A new membership association has been set up to support technology procurement in the public sector.
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and the Cost and Procurement Advisory Service (CPRAS) have joined up in creating the CIPFA/CPRAS Technology Procurement Association (CCTPA).
They said it will develop procurement frameworks and pathways that de-risk and streamline the tendering process for councils, universities and other public sector organisations.
Marcus Baxby, strategic alliances manager for CIPFA, told UKAuthority the organisation aims to go further than offering new procurement frameworks by working with its members on more elements of the process and focusing on dealing with specific issues.
“The idea is to bridge the bap between public sector organisations and the tech sector, particularly in frontier technologies” he said. “We’re looking to educate the public sector on some potential solutions harnessing the technologies and creating procurement pathways.”
He said this contrasts with an emphasis on off-the-shelf solutions in most other frameworks and cited the potential of doing more with technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and the internet of things.
CCTPA has begun work on development procurement frameworks aimed at tackling issues such as climate crisis, asset management and organisations efficiency.
Adapting at pace
Its chair, Andy Burns, said: "The public sector has adapted to operating digitally at pace remarkably well, particularly over the last year. The pandemic has shone a light on the opportunities technology presents to improve services and increase value for money for local taxpayers.
"However, with technology progressing so rapidly, it can be challenging for public institutions to keep up with the latest advances. Now more than ever, the sector needs support as they are asked to do more with ever-decreasing resources.
“Through the CCTPA, we look forward to bridging the knowledge gap and bringing best-in-class solutions right across the public sector."
Image from iStock, bubaone
