§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What special steps are taken (if any) to bring to the attention of appropriate companies opportunity to tender for public contracts.
§ The Secretary of State for Trade (Lord Cockfield)The Department of Industry's BookletTendering for Government Contracts, although designed specially for small firms, provides general information about Government contract opportunities and qualification procedures. Individual contracts are either drawn directly to the attention of appropriate firms which have completed qualification procedures, or are put to open tender. A large number of contracts are also advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How frequently have qualified companies been invited to tender again for 25 per cent. of any public contract having failed with their initial tender.
§ Lord CockfieldUnder the Government's Special Preference Scheme, qualified firms in development areas which have initially failed to win a contract may796WA be given an opportunity to retender for 25 per cent. of the order at a price which would entail no additional cost to the purchaser. Details of how frequently this occurs are not available.
§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of public bodies' tenders are satisfied by companies in development areas.
§ Lord CockfieldDuring the three years 1979 to 1981 Government departments let an average of 15 per cent. of their total contracts to firms in development areas. Figures for other public bodies are not available.
§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What register (if any) do Government departments maintain that is made available to public buying authorities.
§ Lord CockfieldGovernment departments maintain lists of firms which have completed the necessary qualification procedures in order to tender for public contracts. But these are not made available to other public sector bodies.