Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Accepted
Inconsistent supplier identities in databases hinder procurement, requiring a single unified system.
Recommendation
The GCF explained that part of the problem is that because multiple contracting authorities can enter data on suppliers, the same supplier could have different identities in today’s database. The GCF expects that a single supplier information database would address this issue in the future.17 It commented that the new single database will be better 9 C&AG’s Report, para 3.26 10 Q 2 11 C&AG’s Report, para 15 12 C&AG’s Report, para 16 13 Q 21 14 C&AG’s Report, para 2.16 15 Q 41 16 Q 18 17 Q 50 Competition in public procurement 11 than the ones inherited from the EU, which was last updated in 2015.18 We were also told by the Cabinet Office that the single database will make it easier for potential bidders to anticipate upcoming contracts.19
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating that new legal requirements under the Procurement Act will mandate data upload to a central digital platform by Spring 2025, with secondary legislation laid in Spring 2024 and supporting guidance to follow, which will address the issue of inconsistent supplier data.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2025 1.2 Much of the requested data will now be required as standard as part of the Procurement Act. Contracting authorities will have clear legal requirements to upload information on procurements to the central digital platform within certain timescales, this includes publishing contract award notices for above threshold contracts (those generally above £213,000), contract details for contracts over £5 million, Key Performance Indicators for contracts over £5 million. This list is not exhaustive and will be achieved via the submission of notices within the system - simply put, if a contract authority does not upload a particular notice, it will be in breach of statutory requirements in a way that is not the case now. The requirements for notices will be set out via secondary legislation, expected to be laid in Spring 2024. The Cabinet Office will publish a range of guidance notes and provide learning and development materials setting out these requirements.