26 June 2006 | Paul Snell

Collaborative procurement is one of the keys to making £120 million value-for-money savings in Wales by 2008, the Welsh Assembly has said.

The benefits are outlined in Smarter Buying - Sharing Success, the public-sector sourcing plan published by the Welsh Assembly last week and available at www.new.wales.gov.uk

The sourcing plan is in draft form and Value Wales, which advises on procurement and negotiates national deals, wants feedback by 22 August. The final version will be published in October and then implemented over the next three years. Formal responses should be sent to: Denise.Read@wales.gsi.gov.uk

The plan sets out five models for buyers: UK-wide national; all-Wales; regional; individual local; and sector specialism. Each identifies criteria that should be considered when setting up a collaborative deal.

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