06 July 2006 | Rebecca Ellinor
A guide to help purchasers buy PR services will be launched next week by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
Designed for buyers and suppliers of PR services, it has been produced in partnership with CIPS and the Central Office of Information.
A 2005 CIPR study found organisations' annual spend on PR is £6.5 billion. The CIPR said it was therefore of great concern that separate research by consultancy Gyroscope found 35 per cent of all PR spending is wasted as a result of poor procurement.
Francis Ingham, head of public affairs at CIPR, said: "The expectations of people buying PR services and those providing them are often not in sync. These guidelines make it clear what is involved and should be considered throughout the procurement process."
René de Sousa, senior procurement specialist at CIPS, said it was a good example of procurement working with other professions.
The guide was produced after a 2003 CIPR/Department of Trade and Industry study identified the lack of a purchasing
common standard as a major problem affecting the competitiveness and future success of the PR industry.
It will be available from 13 July at
www.cipr.co.uk/researchSMjul2006
