§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) products, (b) goods and (c) services were (i) bought and (ii) sold online by his Department in each of the last five years. [97449]
§ Mr. IngramDuring the last five years the Ministry of Defence has bought the following products, goods and services online:
Year Product 1998 Naval stores Medical supplies 1999 Naval stores Medical supplies 2000 Naval stores and cables Medical supplies 2001 Tools Cables Medical supplies 2002 Tools Cables Adhesives, tapes and sealants Bearings, pipe, tubing and valves Stationery Metals Polymers Packaging Medical supplies In addition, over the past six months the Ministry of Defence has piloted on-line reverse auctions which are a means of buying items or services against a published specification where pre-selected industrial partners are invited to bid in an on-line auction. In the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) the Battlefield Infrastructure Integrated Project Team has used this technique to purchase battlefield survey equipment and within in the Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) the Non-Project Procurement Organisation has used the technique to purchase cleaning products, resilient mounts and anti-freeze. Both DPA and DLO are planning to run further reverse auctions over the coming months, and the Department's corporate requirement for utilising the technique is now being scoped with a view to introducing such a capability during the next financial year.
The Disposal Services Agency will begin piloting an "e-Trade exchange" in April providing information to other Government departments on the availability of surplus MOD IT equipment which is available for purchase. The Disposal Services Agency website (www.disposalsservicesagency.mod.uk) aims to provide information to explain how to purchase Ministry of Defence surpluses either as a business or a member of the public as well as to explain the Agency's role in selling MOD surplus assets.
16WThe MOD has recently published "Defence e-Business: Understanding the Commercial Issues" in collaboration with the Defence Industries Council, and this publication provides guidance on the subject for both MOD staff and industry colleagues. The guide can be viewed online at www.contracts.uk. A hard copy version has also been produced and I am arranging for copies of this to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
The MOD is keen to embrace the technological advantages provided by e-Business to support the full range of procurement activities. To this end we are investing substantial sums of money, as well as consulting with industry, to ensure that these new technologies realise mutual benefits to the MOD and Industry.