§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts for goods or services have been awarded by his Department and its executive agencies on the basis of single negotiated contracts in each of the last three years; if he will list the companies involved and the value of the contract in each case; what percentage this represented of contracts awarded by his Department and its agencies after competitive tendering; and, in each case, why the contracts were awarded on the basis of a single negotiated tender. [22875]
§ Mr. HowardThe information requested is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are currently in force in his Department and its executive agencies relating to competitive tendering and the use of single negotiated tenders; on what grounds single negotiated tenders can be used; and what procedures are in place within his Department to ensure that the use of single negotiated tenders in competitive tendering processes is justified in all cases. [22859]
§ Mr. HowardDetailed Home Office guidance on competitive tendering procedures has been very widely circulated in the Home Office and its agencies. This incorporates the Government's public purchasing policy consolidated guidelines requiring goods and services to be obtained by competition unless there are convincing reasons to the contrary. In addition, the European Community procurement directives and World Trade Organisation Government procurement agreement require most contracts above specified thresholds to be awarded following competition, subject to certain specified exceptions. The central unit on procurement's guidance note No. 40 has also been circulated within the Home Office and provides an overview of best practice in competitive tendering.
Except for very low-value items, all proposals to buy goods and services by single tender are required to be refer to a specialist procurement unit within the Home. Office. Single tender will be approved only in exceptional circumstances; for example, when for reasons of security, or compatibility with existing equipment or the protection of intellectual property rights, goods or services may be provided by only one supplier.