by Shane Henson — August 7, 2013—Facilities managers and others involved in procurement for their companies in the United Kingdom may be interested in the recent announcement by the British government of the creation of the New Crown Commercial Service, a program it says will maximize government buying power, raise commercial capability across the public sector, and deliver savings.
The new integrated commercial service will be established in fall 2013, building on the evolution of the Government Procurement Service over the last few years and following the Civil Service Reform Plan. It will reportedly deliver savings by ensuring that government acts as a true single customer.
Specifically, the Crown Commercial Service will:
- Centrally manage the purchase of common goods and services such as professional services and energy;
- Introduce a new Complex Transactions Team to work with departments on complex procurements, reducing the need for external advice;
- Enable departments to focus their commercial efforts on their own strategic requirements;
- Further strengthen the commercial leadership within government;
- Further strengthen the procurement profession and improve overall commercial ability across the Civil Service; and
- Continue to work closely with the wider public sector to ensure that the benefits of aggregation and centralization are shared across the public sector to maximize savings for the taxpayer.
Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, expects the service to have an immediate, positive impact within the U.K. “The new Crown Commercial Service will ensure a step change in our commercial capability, giving government a much tighter grip on all aspects of its commercial performance, from market engagement through to contract management,” said Maude.
