§ Ms EagleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is issued to civil servants regarding(a) their dealings with applicants for single tender contracts and (b) the provision of written advice to such applicants. [39815]
§ Mr. HoramGuidance on single tender action is contained in two internal Department of Health publications, "Purchasing and Supply Manual" and "Guidance Notes on the use of Management Consultants".
The Department's policy is generally to avoid single tender action, but accepts that it may be justifiable in very limited circumstances, for example, where the work is an extension of a recently completed contract and it can be clearly demonstrated that this achieves better value for money or where the expertise required is available only from one source. Applicants are not advised that they are providing the sole tender.