Category Archives: procurement

Pip And ESA Assessments Are Failing And It Is Time To Assess All Public Service Outsourcing

The report from the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee on the operation of the outsourced PIP and ESA assessments is yet another significant blow public service outsourcing. Though in reality, these blows are being inflicted not by the Select Committee but by poor contractual arrangements, poor contractor performance and, as in the… Read More...

John Tizard: The Outsourcing Debate: strategic ‘make or buy’ decisions can protect the public interest

The efficacy and even the ethics of public service outsourcing are being seriously questioned across the political divide but especially by the left. Similar deliberations are going on amongst public sector executives. And it would be no surprise to learn that investors, staff and executives in major outsourcing companies are wondering if this business model… Read More...

Public procurement professionals must step up and speak up in 2018

2018 will be another challenging year for the public sector. Austerity, cuts to funding, staffing and services will continue unless there is either a change of government in Westminster or the current government very surprisingly undergoes a Damascene conversion. Demand for services, especially social care, will continue to grow. There will be ridiculous calls for… Read More...

John Tizard: Don’t avoid social outcomes in public procurement; these can be EU-compliant

Last week when attending the European Public Service Awards (EPSA) Final Event and Awards Ceremony in Maastricht, in addition to meeting, talking with and learning from the many award winners from across Europe it was very encouraging to hear a senior EU Commission official speak about the need to address social outcomes through public procurement.… Read More...

Public sector outsourcing and contractors must always be transparent

The BBC programme Panorama recently reported that it had seen documents suggesting that G4S has been making significant profits from running two immigration removal centres near Gatwick Airport. One of these, Brook House, was the focus of a Panorama investigation, which exposed chaos, bullying and and the abusive treatment of detainees by some staff. Panorama… Read More...