Current Issue

The June issue of Government Opportunities (GO) magazine includes the latest developments in public procurement and useful information for those involved in the sector.

Government departments and their agencies (apart from the health sector) spent a staggering £54.7 billion in 2007-08 on the procurement of non-capital goods and services. With the Government stating that it is committed to sustainable procurement, GO looks at the progress made to date. We examine the recent National Audit Office report, Addressing the Environmental Impacts of Government Procurement, which analyses the environmental impacts of government procurement decisions from five key departments and agencies – the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency.

Also making the news this month is the British Educational Suppliers Association’s new research into procurement in English schools, which has found that the recession is affecting schools in many ways that may not have been expected; and the launch of the Transformational Government Annual Report.

Now to the lighter side of procurement – a side which focuses on achievement, collaboration and innovation from the public, private and third sectors. June 4 sees the unveiling of the eighth National GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards. Each individual and organisation achieving Finalist status has every right to be proud of their accomplishment. Given the high volume of entries, and judges’ expectations being raised further still this year, becoming a Finalist is indeed an achievement; and going a stage further to achieve Highly Commended or Winner status deserves special congratulations. The website will be updated with the results of the Awards on the afternoon of 4 June, and a full review of the National GO Awards and National Public Procurement Practitioners Day, which encompasses the Awards, will appear in next month’s edition of GO; which, incidentally, is a double issue for July and August.

GO June also includes a review of the SOPO Scotland Annual Conference and Exhibition, as well as an interview with the new Chair of SOPO, Liz Welton. The latest issue also has the usual comprehensive coverage of UK and international public procurement news and other essential reading.

The June edition of the magazine will be available from 4 June. Public sector buyers can register to receive GO free by clicking here. Private sector organisations can subscribe by clicking here.