Electronic Tendering Service

HC Deb 19 March 2002 vol 382 cc214-6W

Mrs. Lawrence

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the result of the electronic tendering service pilot. [45055]

Mr. Andrew Smith

Further to my answer of 17 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli PembrokeshireOfficial Report column 26W, the Office of Government Commerce has now completed its e-tendering pilot scheme, run to assess the possible future establishment of an approved e-tendering system for use across government.

Tested across ten central government departments, the information gathered from the e-tendering pilot scheme has provided valuable experience and knowledge. In the light of the fact that the pilot did not fully meet all its operational objectives, the Government will not roll out the scheme.

The knowledge gained from the pilot will, along with feedback from other e-procurement pilots now underway, allow government to make a full assessment of the technological options that will work best and ensure value for money. Plans for adopting this technology will be announced later this year.