4 February 2011 | Angeline Albert
UK public sector procurement agency
Buying Solutions is expected to be scaled-down and focused on central government purchasing after a review into its future is complete.
John Collington,
director of commodity procurement at the Cabinet Office’s Efficiency and Reform
Group (ERG), is conducting the review which will also examine the future funding
status of Buying Solutions. One possible outcome is
that it will cease to be a trading fund by 1 April and could
be solely funded by the taxpayer. Ministers
are expected to consider the implications of the outcome of the entire study in March.
Buying Solutions currently manages national framework agreements
for the whole public sector. If the organisation is shrunk, it is not yet known
whether new deals will be open to the wider public sector. In the meantime, its
existing operations remain unchanged.
A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said: “The review will examine how
the trading agency will operate as a key part of the centralised category
procurement programme. In common with all public sector organisations, it is
expected that a transformed Buying Solutions will need to be leaner and more
efficient.”
Cabinet
Office minister Francis Maude said the Sir Philip Green review reinforced
the need to push forward with work on centralising category
procurement. He said “a transformed Buying Solutions will take its place
at the centre of this work”.
Buying Solutions’
staff were informed of the news last week.
Last June, SM reported that the ERG had taken control of the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and Buying Solutions.
