WIREDGOV

The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) has today revealed its shop window for collaborative procurement deals on third party goods and services has grown significantly over the past year. The OGC's Contract Database now carries an all-time high of 400 cost effective deals, an increase of 60% over the year. The milestone deal is for technology that assists in making savings and reducing carbon emissions from energy use.

The free to access portal, launched three years ago, is used by a full range of public sector organisations, including central government departments and agencies, local authorities, NHS trusts, police forces, schools, colleges, and universities. Interest in the site has, on average, increased by 30% annually. Earlier this year, the Government's Operational Efficiency Programme highlighted the importance of Whitehall's further engagement with collaborative procurement and efficient eProcurement initiatives, such as the services offered by the Database. 

The Database allows purchasers to make significant cost and time savings, as the contracts included are aggregated and have, where appropriate, already been competitively tendered in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). Where possible they also include consideration for how public procurement can assist in supporting other key government goals such as on sustainability.

The Database is one of many eProcurement measures being championed by the OGC, which assist the delivery of real savings for the taxpayer. In addition the OGC's ICT eAuction programme has also delivered real results, recently announcing a total of £50m savings following the completion of the 11th eAuction in the series.

Commenting about the success of these eProcurement initiatives, OGC's Chief Executive Nigel Smith said:

"It is crucial for those buying in the public sector to realise the benefits that can be gained through adopting and engaging in eProcurement initiatives, to maximise the outcome from their spending decisions. The Contracts Database and eAuction programmes allow the public sector quick and efficient means to meet their requirements, and reaching these milestones demonstrates the real progress the OGC is making to support the public sector in achieving value for money for the taxpayer."

The OGC will be publishing policy guidance on eProcurement for Whitehall later in the year, as part of the Operational Efficiency Programme, which will aim to support the further take-up of eProcurement methods.

Public sector organisations interested in making cash savings by participating in the next OGC ICT eAuction, which is planned for early 2010, should contact the OGC Service Desk.

Notes to editors

About the Contracts Database
The database, developed by the OGC, allows users to find central and local government frameworks and contracts, and acts as a shop window for collaborative deals. It is free to view and was launched in the summer of 2006.

It is used by a full range of public sector organisations, including central government departments and agencies, local authorities, NHS Trusts, police forces, schools, colleges, and universities. Public sector purchasers can make significant cost and time savings, as the contracts on the database are aggregated and have, where appropriate, already been competitively tendered in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

The 400th deal on the Database is for technology that assists contracting authorities to achieve voltage optimisation improvements, which include but are not limited to; increasing voltage efficiency and reducing the impact, whilst reducing their carbon production levels, as well as making savings on energy bills. Entitled Voltage Reduction and/or Optimisation Technology, it is led by the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) on behalf of the 'Pro 5' Group of Professional Buying Organisations.

The Contracts Database can be found at: http://www.ogc.gov.uk/contractsdatabase/

About OGC eAuction 11
eAuctions, sometimes called reverse auctions or procurement auctions, allow suppliers to bid against each other online in order to win a contract. They can factor in both price and quality measures to arrive at the most competitive bid. When managed well, eAuctions deliver highly competitive pricing and, often, considerable savings compared to existing contracts. Savings vary, but they frequently exceed 10%, and are reliably measured at up to 50%.

Twenty five public sector organisations were involved in the latest eAuction, made up of:

Buying Solutions 
19 x Councils:

• Burnley Borough Council
• Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
• Preston City Council
• St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council
• Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
• Wyre Borough Council
• North West Leicestershire District Council
• Bury Metropolitan Borough Council
• Chorley Borough Council
• Hyndburn Borough Council
• Fylde Borough Council
• Lancashire County Council
• Ribble Valley Council
• Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council
• Salford City Council
• South Derbyshire District Council
• St Edmundsbury Borough Council
• Stockton Borough Council
• Darlington Borough Council

5 x North West Police Forces:

• Cumbria Police Force
• Lancashire Police Force
• Cheshire Police Force
• Greater Manchester Police Force
• Merseyside Police Force

About the OGC

The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an independent office of HM Treasury, established to help government deliver best value from its spending. The OGC works with central government departments and other public sector organisations to ensure the achievement of six key goals:

• Delivery of value for money from third party spend;   
• Delivery of projects to time, quality and cost, realising benefits;  
• Getting the best from the government's £30bn estate;  
• Improving the sustainability of the government estate and operations, including reducing carbon emissions by 12.5% by 2010-11, through stronger performance management and guidance;  
• Helping achieve delivery of further government policy goals, including innovation, equality, and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs);  
• And driving forward the improvement of central government capability in procurement, project and programme management, and estates management through the development of people skills, processes and tools.

OGC provides policy standards and guidance on best practice in procurement, projects and estate management, and monitors and challenges departments' performance against these standards, grounded in an evidence base of information and assurance. It promotes and fosters collaborative procurement across the public sector to deliver better value for money and better public services; and it provides innovative ways to develop government's commercial and procurement capability, including leadership of the Government Procurement Service.

Media Contact:
OGC press office 
T: 020 7271 1318
F: 020 7271 1345
E: press@ogc.gsi.gov.uk

Contact details:
OGC Service Desk
Tel: 0845 000 4999
E-mail: ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk