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
Hancock defends DHSC in Covid procurement row
23 Feb 2021 Commercial
Hancock defends DHSC in Covid procurement row
Health secretary brushes off questions on High Court transparency decision and says it would be “ridiculous” to stop work being won by acquaintances of ministers
‘Recognise the opportunity’: departments urged to use procurement to build social value
22 Feb 2021 Commercial
‘Recognise the opportunity’: departments urged to use procurement to build social value
Central government departments and other public sector bodies can use their procurement powers to help build social value. Charlene Maginnis from the Crown Commercial Service sets out some tips on how to go about it
Hancock broke law by failing to publish DHSC coronavirus contracts on time, court finds
22 Feb 2021 Commercial
Hancock broke law by failing to publish DHSC coronavirus contracts on time, court finds
DHSC failed to meet transparency guidance on publishing details of contracts
What procurement trends will shape the public sector in 2021? Sponsored
18 Feb 2021 Commercial
What procurement trends will shape the public sector in 2021?
Rob Woodstock, chief commercial officer at HMRC, spoke with Proxima to outline three trends he foresees shaping the procurement landscape in 2021
Call to end emergency Covid procurement rules after Cummings revelations
17 Feb 2021 Commercial
Call to end emergency Covid procurement rules after Cummings revelations
Labour demands answers after former No.10 adviser admits he "expected" appointment of friends’ firm
Dominic Cummings ‘expected’ friends’ firm to get Cabinet Office contract
16 Feb 2021 Commercial
Dominic Cummings ‘expected’ friends’ firm to get Cabinet Office contract
High Court hears latest challenge to government’s emergency procurement moves
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