The e-procurement deadline might have slipped but the government is still determined to do business online
When the Labour party came to power in 1997, it committed government departments to 100% electronic tendering by December 2002. The target proved over-ambitious, but although no new date has yet been set the government insists it still aims to be paperless.

Government research into e-tendering began with TenderTrust. Four hundred suppliers across the board from stationery to construction were invited to use the TenderTrust site, which was set up by Treasury agency the Office for Government Commerce (OGC) in April 2001. Early feedback is enthusiastic.

“Suppliers are very pro e-tendering,” says OGC spokesman Martin Day. “They feel it levels the playing field, reduces costs and enables SMEs to bid for government business. Departments are keen too because it saves them time, but the TenderTrust pilot threw up lots of issues we have to answer first.”

One issue, says Day, is that suppliers want one system for all departments. “We have to update antiquated systems so all departments have the same standard of equipment, and standardise processes so everyone has the same way of working.”

It levels the playing field for small firms

The OGC is now running e-procurement pilots across seven departments, which are due to finish in July this year. OGC construction director Deryk Eke says his main priority is document and project management systems rather than e-procurement or e-tendering.

“We are looking for links across departments so the same systems can be used across government,” he says. “Major construction clients such as the Highways Agency and Defence Estates already have ideas on systems, but most departments are occasional clients and we will be looking to advise them.”

Eke adds that a working group is developing guidance for occasional construction clients, and an action plan for implementation.

Source

Construction Manager