Links I Liked [Public Procurement]
2. Portugal saves up to €2,000,000,000 re-negotiating PPP/PFI contracts. Over the last 20 years the country was blanketed (bankrupted) with plenty of shiny new roads. Apparently, Government has managed to save €2 billion by renegotiating 6 of those contracts. Now if only it could do the same with plenty of other rent seeking contracts...
3. British Medical Associations calls for all NHS contracts to have social clauses. My view about ideas like this should be obvious by now - we need to make procurement simpler, not making it ever more complex by trying to hit more and more objectives.
4. EC chief economist slams "home bias" in public procurement. Music to my years. Perhaps it is time to reconsider even within the EU why thresholds are so high, real cross-border qualifications and the big one - forcing contracting authorities to accept tenders in another language? Yes, I am aware that particularly the last one is a pipe dream...PS: The actual Chief Economist Note #1 is here. Good reading.
5. Procurement Matters Pub Talk is tomorrow. Peter Smith from Procurement Matters is organising a nice debate at the Red Lion Pub in Whitehall, London, 5.30 – 7pm on the topic: “This House believes that the result of the General Election will have no impact on public procurement.” I will pin my colours to the mast that says that a Labour Government will change procurement policies (even if not the Regulations). Disclosure: while I was at the Institute for Competition and Procurement Studies, Professor Dermot Cahill advised Labour on procurement matters. I am not privy to any information other than what has been made publicly available.