Transforming Public Procurement - Our response to the Green Paper

 

In Autumn 2023, it is anticipated that the UK public sector will transition to a new procurement regime, as the long awaited “Transforming Public Procurement” project comes to fruition with the inception of new Procurement Regulations. The overarching goals of these proposals are to speed up and simplify our procurement processes, minimise bureaucratic burden, whilst placing value for money, social value and transparency at the heart of all our procurement processes. The proposed new regulations are intended to unleash opportunities for small businesses, charities and social enterprises to innovate public service delivery. This simplified approach aims to prioritise and boost growth whilst maximising efficiency and transparency for the pubic purse.

By improving the way public procurement is regulated, there is an opportunity to save taxpayers money, spread opportunity, improve public services and empower communities with their money going further pound for pound. The UK’s exit from the European Union, gave this opportunity to develop and implement a new procurement regime, moving away from the complex EU rules-based approach that was designed first and foremost to facilitate the single market and instead adopt a new simplified UK centric approach. 

After an extensive UK wide consultation via a range of different organisations across the public and private sectors, levels of support for the proposed reforms in the Green Paper were high in the majority of cases and many responses recognised the ambition and breadth of the package of proposals. A clear majority of respondents agreed with the revised overarching principles of public procurement. Many respondents also recognised that the reforms would present a significant implementation challenge in order to realise the expected benefits.

The Crescent Purchasing Consortium has produced a short briefing note, which provides a summary of the key proposals and changes in the Green Paper and some initial thoughts and feedback from our expert Contracting Team. To view this document, please click here.