Latest Government Procurement Service Strategy and Planning Framework delay may have been prompted by legal response from disgruntled agencies
Advertising body the IPA has criticised the government’s procurement process after it emerged that the process of appointing agencies to its ad strategy and planning framework was once again delayed because of disgruntled agencies apparently seeking legal representation.
The four-year-planning and service framework, which was advertised for tender in May claiming to be worth between £24m-£32m is expected to appoint up to 18 suppliers.
The successful applicants, using the government's e-auction tendering platform, will be tasked by the PSA with working alongside the Government's Collaborative Framework Public Sector bodies to provide strategy and planning services.
Partners include Central Government Departments, their arms length bodies and agencies, the NHS, Local Authorities and Non-Departmental Public bodies.
However the process has drawn criticism, with one agency boss describing it to The Drum as "a disgrace" after agencies were informed by email earlier this week of the delay for "a short period" which followed the bidding being abandoned last week after the eight hour process was complete.
According to industry sources, the latest delay to the online auction for the framework was the result of legal representation made by agencies adversely affected by the latest rule changes and fees are believed to have been below that of the minimum wage, alongside last week’s events.
Earlier this year, the IPA revealed that Government tendering cost agencies £11,500,000.
Geoff Russell, director of media affairs for the IPA, highlighted the advertising body's reservations over the procurement process for advertising services, which has proved 'financially unrewarding' for those working on it.
"Clients have a right to expect value for money, but to treat thought and creativity in the same way as buying nuts and bolts is to threaten the creative spark that can lift a good campaign into a great one," he added.
"Of course, if clients insist on adopting reverse e-auctions our members have little choice."
Russell continued to ask should the current process continue, that it be transparent to allow agencies to make a commercial decision over whether to be involved or not and that it be conducted "in a fair and efficient manner with consideration given to the time and effort of all the participants. “
The latest issues are sure to place pressure on MP Francis Maude who scrapped the established COI framework two years ago in favour of new procurement practices that is said to have also irritated senior figures within the Cabinet Office also.
Asked whether legal proceedings had prompted the delay, a Cabinet Office spokesperson would only say: “The Strategy & Planning eAuction scheduled for Thursday 5 September has been postponed for a short period while GPS reviews all feedback received from potential providers in order to ensure a successful outcome. GPS will advise of dates for the re-run at the earliest opportunity.”
The Scottish Government was forced to delay the announcement of its own Marketing Services Framework earlier this year when it faced a legal challenge from Newhaven, a dispute which was ultimately settled out of court.