Efficiency in government procurement of common goods and services

We have previously recommended that GCF publishes a playbook or good practice guidance for framework agreements, and our findings from this study further support that recommendation and highlight an urgent need for this to be implemented. Through the playbook, GCF should set the standards for accrediting framework providers and ensure greater transparency over how frameworks are created and operated, including guidance on how and when direct awards via frameworks should be permitted ? the aim being to achieve fewer frameworks, lower levies and commission rates and improve the quality of frameworks and framework providers.

To help government make better decisions and encourage contracting authorities to be transparent about prices and the quality of goods and services, GCF should introduce a methodology that allows for consistency in data collection and reporting. The Cabinet Office should develop a mechanism for monitoring and addressing non-compliance.

CCS needs to focus on its purpose which should be aligned with its strategy to maximise the wider benefits of central purchasing to the public sector. CCS?s corporate performance metrics over the last several years have been set in line with its growth and commercial benefits strategy, with the assessment of the performance of some of CCS?s management being set accordingly. As a result of its successful growth, CCS should now focus on delivering an efficient central purchasing system for the UK public sector.

CCS, as the largest UK framework provider, should act as the system leader for the procurement of common goods and services. As part of this, CCS should put in place appropriate commercial capability, make better use of the data already available within the procurement system and identify opportunities for innovation and more effective competition in the wider market wherever feasible.