Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Lessons learned: competition in public procurement

Status: Closed Opened: 27 Jul 2023 Closed: 8 Mar 2024 17 recommendations 20 conclusions 1 report

The Government is committed to supplier competition in its £259 billion procurement spending, but could deliver significant savings by better understanding how departments use competition in practice. The Committee’s recent reports on Improving the performance of major defence equipment contracts and Local auditor reporting on local government in England highlighted the importance of using competitive …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Competition in public procurement HC 385 13 Dec 2023 37 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
3 Conclusion Sixth Report - Competition in public pr… Acknowledged

Issue a 'Framework Playbook' to guide government buyers on managing framework agreements effectively.

Framework agreements have become the most prevalent route for public authorities to buy common goods and services, but the Government Commercial Function has not provided sufficient guidance to address the potential risks to competitive benefits. Framework agreements involve an initial competition for suppliers to gain access to a framework, followed …

Government response. The government agreed with the recommendation, stating it is reviewing current framework guidance and will determine whether a separate 'Framework Playbook' is required or if existing guidance will be augmented to ensure clear central guidance on framework management.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
23 Oct 2023 Gareth Rhys Williams · Crown Commercial Service, Simon Tse · Crown Commercial Service, Sir Alex Chisholm · Cabinet Office View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
5 Feb 2024 Correspondence from Gareth Rhys Williams CB, Government Chief Commercial Office…
29 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Gareth Rhys Williams, Government Chief Commercial Officer, …
29 Jan 2024 Correspondence from Dame Meg Hillier, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts…