Current Issue

Welcome to the January/February edition of Government Opportunities (GO) magazine – your essential guide to all that is happening within the public procurement sector.

2010 looks set to be another year of change, not just for public procurement but for the UK as a whole. With a General Election taking place this year, the major political parties have been unveiling the policies they will pursue should they gain office – and public spending reform lies at the heart of their plans for government.

In the last issue of GO we analysed the approaches being taken by the main national parties to public spending in the coming years. In the final instalment, GO looks at the possible impact these proposals may have on procurement and the key issues that are likely to arise in the sector.

Also making the headlines is Chancellor Alistair Darling’s 2009 Pre-Budget Report, which confirmed that the Government will stay with planned levels of overall departmental spending in 2010-11 in order to support the economy through the downturn. GO reports on all the key developments affecting the public and private sectors and the responses the report has generated.

The National GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2010-11 are now on the horizon. With nine categories to choose from there is every reason to enter and share the success of your – and your organisation’s – initiatives with others. As always, the GO Awards will reward innovation, dedication and imagination, and the judging panel are hoping for an even harder time in selecting the winning entries. The deadline for entries is 16 April; further information can be found by clicking here.

GO would also like to announce a new event for public and private sector buyers. More than 5000 key decision makers at all stages of the supply chain are expected to be at Procurex National, a free to attend event which will run from 9 to 10 March 2010 at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Attending Procurex National 2010 will offer all buyers from the public and private sectors a unique opportunity to maximise the benefits of their purchasing functions and engage directly with the supplier community. For further information, click here.

The January/February edition of the magazine will be available from 26 January. Public sector buyers can register to receive GO free by clicking here. Private sector organisations can subscribe by clicking here.