The law never stands still, and the way it applies to you and your organisation is constantly evolving. Our people are on top of these developments and can keep you up to date with some of the most interesting aspects of these changes. Check out our articles and updates for our perspective on issues that might affect you.
The whole purpose of a procurement procedure is to award a contract to a supplier. However, with contracting authorities devoting their attention to the procurement procedure itself, often the actual contract is not given proper consideration.
We will have new Scottish Procurement Regulations later this year or early next year. These will implement last year's EU directive, which has already been implemented in England & Wales. The new Regulations will introduce a number of important changes to the law and there will be further changes for Scottish public bodies to deal with when the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 comes into effect.
The wintry weather we are currently experiencing poses many challenges for local authorities and other public bodies, including ensuring that they are as prepared as possible to address unpredictable weather-related problems.
It is well established that ambiguity in tender criteria leaves a contracting authority exposed to challenge if a court would not be able to conclude that the criteria were sufficiently clear to permit a uniform understanding among tenderers.
The public procurement regulations are not the only legal constraint for a public body to consider when looking to purchase.