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This section lists the latest purchasing news and supply news. Legal news also appears in our Law section. Specialist news may be easier to find on our topic pages.

Incentives are key to successful procurement outsourcingCommercial terms that motivate a provider to keep stakeholders happy support a successful relationship, says Thames Water's head of procurement. 03 February 2012
Steel workers' union calls for a halt to Forth Road Bridge projectFirst minister Alex Salmond has been called upon to suspend the bridge replacement project until a review of the procurement process is carried out. 03 February 2012
MoD to encourage ''exportability'' through procurementBidding suppliers may be expected to suggest a cheaper, lower specification version of a product so it can be sold abroad. 03 February 2012
Services sector starts 2012 with a boomRecord rises in key indicators point to a "resounding revival" of UK economic growth last month, latest PMI finds. 03 February 2012
NAO backs government's savings claimsBut the spending watchdog said "fundamental changes are needed" if savings targets for the next four years are to be met. 02 February 2012
Buyers save healthy £2.7m for London NHS trustsNHS co-operative implements e-procurement to make massive savings for five primary care trusts in the capital. 02 February 2012
Confidence builds in UK construction sectorDavid Noble: "Many businesses have replenished their levels of optimism." 02 February 2012
Pick n Pay boycotts 'expensive' suppliersThe South African retailer has removed products from stores in Swaziland and South Africa until suppliers lower prices. 02 February 2012
Most companies not sharing benefits of carbon reduction with suppliersDespite the opportunity for cost savings, firms are not communicating the success of low-carbon business models with their supply chain. 01 February 2012
UK manufacturing sparks into lifeLatest PMI "means a return to recession is by no means a certainty", said economist Rob Dobson. 01 February 2012
Buyers split over what to tell suppliers about foreign haulier useHalf of those responding to the SM100 poll said they would encourage suppliers to use UK haulage firms instead of foreign hauliers, the other half would not. 01 February 2012
Hubwoo quarter four profits riseThe company's revenue for the fourth quarter was €9.5 million (£7.9 million), but it suffered an 8 per cent fall in total revenue in comparison with the same quarter in 2010. 01 February 2012
Buyers told to stockpile ahead of Olympics"The street outside is going to be choked with coaches leaving at a rate of 700 an hour." 31 January 2012
Procurement fraud costs UK more than £5 millionKPMG's Fraud Barometer finds seven cases of purchasing fraud totalling £5,096,805. 31 January 2012
Businesses plan to boost procurement spendProfessional services identified as highest priority spend category. 31 January 2012
Lack of IT integration hinders supply chain efficiencyConstruction and engineering firms say chief cause of supply chain inefficiencies is lack of integration of processes and IT systems. 31 January 2012
Skilled buyers can help cut wasteful social care spendProcurement officers should work more effectively with third sector organisations like Age UK to find out where costs can be reduced. 30 January 2012
Copper costs cause increase in railway cable theftFrom 2009 to now, high demand has pushed copper prices from around $3,500 per tonne to $8,500 per tonne at their highest point. 30 January 2012
New customers boost Ariba revenueSpend management tech firm attributes the increase to new deals signed in the past three months. 29 January 2012
Apple CEO promises to ''dig deeper'' into supply chain issues"What we will not do, and never have done, is stand still or turn a blind eye to problems in our supply chain," Tim Cook told staff in an email. 28 January 2012
Church aims to save parishes £10 millionA new online buying portal will give 13,000 parishes access to framework agreements for IT software, energy and photocopying. 27 January 2012
Four purchasers found guilty in £66m corruption caseSouthwark Crown Court finds four men conspired to receive payments from bidders in exchange for supplying insider information about contracts. 27 January 2012
Climate change presents a 'material risk' to the supply chainA report warns the majority of organisations have not faced up to the problems and disruption that a changing climate will cause to business operations. 27 January 2012
UK government accused of ignoring IT supplier 'collusion'The Public Administration Select Committee has criticised the government for not investigating claims of anti-competitive behaviour by large IT vendors raised in the summer. 27 January 2012
Commodity prices to drop 14 per cent in 2012IMF: "Well-anchored inflation expectations will keep inflation pressures subdued." 26 January 2012