Troubled Ajax programme 'far from on track' as MoD rejects contractor's claims
07 Nov Commercial

Troubled Ajax programme 'far from on track' as MoD rejects contractor's claims

MoD and former minister say new schedule to deliver Ajax armoured vehicles has not yet been agreed as noise problems remain
by Tevye Markson
NAO sounds alarm as funding shortfalls threaten departmental shared-services drive
30 Nov Commercial
NAO sounds alarm as funding shortfalls threaten departmental shared-services drive
Cabinet Office warned of ‘serious risk’ to services as UKCloud customers hit with sevenfold price increase
22 Nov Commercial
Cabinet Office warned of ‘serious risk’ to services as UKCloud customers hit with sevenfold price increase
Consultants should be made to declare lobbying of spads, MPs told
16 Nov Commercial
Consultants should be made to declare lobbying of spads, MPs told
DCMS consultancy spending quadruples in two years
14 Jul Commercial
DCMS consultancy spending quadruples in two years
Money spent on external advice increased fourfold overnight
The making of the Scheme Delivery Framework Partner Content
08 Jul Commercial
The making of the Scheme Delivery Framework
The team at National Highways sat down with Proxima to share their thoughts on their new Scheme Delivery Framework. They touched on the success and challenges faced along the way and what the future holds for the procurement team
Home Office perm sec hits back at calls to privatise HM Passport Office
27 Jun Commercial
Home Office perm sec hits back at calls to privatise HM Passport Office
Hotline performance disproves the argument that “the way to reduce the size of the civil service is to privatise it", Rycroft says
‘Levelling Up’ — delivering the Civil Service’s ‘second headquarters’ in Glasgow Partner Content
17 Jun Commercial
‘Levelling Up’ — delivering the Civil Service’s ‘second headquarters’ in Glasgow
Melinda Johnson, Commercial Director at the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), outlines how Glasgow’s new office will provide significant opportunities in Scotland’s biggest city
CCS creates new £194k chief commercial officer role
30 May Commercial
CCS creates new £194k chief commercial officer role
Government Commercial Organisation boss will lead new directorate and deputise for chief exec Simon Tse
Perm sec admits 'room for improvement' over Scottish Government correspondence delays
26 May Commercial
Perm sec admits 'room for improvement' over Scottish Government correspondence delays
A quarter of ministerial correspondence replies missed their deadline, as did one in six FoI responses
MPs lambast departments' 'unacceptable' widespread non-compliance with tax-dodge rules
25 May Commercial
MPs lambast departments' 'unacceptable' widespread non-compliance with tax-dodge rules
Government bodies “should be best placed” to understand IR35 rules, but HMRC partly to blame for "rushed" and poor implementation
From the editor: You are not very good at judging risk. Sorry.
20 May Commercial
From the editor: You are not very good at judging risk. Sorry.
There are many issues to consider when assessing decisions taken around procurement in the early days of Covid. That’s why a full inquiry is being held
£1,200-a-day consultants make up more than one in 10 of UK Health Security Agency workforce
17 May Commercial
£1,200-a-day consultants make up more than one in 10 of UK Health Security Agency workforce
Jenny Harries reveals average day rates for management consultants – who are paid between £706 and £3,100 a day
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
29 Apr Commercial
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
Tom Scholar told the Treasury Committee officials put together loan schemes under "exceptional circumstances"
Red light, green light: examining the government's progress on improving its performance
22 Apr Commercial
Red light, green light: examining the government's progress on improving its performance
CSW assesses progress against key actions set out in the Declaration on Government Reform, and explores how volunteering can boost skills and support key priorities
Driving social value through the New Prisons Programme Partner Content
12 Apr Commercial
Driving social value through the New Prisons Programme
The Ministry of Justice’s Sue McElroy and Melissa Dudley sat down with Proxima recently to discuss the department’s prison build programme and how it is driving social value
DHSC names IT firm as £18m ‘delivery partner’ on Covid pass Exclusive
11 Apr Commercial
DHSC names IT firm as £18m ‘delivery partner’ on Covid pass
Netcompany to provide “operational management, incident management and support” as Covid pass use winds down within UK
EXCL: DHSC to pay up to £35m to dispose of unused pandemic PPE Exclusive
08 Apr Commercial
EXCL: DHSC to pay up to £35m to dispose of unused pandemic PPE
Waste companies to get £17.5m apiece after department admitted plans to burn mountains of equipment
MoD seeks external race adviser to improve diversity – but fails to fill post Exclusive
06 Apr Commercial
MoD seeks external race adviser to improve diversity – but fails to fill post
Ministry of Defence says it wants to “learn from others” on D&I, but tender failed to attract suitable bids
Departments told to review contracts with Russian suppliers
29 Mar Commercial
Departments told to review contracts with Russian suppliers
Public bodies urged to find ways to "sever their commercial ties to Russia" – but guidance show the action they can take is limited
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
28 Mar Commercial
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
The 25 million gowns were never used after failing an inspection
The NHS workforce plan: the Godot of public policy?
22 Mar Commercial
The NHS workforce plan: the Godot of public policy?
Workforce shortages and an end to free lateral flow testing are just some of the issues giving our health columnist a headache
DfT to review contracts with P&O Ferries after company sacks 800 staff
18 Mar Commercial
DfT to review contracts with P&O Ferries after company sacks 800 staff
Decision is "wholly unacceptable", minister says, as firm faces call to repay furlough cash
DHSC looks to extend shelf life of expired pandemic PPE Exclusive
16 Mar Commercial
DHSC looks to extend shelf life of expired pandemic PPE
Lab appointed to test medical-grade masks and visors, to see if expiry dates can be extended
Delivering reform to transform public procurement Partner Content
14 Mar Commercial
Delivering reform to transform public procurement
Gareth Rhys Williams, government chief commercial officer, discusses the Government Commercial Function Strategy and how procurement will contribute to government success in the coming years
At your service: CCS chief Simon Tse on procurement, PPE and being the 'silent partner' in times of crisis
14 Mar Commercial
At your service: CCS chief Simon Tse on procurement, PPE and being the 'silent partner' in times of crisis
The chief exec gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Crown Commercial Service's role during the fall of Kabul and the coronavirus pandemic
Seven billion items of pandemic PPE 'not fit for purpose' Exclusive
11 Mar Commercial
Seven billion items of pandemic PPE 'not fit for purpose'
Nearly one in five units of PPE marked “do not supply” to the NHS by the Department of Health and Social Care
Read the February 2022 issue of Civil Service World
28 Feb Commercial
Read the February 2022 issue of Civil Service World
CCS's chief executive Simon Tse on procurement during crisis response, and a deep-dive into the levelling up white paper