Public Procurement
I have been considering writing or not about the current situation with the COVID-19 vaccines in the EU. First, the AstraZeneca row with the Commission and Member States and second, the difficulties in scaling up production. As for the first, now is not the moment to discuss the topic and
Public Procurement
The National Audit Office has just published yet another report connected with COVID-19 public procurement, this time about the test and trace in England. Once more the report makes for some grim reading, even though this is simply an interim report and one not focusing on a value-for-money assessment. In
Public Procurement
As promised yesterday, here's the second part of the fisking of the UK Government response to the NAO report on public procurement, focused on the "claims" section of its response: “ ” This is, frankly, pure obfuscation by means of mixing up completely different things together in the
Public Procurement
Last week I mentioned here the National Audit Office Report on COVID procurement which painted the UK Government procurement practice in a terrible light. Predictably, the Government responded with a note published on the Cabinet Office website. Said note, unfortunately, constitutes a prime example of a non-response response, that is
Public Procurement
The National Audit Office has just published this morning its report about the COVID related procurement practice in the UK up to the end of July. Despite the cautious and factual language, the truth is that as the title to this entry indicates, it makes for a very grim reading.
Public Procurement
I had the chance to speak virtually in two events this week, the first organised by Albert Sanchez-Graells from Bristol and Neli Garbuzanova about Healthcare procurement and commissioning during COVID-19. My short presentation is available here. I really like the narrow and tight focus of this event: 5 speakers, 90
Public Procurement
The Public Accounts Committee published yesterday its report on the Whole of Government Response to COVID-19 and, predictably, it pulls no punches: "5.There were fundamental flaws in the government’s central procurement and local distribution of vital goods and equipment. We recognise that the government was faced with
Public Procurement
I have been looking a bit into disaster procurement to get my head around as to why so much of the COVID-19 related procurement seems terrible. Had the chance to read Schwartz Katrina's lessons for ongoing US procurement reform efforts and was floored to see so many similarities
Public Procurement
I have kept myself quiet for some time as a way to simply observe the unfolding of the COVID crisis and the procurement answers to it. I think it is fair to say that 4-5 months in, we're firmly in the new normal and that implies some considerations.
Public Procurement
Just yesterday Lord Bethel was saying he couldn't give a date for the launch of the (centralised) COVID-19 tracing app and there indications it would come only in the winter. Well, that's all old news today as it seems the UK is finally coming to its
Public Procurement
Last week, OpenDemocracy managed to get the Government to disclose four NHS COVID related contracts. That it took them a threat of court action speaks millions about the value of transparency and accountability regarding public money in the UK these days. I haven't had the opportunity to explore
Public Procurement
It is now the end of May and I think the time has come for one final update on #ventilatorgate. Well, at least until the public inquiry into this mess gets in full swing. As of May 19th only 13,000 ventilators were available in the NHS, an increase of