Invite issued to PR practitioners to submit views on planned procurement reform

PR practitioners are being invited to submit their views on how the Scottish Government and other public agencies should go about procuring services, such as theirs.

The invitation is being extended to Scots members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and concerns the upcoming Procurement Reform Bill, being submitted by the Scottish Government.

Says CIPR Scotland: “The 2011 the SNP set out its intention to bring forward a Bill to make clear the legislative framework for procurement decisions and support greater use of social and environmental considerations. In August, the Scottish government started a consultation on the Procurement Reform Bill.”

In a media release, CIPR Scotland chair, Laura Sutherland, is quoted, as saying:  “It is absolutely right that spending of public money should be done in a transparent manner that provides value to all tax-payers.

“However, to date, the extent this has been achieved is questionable.

“Both internal and agency resources have potentially been wasted.

“We are interested in hearing from both public sector and agency practitioners on their experiences and what can be done to improve procurement of communications services by Scottish public bodies.”

A deadline of Monday has been set for responses, to two online surveys: for tender producers (public sector or those working with public money) and tender responders (agencies or freelancers).

Read the Scottish Government’s consultation document, here.

And a Friday Column on allmediascotland, by Murray Calder, on the subject, here.