Procurement Organisations

Government Opportunities magazine is pleased to work with the following organisations and public bodies to further knowledge of, and best practice in, public procurement.

4ps
4ps is local government's project delivery specialist. It works in partnership with all local authorities to secure funding and accelerate the development, procurement and implementation of PFI schemes, Public Private Partnerships, complex projects and programmes.
Website: www.4ps.gov.uk

Scotland Excel
Launched on 1 April 2008, Scotland Excel is a non-profit making organisation whicis funded by participating Local Authorities. Scotland Excel was created as one of the sectoral Centres of Expertise following recommendations from a Government commissioned report to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement in Scotland.
Website: www.scotland-excel.org.uk

Association of University Procurement Officers
The Association of University Procurement Officers (AUPO) has over 290 members in both the Higher and Further Education sectors, the vast majority of whom are CIPS professionals. AUPO has maintained its role as a vehicle for the exchange of ideas, good practice and networking, seeking to promote the profession in the sector, and to represent its members on the many and various procurement agendas across and beyond the HE/FE sector.
Website: www.aupo.ac.uk

Business Services Association
The Business Services Association (BSA) is a policy group of major companies providing outsourced services to companies, public bodies, local authorities and government departments and agencies. The combined annual turnover in the UK of its 19 member companies is in excess of £15 billion. Member companies employ directly and indirectly more than 500,000 people.
Website: www.bsa-org.com

Central Buying Consortium
The Central Buying Consortium (CBC) is the largest local authority purchasing consortium in the UK. The members of the CBC are the procurement departments of 17 local authorities, predominantly in the east and south east of England. The organisation exists to maximise the value to its members of the products which they purchase.
Website: www.cbconline.org.uk

Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI)'s mission is to help create and sustain the conditions in which businesses in the United Kingdom can compete and prosper for the benefit of all. The CBI is the premier lobbying organisation for UK business on national and international issues.
Website: www.cbi.org.uk

Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) is the leading international body representing purchasing and supply management professionals. It is the worldwide centre of excellence on purchasing and supply management issues. CIPS has over 36,000 members in 120 different countries, including senior business people, high-ranking civil servants and leading academics.
Website: www.cips.org

Centre for Procurement Performance
The Centre for Procurement Performance (CPP) has been established by the Department for Education and Skills to promote more efficient procurement across the education, skills and children and families systems.
Website: www.dfes.gov.uk/cpp

Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)'s vision is one of prosperous and cohesive communities, offering a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all. Its role is to build the capacity of communities to shape and protect their own future.
Website: www.communities.gov.uk

Disposal Services Agency
The Disposal Services Agency (DSA) provides a total managed disposal service for the MoD, wider public sector and industry. The Agency removes from its customers all the problems arising from the sale and disposal of surplus assets and the safe disposal of waste. It does this in conjunction with its partnering contractors.
Website: www.edisposals.com

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. It is accountable to the Secretary of State and Ministers and, through them, to Parliament and the public, for the efficient and effective management of the Agency and its responsibilities. Its primary aims are to facilitate road safety and general law enforcement by maintaining registers of drivers and vehicles, and to collect vehicle excise duty.
Website: www.dvla.gov.uk

Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was established in June 2001 to promote opportunity and independence for all, help individuals achieve their potential through employment and work to end poverty in all its forms. The DWP is the largest-spending civil department with an annual procurement expenditure of £4.3 billion, or 29% of the total civil procurement spend.
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk

Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation
The Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) is a joint committee of local authorities and operates within the Local Government (Goods & Services) Act 1970. It acts as a purchasing agent for its member authorities and other customers and provides a professional and cost-effective procurement and supply service.
Website: www.espo.org

Forum of Private Business
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is a member-led organisation, run wholly in the interests of its members. For 30 years, the FPB has lobbied on behalf of, and given business support to, independent businesses throughout the UK.
Website: www.fpb.org

Health Care Supply Association
The Health Care Supply Association is dedicated to promoting the role and importance of NHS supplies staff in cost-efficient supply chain management. The Association promotes the work of procurement and logistics staff working in health care at all levels. It also arranges training events and seminars, organises and sponsors educational and travel awards, and hosts and promotes a high-profile annual conference.
Website: www.healthcaresupply.org.uk

International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
The mission of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local authorities to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental and sustainable development conditions through cumulative local actions.
Website: www.iclei.org

Improvement and Development Agency
The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) works for local government improvement so that councils can serve people and places better. It also promotes the development of local government's management and workforce. The IDeA is owned by the Local Government Association and belongs to local government.
Website: www.idea.gov.uk

London Contracts and Supplies Group
Recognition of the collective expertise and resources of the London Boroughs, the GLC and the ILEA, and the desirability of increased participation in the development of policy led to the creation of the London Contracts and Supplies Group (LCSG) in 1976. Collectively the use of joint contracts has already realised savings in the region of £2.25 million per annum across the participating Boroughs.
Website: www.lcsg.org

Proc-HE
Proc-HE is the body responsible for developing and implementing the procurement strategy for UK Higher Education. The Proc-HE Secretariat, together with Procureweb (the sector's procurement community electronic database and communications system), supports Proc-HE in delivering the strategy.
Website: www.proc-he.ac.uk

Social Enterprise Coalition
The Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC) is the UK's national body for social enterprise. As the voice of the sector, the SEC provides a national platform for showcasing the benefits of social enterprise. The SEC is committed to representing the totality of social enterprise in all its forms, working to ensure social enterprises can learn from and support each other.
Website: www.socialenterprise.org.uk

Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government
The Society of Procurement Officers in Local Government (SOPO) engages in a range of activities to promote its strategic purchasing, contracting and supplies functions. Representing over 2600 members, SOPO provides area networks and forums and produces guidance on best practice. Its aim is to advise local authorities throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on all purchasing and supplies matters of national or general interest, and represent its members on other bodies to promote the Society and its aims.
Website: www.sopo.org

Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium
With 44 Higher Education members and 28 Further Education members, the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC) is the largest university purchasing consortium in the UK. Through collaboration with other university purchasing consortia, the SUPC is able to offer its members access to over 200 purchase agreements.
Website: supc.procureweb.ac.uk/home.jsp

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport formed in April 2003 from the merger of the Vehicle Inspectorate (VI) and the Traffic Area Network (TAN). VOSA's aim is to contribute to the management of road safety by promoting and enforcing compliance with commercial operator licensing requirements.
Website: www.vosa.gov.uk

Welsh Assembly
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved body that decides on its priorities and allocates the funds made available to it by the UK Government. Powers devolved to the Assembly include health, education, economic development, planning and culture. Within its powers, the Assembly develops policy and passes legislation affecting the people of Wales.
Website: www.wales.gov.uk

Welsh Health Supplies
Welsh Health Supplies (WHS) is part of the National Health Service within Wales and is a public sector not-for-profit procurement organisation. Its basic function is to provide a cost-effective contracting service to NHS Wales through the establishment of value for money contracts for a range of commonly used products and services such as syringes, bandages, foodstuffs and drugs.
Website: www.whs.wales.nhs.uk