Hipwell from SAP Concur about the role of the public sector’s commercial partners in supporting transformation and how it has changed in the past year
DfE 'unconcerned' about free school meal voucher scheme profit
05 Feb 2021 Commercial
DfE 'unconcerned' about free school meal voucher scheme profit
Department did not ask to see voucher provider Edenred's books or renegotiate contract
DfE has not tried to revise contract with free school meals voucher provider, perm sec says
25 Jan 2021 Commercial
DfE has not tried to revise contract with free school meals voucher provider, perm sec says
Officials found no “strong market alternative” to Edenred, permanent secretary says
New civil service training 'will raise standards and reduce reliance on consultants'
15 Jan 2021 Commercial
New civil service training 'will raise standards and reduce reliance on consultants'
Updated curriculum will reduce risk of duplication and offer better value for money, Cabinet Office says
Education secretary ‘absolutely disgusted’ by contractor’s school-meal parcel
13 Jan 2021 Commercial
Education secretary ‘absolutely disgusted’ by contractor’s school-meal parcel
Gavin Williamson says DfE will name and shame firms not delivering against its standards as voucher scheme is reintroduced
How the Transforming Public Procurement Green Paper is set to impact public sector procurement Sponsored
22 Dec 2020 Commercial
How the Transforming Public Procurement Green Paper is set to impact public sector procurement
The publication of the government’s green paper setting out the post-Brexit future for public procurement is a historic moment. Proxima’s John Collington sets out what it means
Less ‘just in time’, more ‘just in case’: How government can be a better customer when the next crisis hits
16 Dec 2020 Commercial
Less ‘just in time’, more ‘just in case’: How government can be a better customer when the next crisis hits
There have been some government procurement successes during Covid-19, but there are also many lessons to be learned, says Aidan Shilson-Thomas, a senior researcher at the think-tank Reform
Outsourcers that fall short could be blacklisted under procurement reforms
16 Dec 2020 Commercial
Outsourcers that fall short could be blacklisted under procurement reforms
Green paper sets out measures to improve quality, prevent corruption and embed "transparency as standard"
Cabinet Office ‘scales back’ Crown Consultancy vision post-Cummings
10 Dec 2020 Commercial
Cabinet Office ‘scales back’ Crown Consultancy vision post-Cummings
Service now expected to focus on giving advice about consultancy spending, following departure of PM’s chief adviser
DfE ‘doesn’t know’ if free school meals voucher company made profit
03 Dec 2020 Commercial
DfE ‘doesn’t know’ if free school meals voucher company made profit
NAO says contractor charged department face value for supermarket vouchers but obtained them at discount
DfE expands supplier base for laptops scheme
01 Dec 2020 Commercial
DfE expands supplier base for laptops scheme
Department brings in two additional IT resellers to supply about 165,000 extra devices
DHSC gears up to spend £95m on shipping in PPE and medical supplies next year Exclusive
30 Nov 2020 Commercial
DHSC gears up to spend £95m on shipping in PPE and medical supplies next year
Freight and logistics deals will be used to import diagnostic kits and equipment used to fight Covid-19
Vacancy crisis sees NICS agency staff spending hit £46m a year
27 Nov 2020 Commercial
Vacancy crisis sees NICS agency staff spending hit £46m a year
Audit Office director says figure represents a 155% increase over the past two years
Celebrating excellence across government for 15 years #CSAwards Sponsored
06 Nov 2020 Commercial
Celebrating excellence across government for 15 years #CSAwards
Every year, the influential Civil Service Awards celebrate the wealth of inspirational teams and innovative projects within the Civil Service - those who go above and beyond to cultivate and share best practice. We hear from Proxima, one of the official sponsors of this year's event.
Chisholm pledges to curb use of consultants with plan to bolster in-house skills
03 Nov 2020 Commercial
Chisholm pledges to curb use of consultants with plan to bolster in-house skills
Lord Agnew "makes a really good point" about the need to increase specialist skills in the civil service and rely less on consultants, COO says
Should a 'More for Less' strategy be the focus for Public Sector Buyers - again? Sponsored
14 Oct 2020 Commercial
Should a 'More for Less' strategy be the focus for Public Sector Buyers - again?
Could re-using the successful 'More for Less' strategy help public sector buyers focus on suppliers' costs at this challenging time? Proxima investigates
LISTEN: Government commercial chief Gareth Rhys Williams on the procurement challenges of Covid Exclusive
14 Oct 2020 Commercial
LISTEN: Government commercial chief Gareth Rhys Williams on the procurement challenges of Covid
The government’s top commercial official speaks to CSW about the pressures, and lessons, from the government’s response to coronavirus
Opinion: Dominic Cummings is keen to make the UK a technology superpower. He should change procurement rules to make it happen
13 Oct 2020 Commercial
Opinion: Dominic Cummings is keen to make the UK a technology superpower. He should change procurement rules to make it happen
Innovation is stifled by public sector procurement rules. Brexit, and the Integrated Review, offer a chance to change that, says Simon Harwood, the head of defence and security at Cranfield University
Cabinet Office to pay £300k for mobile data tracking to 'prevent Covid transmission risk'
13 Oct 2020 Commercial
Cabinet Office to pay £300k for mobile data tracking to 'prevent Covid transmission risk'
"Mobile-based location services and digital advertising experts" to monitor footfall and social distancing in shopping "hotspots"
Amazon hosting deal with GDS doubles to £6.6m as minister fends off questions over UK chief’s advisory role
06 Oct 2020 Commercial
Amazon hosting deal with GDS doubles to £6.6m as minister fends off questions over UK chief’s advisory role
New contract came into effect on 1 July, as minister claims "robust measures" in place to mitigate against possible conflicts of interest
New social value evaluation prompts green recovery Sponsored
05 Oct 2020 Commercial
New social value evaluation prompts green recovery
For years, delivering on social responsibility has been a growing priority for the public sector. The refreshed Social Value Act could mean significant progress, writes Proxima.
Civil service “infantilised” by use of consultants, Cabinet Office minister says
30 Sep 2020 Commercial
Civil service “infantilised” by use of consultants, Cabinet Office minister says
Letter seen by the Guardian criticises official capacity to deliver Brexit
Deliver social value to win contracts, government tells suppliers
25 Sep 2020 Commercial
Deliver social value to win contracts, government tells suppliers
Commercial officials to get training in new rules to take account of the wider impact of firms bidding for work from departments
The public and private sectors can learn from each other Sponsored
22 Sep 2020 Commercial
The public and private sectors can learn from each other
Stefano Jefferson, a senior consultant at Proxima, makes the case for a two-way learning process