Defence procurement ‘broken’ and needs 'root and branch reform', MPs say
19 Apr Commercial

Defence procurement ‘broken’ and needs 'root and branch reform', MPs say

MPs warn of "optimism-bias" budgeting, cycle of costly delay and failure, and skills shortage
by Tevye Markson
Motorola removed from government strategic suppliers list following ESN exit
18 May Commercial
Motorola removed from government strategic suppliers list following ESN exit
CCS defends Digital Marketplace closure and pledges to ‘reinstate transparency’
05 May Commercial
CCS defends Digital Marketplace closure and pledges to ‘reinstate transparency’
Cabinet Office launches £12m project to move all data and users from Google to Microsoft
19 Apr Commercial
Cabinet Office launches £12m project to move all data and users from Google to Microsoft
Cabinet Office to set up conversion-therapy support helpline
17 Feb 2022 Commercial
Cabinet Office to set up conversion-therapy support helpline
Contract notice seeks provider for phone and web service for victims ahead of legal ban
Specialist consultants called in to help with Covid public inquiry comms strategy Exclusive
17 Feb 2022 Commercial
Specialist consultants called in to help with Covid public inquiry comms strategy
Agency to provide advice on media relations and a consultation on the public inquiry's terms of reference
Gavin Williamson referred firm that won £1.7m PPE contract to VIP lane, DHSC admits
14 Feb 2022 Commercial
Gavin Williamson referred firm that won £1.7m PPE contract to VIP lane, DHSC admits
Department says it mistakenly left the company off a list of those referred to the high-priority lane in November
Randox lobbying scandal: Chisholm ‘disappointed’ in DHSC’s procurement process for £500m contracts
08 Feb 2022 Commercial
Randox lobbying scandal: Chisholm ‘disappointed’ in DHSC’s procurement process for £500m contracts
Cabinet Office perm sec’s concerns revealed as Owen Paterson’s lobbying texts published
Learning from moonshots: what a mission-oriented approach to policymaking really looks like
02 Feb 2022 Commercial
Learning from moonshots: what a mission-oriented approach to policymaking really looks like
From industrial strategies and booster campaigns to levelling up, government announcements are full of "missions" at the moment. Theo Curtis, an economist at the business department, digs behind the buzz
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
01 Feb 2022 Commercial
DHSC writes off £8.7bn of pandemic PPE
The losses included £2.5bn spent on PPE that was not suitable for the NHS or in care settings
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
28 Jan 2022 Commercial
MPs demand more transparency over £1bn private hospitals deal
NHS England chief rapped for failure to publish ministerial direction letter on time
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
24 Jan 2022 Commercial
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
In a new chapter of the late cabinet secretary's biography, Suzanne Heywood details her attempts to give evidence to the Boardman review
2022: The year that procurement drives significant societal change Partner Content
24 Jan 2022 Commercial
2022: The year that procurement drives significant societal change
Proxima recently sat down with procurement leaders from both the public and private sector, including Simon Tse of the Crown Commercial Service, to discuss the trends to keep an eye on for 2022
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
19 Jan 2022 Commercial
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
Significant progress made on cutting consultant numbers, but short-term roles and secondments deter officials from applying
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan 2022 Commercial
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
Some firms marked as high priority for contracts with "no objectively justifiable grounds for expediting the offer", court finds
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan 2022 Commercial
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Gareth Rhys Williams on 2021's toughest trials: 'maintaining morale (and gallows humour) in the face of scrutiny'
31 Dec 2021 Commercial
Gareth Rhys Williams on 2021's toughest trials: 'maintaining morale (and gallows humour) in the face of scrutiny'
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. Government's chief commercial officer tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
‘Lessons we’ve learned will stand us in good stead’: CCS chief Simon Tse looks back on 2021
21 Dec 2021 Commercial
‘Lessons we’ve learned will stand us in good stead’: CCS chief Simon Tse looks back on 2021
2020 may have been a year like no other, but 2021 was a chip off the old block and relentless from day one. The Crown Commercial Service chief executive tells us about 12 more months of dealing with Covid while pushing ahead with new challenges
MoD spent millions on Afghan crisis charter flights Exclusive
16 Dec 2021 Commercial
MoD spent millions on Afghan crisis charter flights
Ministry closed five short-notice whole-aircraft charter agreements over nine days in August
New year, new era. Public Procurement sets up for 2022 Sponsored
14 Dec 2021 Commercial
New year, new era. Public Procurement sets up for 2022
The transformation public procurement has undergone over the past 12 months is remarkable. Simon Payne, client director at Proxima, discusses what developments have instigated the movement towards a more sustainable and value-driven future
Lack of digital know-how at top of government contributes to IT failures, MPs say
10 Dec 2021 Commercial
Lack of digital know-how at top of government contributes to IT failures, MPs say
Public Accounts Committee highlights failure to understand issue of decades-old ‘legacy’ systems used in border control and state pension
Gareth Rhys Williams launches the Government Commercial Function Strategy 2021-2025 Sponsored
09 Dec 2021 Commercial
Gareth Rhys Williams launches the Government Commercial Function Strategy 2021-2025
Central to this strategy is a focus on transforming the public procurement regime, harnessing and using data as a strategic asset for decision-making
Companies that fail to deliver could be banned from winning public contracts
07 Dec 2021 Commercial
Companies that fail to deliver could be banned from winning public contracts
Cabinet Office unveils plans for ‘simpler, clearer and more flexible’ procurement rules
Former GDS chief gets green light to advise McKinsey
03 Dec 2021 Commercial
Former GDS chief gets green light to advise McKinsey
Kevin Cunnington's role at management consultancy will be limited to the Middle East
BEIS slammed by MPs for ‘pointlessly rushed’ green homes scheme
01 Dec 2021 Commercial
BEIS slammed by MPs for ‘pointlessly rushed’ green homes scheme
Public Accounts Committee chair says scheme’s flaws "should have been blindingly obvious to the department"
Gareth Rhys Williams on how the government is using procurement to drive its net zero strategy Partner Content
29 Nov 2021 Commercial
Gareth Rhys Williams on how the government is using procurement to drive its net zero strategy
Part I: Proxima sits down with the government’s Chief Commercial Officer to discuss its plan to transform the way that procurement operates to achieve the net zero emissions by 2050 target
Delivering social value and catalysing change: An interview with Malcolm Dare Partner Content
19 Nov 2021 Commercial
Delivering social value and catalysing change: An interview with Malcolm Dare
Proxima speaks to the National Highways Executive Director of Commercial & Procurement about how his organisation uses its position to deliver positive change
Cabinet Office explores creation of £5m digital platform to manage all government grants
18 Nov 2021 Commercial
Cabinet Office explores creation of £5m digital platform to manage all government grants
Department claims system would "completely reset the way in which government, public sector bodies, charities, SMEs and citizens interact"