IPA hits out against "unbelievable" government tender pitching plans
The IPA in London has hit out at how UK Government departments are interpreting European procurement legislation, which it says has led to “unbelievable�? practices.In particular, the IPA is unhappy that the Government now demands that creative agen
The IPA in London has hit out at how UK Government departments are interpreting European procurement legislation, which it says has led to “unbelievable” practices.
In particular, the IPA is unhappy that the Government now demands that creative agencies are forced to pitch for every piece of business – no matter how small – even if they are already included on an official roster.
The debate will have particular resonance in Scotland, where a Government tender is underway; and it has been made clear to agencies that once on the roster they will have to participate in mini pitches for every account operated under its terms.
The Scottish Government has said that it is doing so in the interests of “transparency”.
Marina Palomba, legal director of the IPA to the Drum: “What they are doing is not procurement law, this is their choice to be difficult. It’s not procurement law, on the contrary. Procurement law says you have to be proportionate.
“It seems to me to be fairly unbelievable that this seems to them to be the right way to deal with things. It beggars belief on a commonsense level.
“Most of the time law is logical, most of the time what legislators are trying to do is to protect vulnerable groups. Small businesses can be vulnerable to extensive tender procedures because they don’t have the resources to bid for very big projects.
“What local Government should not do is go out to every man and his dog, forcing them to spend money on work, which is then wasted and thrown away.
“To go out and tender to everybody on a roster is disproportionate and contrary to procurement law.”
Guy Robertson, chair of IPA Scotland said his branch of the organisation had not been involved in these discussions.
In the last issue of The Drum, we revealed that the Scottish Government PQQ announcement had been delayed due to the number of agencies expressing an interest.