Changing EU Procurement rules

The government has signalled its displeasure at its inability to award the ThamesLink train contract to Canadian company Bombardier Transportation in order to support the train manufacturing facilities in Derby.  Instead the contract has gone to German company Siemens, who will in return create 300 jobs in Hebben, South Tyneside.  In total some 3000 or so jobs are at risk in Derby, and a campaign to overturn the decision has seen well supported marches, and angry questionning of government minister - see here.

I have pontificated about the decision in other places on the blog, but in principle the decision is right (if unfortunate).  The government really has no choice because of EU procurement legislation, which it has hinted it would like to change - no easy task.  Luckily there is a review of the rules in process (kicking off in earnest next year) and the UK government would like to know our views and gain our support in changing the current legislative framework.

There is a paper about it here.  Some of the proposals seem a little anodyne, but that is understandable - you don't want to go into a difficult negotiation with all guns blazing.   The specific changes suggested include;
- higher limits, quicker processes, measures to exempt 3rd sector organisations from some of the legislation, and to increase (in reality create) opportunities to negotiate with suppliers.

If you have an interest in public procurement in the UK, and Europe, and strongly suggest you have a look and let the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, know what you think, and what you would like to see changed.  This is an opportunity, and we should all take it.  Rather than complain about what the rules are without doing anything about it, let's engage and see if we can get any improvements. 

But don't hold your breath - the chances are the process will be slow, and the changes incremental.