All Learning Content
Why Did UK Government Key Strategic Supplier Carillion Fail?
Jan 16, 2018
We are reporting in detail on the failure of Carillion on our Spend Matters UK/Europe website, but we hope to use the events as a trigger to look at some of the more strategic issues around government markets and commercial issues here. Carillion is (or was) the UK’s second-largest construction...
Commercial & Contract Management – Contract End Upfront
Jan 15, 2018
At the end of last year, the UK’s National Audit Office issued a very useful document titled “Commercial and contract management: insights and emerging best practice”. We did provide an initial overview of it here, and now we are into a more detailed review of its content and findings. For...
Procurement Language on Digital Marketplace Criticised
Jan 12, 2018
The UK government’s Digital Marketplace, its central hub for public sector organisations to procure digital services, has come under criticism for the lack of clarity in its notices. A survey was carried out last October which considered 2,996 votes on 31 opportunities. It showed concerns that...
Top 10 Insurance Suppliers To The Public Sector
Jan 12, 2018
Tussell, which provides data on UK government procurement, has revealed the top 10 insurance providers to the government for 2017. “In 2017 the value of wider public sector procurement was £144 billion – equating to roughly 7% of UK GDP – representing a significant strategic opportunity for...
GAO: Agencies Cannot Circumvent AbilityOne by Bundling
Jan 12, 2018
The FAR mandates that agencies use the AbilityOne program to award contracts for items on the AbilityOne procurement list to qualified nonprofits. The purpose of the program is to increase employment and training opportunities for persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities....
GSA Convenes Public Meeting to Discuss ‘Amazon’ Amendment
Jan 12, 2018
On Tuesday, January 9 the General Services Administration (GSA) convened a public meeting to discuss the implications and ramifications of Section 846 of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Procurement Through Commercial e-Commerce Portals. This amendment (dubbed the “Amazon...
SmallGovCon Week In Review: January 8-12, 2018
Jan 12, 2018
It’s been a big week here at Koprince Law LLC: we published the first volume in our new series of GovCon Handbooks called Government Contracts Joint Ventures. After briefly reaching #1 on Amazon’s Best Sellers list (okay, in a wonky legal sub-sub-subcategory, but still!), we are pleased to...
Lack of Public Spending Transparency in Academies Sector
Jan 12, 2018
The (UK) Department for Education is refusing to reveal which single-school academy trusts are paying leaders more than £150,000 despite having financial problems, because it does not want them placed under “undue pressure” and says they need a “safe space”- explains tes.com. In...
Review of Irish Garda Tendering Practices Urgently Required
Jan 12, 2018
An internal audit of the Republic of Ireland’s national police service, An Garda Síochána, has raised concern over the force’s management of a multi-million euro IT contract, explains Supply Management. And according to The Irish Examiner this week “Féin’s David Cullinane says the Public...
Collaboration in UK Public Procurement – Our Survey Results
Jan 11, 2018
Today we’d like to share with you an extract from a report we issued last year (sponsored by BravoSolution) based on our research around collaboration in UK public procurement – Procurement Collaboration in the UK Public Sector – Key Issues, Successes and Recommendations.
In it we look at...
Smart Cities: Scranton Smart Kiosk Project Moves Forward
Jan 11, 2018
Officials in Scranton, Pennsylvania approved a five-year agreement with Smart City Media LLC to install the interactive digital devices throughout the city. The project would bring digital information kiosks and free public Wi-Fi to downtown Scranton work is expected to begin as early as this...
Shared Services’ in Government and Possible Challenges Ahead
Jan 11, 2018
The push for shared services is revealing several of challenges related to agencies’ core missions and government’s relationship with industry. FCW gathered a group of federal leaders to talk about how agencies can move to the next phase of shared services and shares those insights with readers...
