Choose Your Level of Government
Federal and Central
Researchers Confirm Shift in COVID-19 Testing Needed as Country Reopens
Aug 4, 2020
A recent Science Magazine article discusses the radical shift in COVID-19 testing needed to reopen schools and businesses.
While the country increased testing throughout the summer, we have not be able to mitigate spread effectively. “Diagnostics experts, public health officials, and...
UK gov should clearly articulate strategy for making best use of public money as Brexit and Covid require huge procurement response
Jul 16, 2020
Tussell, which provides market data on what the UK government is purchasing, has found that of the government’s 35 strategic suppliers (defined as third-party companies that the government deems as critical to the delivery of public services) the Big 4 consulting firms won the most in terms of...
MSDUK calls on public sector to make supplier diversity key in wake of BLM movement
Jul 2, 2020
An organisation which champions supplier diversity and inclusion of ethnic minority businesses in both public and private sector supply chains has called on the public sector to do more to make supplier diversity a key part of their core strategy.
MSDUK is a non-profit organisation which has worked...
Guidelines for AI procurement
Jun 11, 2020
Recognising that AI has the potential to greatly improve public services by reducing costs, enhancing quality and freeing up valuable time, UK.Gov has published a summary of best practice addressing specific challenges of acquiring Artificial Intelligence technologies in government. These new...
Responding to COVID-19: Cleaning/Disinfecting Products and Services
Jun 5, 2020
As government offices begin to open across the country, it becomes increasingly critical to take measures that prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19. Just this week, the Office of Personnel Management shared a detailed guide for returning its own employees to the office, and the Department of...
Could a more dynamic model be used over Central Purchasing Bodies?
May 28, 2020
Albert Sanchez-Graells from the University of Bristol – School of Law, has just released his recent paper ‘Public Procurement by Central Purchasing Bodies, Competition and SMEs: Towards a More Dynamic Model?’ He writes that while the creation of central purchasing bodies (CPBs) sought to...
Buying responsible technology in government
May 28, 2020
A new report ‘Buying better technology in government,’ has been produced by think tank Doteveryone – which was founded by Martha Lane Fox, the digital entrepreneur who helped set up the UK Government Digital Service (GDS) in 2011. It argues that civil service organisations should improve...
Austria: Legal guide on public contracting in light of the COVID-19 pandemic – and other countries
May 21, 2020
Global Compliance News reports that the current climate surrounding the COVID-19 crisis requires a significant level of flexibility in contractual relationships. To provide flexibility, the public procurement process has been accelerated to help reduce deadlines for submission request. Permitting...
MPs slam MoD’s ‘utter failure’ to improve contract management as nuclear project costs soar
May 21, 2020
Civil Service World reports that the UK Ministry of Defence’s poor management of contracts has left taxpayers picking up the bill after nuclear infrastructure projects have swelled beyond their planned time and budget. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found three nuclear infrastructure...
The Rule of Two & Small Business Set Aside Program
May 20, 2020
There are few matters in government contracting more fundamental than the rule of two and its influence on the small business set aside program. Federal agencies are required to provide fair opportunity to small businesses and socioeconomic concerns to participate in solicitations. There’s even a...
Coronavirus Crisis: How To Quickly Modernize Government Procurement Before It’s Too Late
Apr 7, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the deficiencies in the way governments strategize for, and implement public procurement. To see evidence of this, we need only look at the United States, the current epicentre of the virus and the world’s largest economy. It is plain to see the inconsistent...
Public Procurement Perspectives: Entry I (Rules and Regs and Whatnot)
Feb 9, 2020
For my first official BLOG entry (are they called entries? Oh well, mine are called entries now), I have been overwhelmed with ideas. This specific post has had multiple titles and themes as I chase each shiny object that illuminates my periphery. But at last, I have determined to move past...