Buying Solutions seeks centralised framework deal for electronic office supplies

Buying Solutions, the government's procurement partner, has tendered for the establishment of a centralised framework agreement for office supplies.

The tender, which appears on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), is split into two lots: the first will involve the supply and delivery of electronic office consumables, while the second will involve the supply of office stationary and small office machines. The lots are worth up to £4m each and will last for four years.

The winner or winners of the contract will supply to about 50 government bodies, including local authorities and police services.

This is part of a centralised procurement model enabled by an e-sourcing web site within the Cabinet Office. The system will also see the establishment of centralised category management, standardisation of specification and aggregating of spend.

Work is under way with central government departments to implement this model across nine identified categories of spend, of which office supplies is one.

This tender also forms part of the Minister for the Cabinet Office's commitment to removing unnecessary obstacles to small businesses supplying to government, according to the post on the OJEU.

The new centralised procurement model should help to end the huge disparities in payment for goods highlighted by a National Audit Office report last May. The report cited a 169 per cent difference in prices paid for LCD computer monitors in 2008 (from £65 to £125), with government bodies failing to leverage adequate discounts as a result of their significant buying power in many instances.

The tender notice states that applications should be received by 6 June this year.