Govt tech procurement ‘fast lane’ goes under the microscope

Vetting of departments set to be toughened as part of reforms in wake of £1.75m PPE contract

The government’s fast lane for procuring tech products and services is under review as part of a wider reform of public sector procurement rules in the wake of the £1.75m PPE contract awarded to a company with no experience in supplying medical equipment.

The new technology procurement rules will require more thorough due diligence of suppliers, including assessments of their financial health and track records.

The changes come after a National Audit Office (NAO) investigation found that the Cabinet Office had failed to follow its own procurement rules when awarding the contract to Ayanda Capital.

The review will also look at how the government can use its buying power to drive innovation and support the development of new technologies.

More detailed checks to be made by Whitehall as part of procurement overhaul

More detailed checks will be carried out by Whitehall as part of an overhaul of the public sector procurement process.

Departments will be required to carry out more thorough financial and operational due diligence checks on suppliers, including assessing their experience and track record in delivering similar contracts.

The new rules will also require departments to assess the potential risks associated with each contract and to take steps to mitigate these risks.

These changes follow a review of procurement processes by the National Audit Office (NAO), which found that the government was not always following its own rules and guidance.

The NAO also found that the government was not always taking sufficient account of the risks associated with procurement decisions.

The new rules are designed to address these concerns and to help ensure that the government procures goods and services in a way that is fair, transparent and cost-effective.