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Serco to stay on at HMP Dovegate
New management contract for Staffordshire prison follows a competitive procurement process.
ISS secures FCDO deal
Major contract with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office covers multiple sites.
Tender process for new CCS framework gets underway
Monday saw the doors open on RM6378, covering facilities management and security services.
Strategic Suppliers taking less of public sector spend
New analysis finds FM companies still doing well, mostly.
Home Office calls in Sodexo
Company named as performance partner for major estate services project.
Firms named to Parliament framework
Framework will support continued delivery of capital investment and maintenance projects across the Parliamentary estate.
EV charging grant deadline coming up
Government scheme to support depot charging infrastructure closes for applications in November.
Mitie named to CCS framework
FM group added to the Crown Commercial Service’s Management Consultancy Framework Four.
GPA extends BNP contract
BNP Paribas Real Estate secures a two-year extension of its Government Property Agency agreement.
Equans logs National Archives win
Longstanding relationship renewed with new contract.
New workplace services director at GPA
The Government Property Agency has confirmed the appointment of Carly Ersser.
Mitie appointed to run ‘green’ immigration centre
The site, the first all-electric immigration removal centre in the UK, will house up to 400 residents.
IWFM teams up with Government Property Profession
Partnership aims to drive up standards and innovation across the government estate.
Open letter calls on government to rethink Employment Rights Bill
Over 100 FM companies expressing concern over Bill’s impact.
Home and away: FCDO warned on maintenance backlog
Whitehall’s mounting problem with neglected maintenance isn’t confined to just its UK properties.
Mitie secures multi-service IPO contract
New deal covers engineering, cleaning and waste management for the government body.
Sodexo named NHS strategic supplier
Sodexo Health & Care appointed as one of only 15 strategic suppliers to the NHS.
Sodexo retains HMP Forest Bank contract
New 10-year award for the company’s Justice Services business.
Government looking at cleaning as vital service
BCC report being considered as evidence in the ongoing review of national resilience.
Mitie confirms DWP win
The FM group will provide the largest security workforce within the government estate.
NHSPS unveils new green plan
Comprehensive three-year strategy aimed at reducing the environmental impact of NHS facilities.
NHS looking at return of PFI
Pressing need for investment in new facilities may see the Private Finance Initiative resurrected.
Five-year DVLA contract for Mitie
Hard services deal extends to multiple buildings.
Government building maintenance backlog at least £49bn
NAO report finds MoD, NHS and school properties account for 88% of the total.
New CEO for GFSL
UK central government’s facilities services business has appointed Alistair Watters to lead its ‘next chapter’.
Public sector spend on FM continues to grow
Total public sector spend has increased 31% over the past four years.
MoJ looking for workplace services solution
Technology platform needed to monitor and report on the Ministry’s Property Transformation Programme.
Strategic suppliers see public sector income fall
Select group of service providers is doing well despite a second year of decline in their share of this market.
Mitie secures five-year deal with HMRC
New contract covers integrated FM services across the East Region of the department’s estate.
Sodexo in multi-site HMRC win
Integrated workplace services contract covers 24 sites across the western part of the UK.
Amey in prison hard services win
New contract awarded for management of hard FM at HMP Lowdham Grange.
Planning for the end of PFI
Over 150 projects will transfer to the public sector over the next five years. That brings with it some risks.
ISS confirms DWP win
Major contract signed for service delivery at multiple Department for Work and Pensions sites.
Government hub named leading workplace
Peterborough site has gained Leesman+ certification.
Waste strategy fails to deliver
A review of the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy has found that only a fifth of the policies have been fully implemented.
SMEs missing out on government contracts
Only 20% of direct public sector procurement spend was with SMEs in 2023.
Reconomy offers plan for waste sector
10-point regulatory framework aims to help new government reform the sector.
DfT renews Mitie deal
The Department for Transport has awarded the FM group a new seven-year contract.
CIWM issues resources policy blueprint
A new policy framework is urgently required to deliver a circular economy and resource resilience, the group says.
Serco gets 10 years at Ashfield
The contract renewal at HMP Ashfield in South Gloucestershire is worth £200m.
Mitie in the UK’s first ‘green’ prison win
Mitie Care & Custody has been awarded the contract to operate HMP Millsike.
CCS updates on the Procurement Act 2023
The Crown Commercial Service has compiled advice ahead of the expected autumn implementation.
Property bodies call for clarification on MEES
The minimum energy efficiency standards went out for consultation in 2021 – so what now?
GPA awards four contracts
The Government Property Agency has appointed advisors to support delivery of its Workplace Services Projects.
New FM leader for central government
Saurabh Bhandari joins Office of Government Property to lead estate transformation programmes.
GPA moves on biodiversity
New guidance document reflects the aim of tackling biodiversity loss.
HMRC names Mitie for security
Mitie appointed to provide security services at 40 sites nationwide.
Entegra in CCS success
The Sodexo procurement solutions business has been named to a key public sector agreement.
OCS named for CCS framework
OCS has been awarded a place on the Crown Commercial Service framework for RM6331 Healthcare Soft Facilities Management Services.
Industry looking for embodied carbon regulation
As the UK prepares for an eventual election, industry bodies are increasingly calling on parties to make manifesto commitments.
BCIS calls for priority on repairs and maintenance
The Building Cost Information Service is asking the government to address urgent R&M issues.
Q4 sees continued fall in public sector FM deals
The trend is up and down over time, but our latest report finds a considerable decline in activity for the final quarter of 2023.
Government sells £1bn of property
New figures in the Government Estate Annual Data Publication confirm £1.1bn of property sales in 2022/23.
Strategic suppliers see revenue slip
Top public sector supply partners have seen a decline in their overall sector revenue of 17% in the past year.
Sodexo extends six public sector contracts
The Government division has renewed deals with a combined value of £34m.
VIVO launches Dstl contract
VIVO Defence Services is now providing facilities management services for the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory.
OCS in Land Registry win
The five-year contract ensures a total facilities management solution across HMLR’s UK office estate.
OCS confirms five-year GPA contract
The contract, to be delivered by Atalian Servest, covers 69 sites.
Office for Students recruits Pareto
Pareto FM has won a hard services contract with the higher education body.
Q3 sees £1bn of public sector FM deals
The UK government awarded more than 250 contracts relating to facilities management in Q3 2023, worth a total of £1.1b.
SBFM to roll out academies in prisons
The soft services company is set to launch new HMP Academies to support the rehabilitation of prison leavers.
CIPD publishes ‘Manifesto for Good Work’
The focus is HR but much of this extends into FM, too.
ISS confirms GPA contract wins
The facilities services business has secured three FM contracts for the Government Property Agency.
GPA names COO
The Government Property Agency has appointed Lisa Commane as chief operating officer.
Net zero: UK nations need to work together
Effective working relationships between the UK and devolved governments will be key to achieving net zero by 2050.
GPA wins for ISS, Atalian Servest and Mitie
The Government Property Agency says the contracts are part of its UK-wide workplace services transformation programme.
Mitie in five-year GPA win
New contract covers 19 sites across the Government Property Agency’s Central region.
Amey supporting MoJ net zero goals
The services group is leading on a smart meter installation project across 36 prison sites.
Amey locks up MoJ extension
The Ministry of Justice has extended its contract for prison maintenance services in the north of the country.
Public sector deals jump in value
The number of contracts procured in Q2 2023 fell against Q1, but total value was up more than £250%.
GPA appoints ISS in two regions
The Government Property Agency has awarded new security contracts to ISS as part of its Workplace Services Transformation Programme.
JLL extends role with FCDO
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has appointed JLL to provide FM and property-related services in multiple countries across Europe.
Mitie extends FCDO deal
The deal covers TFM services for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office sites in London and at Hanslope Park, Milton Keynes.
MPs worry about lack of green plan
A new report from the Public Accounts Committee calls on Whitehall to pull together numerous decarbonisation plans into a coherent strategy.
ISS scoops Defra deal
Due to start in February next year, the seven-year contract covers multiple services for multiple sites.
Home Office appoints Serco
The Home Office Immigration Enforcement department has appointed Serco to manage the Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre.
DMA named as CCS supplier
The building services group has been added as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service’s FM and workplace DPS system.
G4S secures FCDO contract
G4S Secure Solutions has won a multi-million-pound contract for services at several Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office buildings.
PAC slams slow progress on Parliament refurb
The Public Accounts Committee laments that, after decades of broad consensus on the need for repairs and restoration, progress has been painfully slow.
Public sector: top FM business winners
A new report from public sector procurement specialist Tussell reviews market trends to identify 150 ‘FM Titans’.
Public sector procurement on the rise
The number of contracts awarded for FM services in the public sector rose in Q1 2023, reversing 2022’s second half decline.
Climate crisis: built environment can deliver viable solutions
But, warns the UK Green Building Council, only with the political will to scale up those solutions.
UKGBC joins Energy Efficiency Taskforce
The council says it is committed to bringing the voice of the sustainable built environment sector to the mission to improve energy efficiency in the UK.
Top Leesman rating for government office
The Government Property Agency has achieved Leesman+ certification at its Birmingham Hub.
Funds committed for delivery of building safety
Funding has been announced for recruitment and training of building control inspectors and fire inspectors working with the Building Safety Regulator.
Government jobs move north
More than 11,000 government roles have been relocated out of London to sites across the UK.
BESA urges clarity on energy policy
The Building Engineering Services Association has welcomed the creation of a new government department dedicated to delivering energy security and net zero.
JLL named GPA workplace partner
The Government Property Agency has appointed JLL as its strategic partner for workplace services performance.
Sodexo to support workplace transformation
A three-year contract with The Insolvency Service covers strategic programme and advisory services to support its Transforming Workplaces Project.
Energy: government must speed up spending
The Building Engineering Services Association is calling for the government to accelerate investment in energy efficiency and heat pumps.
Public sector procurement slips again
Contract awards for FM services in the public sector fell for a second quarter to the end of 2022.
Energy bills support: follow-on plan concerns
With the Energy Bill Relief Scheme due to end in March, the government has announced the Energy Bills Discount Scheme beginning in April.
Mitie to deliver DWP charging points
A £4.3m contract covers the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at more than 120 job centres across Britain.
Sodexo in 10-year prison win
The Ministry of Justice has awarded Sodexo the £260m contract to manage HMP Altcourse.
Property management plans challenged
A new report warns that plans for managing the government’s extensive property estate portfolio are out of sync with market conditions and lack ambition to reduce costs.
Net zero: ‘alarming lack of progress’
A new scorecard from the UK Green Building Council shows that government has fallen behind on decarbonising the built environment over the past year.
Government publishes first FM strategy
The document establishes a coordinated, cross-government vision for facilities management, setting the strategic approach and standards for ‘what good looks like’.
Business bodies call for net zero support
Two associations have responded to the government’s Net Zero Review by underscoring the need for leadership and support.
Public sector procurement falls
Contract awards for FM services in the public sector were at a two-year low in Q3 2022.
Mitie lands double extension at DWP
The Department for Work and Pensions has award one-plus-one year extensions to contracts for facilities management and provision of life systems services.
Building retrofits needed to support Truss plan
Rab Fletcher, president of the Building Engineering Services Association, argues that more positive action is required to deliver the necessary impact.
Sodexo awarded £264m prison contract
The company will manage HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire, following a competitive tender process.
Mitie in charge point win
The FM group has won a £4.5m contract to install and maintain electric vehicle charge points for the Environment Agency.
Government lacks good data on property
A lack of good data is a major barrier for central government in making effective decisions about property.
Market insight: public sector procurement picks up
FM-related deals in the public sector were worth a total of £872m in the second quarter of this year, up significantly on Q1 levels.
CCS confirms ‘social value-enabled’ FM framework
The Crown Commercial Service has awarded 44 suppliers places on its new Facilities Management and Workplace Services framework.
GPA partners with BNP Paribas
The Government Property Agency’s new strategic partner will advise on national property and property-related financial services.
New CEO at GFSL
Matthew Garner has been appointed interim chief executive officer at Gov Facility Services Ltd.
ISS extends GPA deal
ISS has agreed an 18-month extension of its contract with the Government Property Agency.
GPA updates on contract progress
The Government Property Agency has several FM contracts in the works, one to be awarded soon and more to follow early in the summer.
Market insight: public sector procurement falls in Q1
FM-related deals in the public sector were worth a total of £360m in the first quarter of this year, slipping back to 2020 levels.
Whitehall publishes digital playbook
FM singled out amongst the areas targeted for transformation in how services are assessed, procured and managed.
GPA sets out facilities management standards
The Government Property Agency, Whitehall’s in-house property advisor, has published standards on management of services and asset data.
GPA identifies trends for 2022
This year will be a pivotal one for the workplace, says the Government Property Agency.
Serco in wide-ranging MoJ win
A new 10-year contract sees the company taking responsibility for Her Majesty’s Prison and Young Offender Institute Fosse Way.
Senior appointments at GPA
The Government Property Agency has brought in two new directors as it continues to strengthen its team.
Public sector FM deals hit 2-year high
In 2021, government procurement for FM services was worth over £5bn, nearly double the value of FM procurement in the year before.
Net zero: businesses look to Whitehall for support
An Institute of Directors’ poll finds companies ready to work towards net zero but looking to government for financial support and guidance.
Government aims to open door for SMEs
The newly published ‘Selling to Government Guide’ offers information on how to bid for and win government contracts.
Wates completes MoJ Covid-19 response programme
Wates Smartspace was appointed by the Ministry of Justice to carry out mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering upgrade works at 21 HM Courts & Tribunals Service sites.
Government publishes Net Zero Estate Playbook
A new guide to decarbonising public sector buildings and creating a net zero public estate has been launched by the Cabinet Office.
FM framework webinar
Baachu, the facilities management marketing and business development consultancy, is planning a free webinar focused on the upcoming £35bn RM 6232 contract opportunity.
CCS publishes FM contract notice
Valued at £35bn, the new ‘collaborative agreement’ will have a life of four years and cover facilities management and workplace services.
Greener rules for government suppliers
New measures requiring businesses bidding for major government contracts to commit to achieving net zero emissions have come into force.
Public sector procurement: could do better for SMEs
Over 90% of British SMEs think the public sector should do more to remove the tendering barriers they face when bidding for contracts.
Bellrock confirms place on CCS framework
The company has joined others listed as suppliers on the Crown Commercial Service’s Estate Management Services framework.
Mitie secures DWP contract
The group’s Central Government and Defence team has won a new life systems contract with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Sodexo secures place on CCS framework
Sodexo’s Integrator business has been named as a supplier on the new £500m Estate Management Services Framework.
Market insight: 176 public sector contracts in Q2
The public sector continues to be fertile ground for new contracts, with FM-related deals totalling almost £230m awarded in the second quarter of this year.
Local government and net zero: more to be done
Central government has not provided local authorities with clarity about their roles in achieving net zero by 2050, and its approach to funding their net zero work is piecemeal.
DVLA checks the route ahead
The Swansea-headquartered agency is planning for what comes next, with its 20-year outsourcing deal due to end in 2025.
Market insight: £465m in new contracts in Q1
The public sector should probably be on your business development target list. Over 180 new FM contracts were awarded in the first quarter of this year, according to public procurement experts Tussell.
BSI to monitor government sustainability performance
The standards group has been selected to assess the G7 Summit and COP26 events against the international sustainability standard, ISO 20121.
Procurement guidance published
New guidance sets out how public spending should help drive wider benefits, from job creation to helping protect the environment.
Government tightens focus on consulting and procurement
A new strategy and consulting hub has been launched to boost internal expertise across government.
The future of asset management
Technology is changing asset management fast, as illustrated by a new contract awarded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
Mitie in 7-year Scotland win
The win extends a 13-year partnership with the Scottish Government.
Government publishes vision for decarbonisation
The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy aims to slash emissions by two-thirds in just 15 years.
Imtech Inviron on Parliament Framework
The hard services provider has been selected as a UK Parliament Framework provider.
Another CCS place for Mitie
The FM group has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service agreement for building cleaning services.
Fusion21 launches £1.1bn framework
Procurement organisation and social enterprise Fusion21 has announced the launch of its national Workplace & Facilities Framework. It is now inviting bids from interested suppliers.
Calls for POE on all publicly funded buildings
Post-occupancy evaluation should be standard practice to ensure all new buildings meet intended energy efficiency ratings and provide optimum value for money.
Social value in procurement model launched
Businesses seeking to win government work will need to set out how they will also deliver social value priorities, following new measures introduced last week.
Wates FM extends HMRC deal
The service provider has expanded its partnership with HMRC after a "hugely successful" first year.
MoJ's "naïve" approach to outsourcing slammed
A new report condemns the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service's "failure" in attempts to improve the condition and suitability of the prison estate.
Amey scoops Highways England FM contract
Amey has been appointed to provide facilities and estate management services across an extensive and growing operational estate.
Call for more clarity on social value in contracts
New CBI research suggests that progress on embedding social value in government contracts is being slowed by confusion around definitions and application.
Covid-19: new framework for return-to-work technology
A procurement framework to help public sector organisations access technology that supports social distancing in the workplace has been launched.
Report highlights simmering problems within the NHS
The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee issued a new report this week highlighting a number of areas where urgent action is required, including around the state of the NHS estate.
CCS opens new Facilities Management Marketplace portal
Buyers from both central government and the wider public sector can access the online portal to purchase a range of FM services, from maintenance and cleaning to security and catering.
CBI calls on government to back green recovery
Fast-tracking green investment and making rapid progress towards net-zero emissions while delivering sustainable jobs must be central to recovery plans, the CBI says.
Lessons from the US: influencing government
The High Performance Buildings Coalition, based in Washington, represents about 200 organisations involved in building efficiency, innovation and sustainability. Its key focus is the US Congress.
Updated Outsourcing Playbook published
The Outsourcing Playbook, designed to ensure that government and the private sector work together well, has been revised and updated.
BCC seeks to meet minister
The British Cleaning Council has written to the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets to ask for a meeting to discuss key industry issues.
Government publishes back-to-work guidance
A series of publications aim to offer practical guidelines to make workplaces as safe as possible and give people confidence to go back to work during the pandemic.
Public sector outsourcing market may be stabilising
April saw a 66% in new public sector contract opportunities compared to February according to Tussell, the market intelligence firm.
FM suppliers for MoD training estate named
Five service providers have secured places on a new Crown Commercial Service agreement to support facilities management for the UK's Defence Training estate.
Amey extends prisons role
Amey has recently started to install the first wave of temporary cells at two facilities as part of the battle to reduce the spread of covid-19 within the prison estate.
Landscaping industry asks for help
Three major plants and landscaping bodies are pressing their case with the government for a rescue package for the industry.
Employers urged to issue letters to cleaners
Employers of cleaning staff operating in critical industries have been urged to provide them with written proof that they should be treated as critical and key workers.
Cabinet Office asks outsourcers to work together
Outsourcing groups have been asked to share staff resources to ensure the delivery of public sector contracts, according to reports.
Calls for key worker status grow
Following the publication of the key worker list last week the government has been on the receiving end of appeals to add further disciplines, initially cleaning and security and now FM.
Industry to provide buildings for key workers
Organisations representing thousands of professionals across the surveying, architectural and planning specialisms have written to the Prime Minister to offer their help in fighting back against the growing coronavirus epidemic.
Public sector ordered to pay suppliers immediately
The Cabinet Office has published guidance for public bodies on payment of their suppliers to ensure service continuity during and after the current coronavirus outbreak.
Vinci wins in Wales
Vinci Facilities has won a three-year total facilities management contract with Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic monument service, across its entire estate.
Think-tank warns on dangers of 'another Carillion'
The Institute for Government argues that Whitehall has yet to address the problems that led to the collapse of the construction and services group two years ago.
HMRC calls in Atalian Servest again
The FM provider has secured its fourth contract with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in less than 18 months.
Mitie lands Home Office deal
Mitie has secured a three-year contract to provide security services to the Home Office.
ENGIE secures place on CCS framework
ENGIE has been named as a supplier on Lot 6 of the new Crown Commercial Service RM6017 Postal Goods, Services and Solutions framework.
Prisons: contracting out services has failed
That's the top-line conclusion of a damning report published late last week by the National Audit Office, the parliamentary spending watchdog.
FCO contract staff to strike
February sees staff on Interserve's contract at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office ready to launch one month's strike action in a simmering dispute over union recognition.
CBI offers Outsourcing Playbook follow-up
A new report from the business group outlines a series of measures both the public and private sectors can take to improve the management of contracts.
The cost of Carillion's collapse
The National Audit Office has published the findings of its investigation into two PFI hospitals that Carillion was building at the time it failed in January 2018.
Courts contracts for OCS and ENGIE
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has awarded two contracts worth a combined £1.1bn over nine years.
UK public procurement up 17% in 2019
Over 2000 buyers awarded more than 45,000 contracts adding up to £93bn in total value, according to public sector specialists Tussell.
Go green, says RICS
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has launched its General Election 2019 manifesto, calling on the future government to move past Brexit and to overhaul current domestic policies to build a more sustainable country.
Interserve wins extension on multi-department deal
The group has secured a six-month extension to provide total facilities management services at a London site used by eight government departments.
Liquidator finds £500m for Carillion creditors
The Insolvency Service has recovered £510m as all the strands of the collapsed contractor are wound up.
NHS Property Services: set up to fail
That's the assessment from the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee in a new report listing a series of problems faced by NHSPS, coupled with recommendations for action.
CBI calls for decade of action on climate change
The run up to the COP26 meeting in the UK must be used by the next government to kick-start ambitious and focused action to tackle the climate emergency.
PHS lands supply contract for 20,000 schools
The Department for Education has appointed PHS Group to provide free period products for girls and young women in schools and colleges throughout England.
Committees seek update on Carillion investigations
The chairs of the parliamentary Work and Pensions and Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy committees have requested progress reports from the Insolvency Service and the Financial Reporting Council.
Mitie scoops nationwide deal with HMRC
Mitie has won a five-year contract to provide technology-led security services to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
Whitehall's Strategic Suppliers: new insights
Tussell, the public sector procurement advisor, reports that central government's 'Strategic Suppliers' will be earning £10bn over the 2018/19 contract year.
Sodexo introduces new Public Service Pledge
Sodexo has published the third edition of its unique set of strategic and ethical commitments to its customers, employees and the communities in which it operates.
CBI calls for reform of apprenticeship levy
Urgent steps must be taken by government to reform the apprenticeship levy in England so firms can offer more of the high-quality training they need to succeed.
Whitehall introduces new prompt payment rules
New rules designed to make sure government suppliers pay their bills on time came into force on 1 September.
The CCS framework place industry
Recent moves by the Crown Commercial Service suggest that securing a place on a service provision framework has become a bit of an industry in itself, with a growing number of third-party organisations promising assistance.
Mitie on Prison Operator Services framework
The Ministry of Justice launched the POS framework to manage a pipeline of competition for new prisons and, potentially, existing privately managed prisons over the next six years.
Interserve named to Prison Operator Services framework
Interserve Group has been awarded a place on the new Ministry of Justice £4bn framework agreement.
Catch 22 secures place on CCS framework
The recruitment services specialist has been selected for the new Crown Commercial Service framework for non-clinical staff across the NHS and a wide variety of governmental and public sector organisations.
New PM has 'once in a generation' chance to transform buildings
The new government team led by Boris Johnson has an unprecedented opportunity to dramatically shift policy on the built environment and deliver higher standards of safety, sustainability and social justice.
Union calls for indefinite action at BEIS
A dispute over pay rates for outsourced staff at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been rumbling on for months. Now the union involved has increased the stakes, with plans for "indefinite" strike action.
Sodexo in two HMRC wins
HM Revenue and Customs has awarded the group a new contract covering soft services in two regions.
Kier sell-off: public sector contracts on the way out
When construction and services group Kier, a 'Strategic Supplier' to government, sells a portfolio of non-core businesses this will include off-loading £200m in public sector contracts.
NHS Property Services: must do better
NHSPS has met many of its objectives, including in FM, but it lacks the powers to solve other growing problems, according to parliamentary watchdog the National Audit Office.
ENGIE team in major Canadian energy win
Innovate Energy has closed a 35-year public-private partnership contract to modernise, maintain and operate the district energy system that heats and cools multiple buildings in Canada's capital region.
Businesses call for legislation on net zero economy
More than 120 leading UK businesses, investors and business networks are calling on the UK government to put climate neutrality by 2050 into legislation immediately.
Swing to frameworks leaving service providers behind
Public procurement specialist Tussell says that facilities management suppliers are missing out on hundreds of opportunities with the public sector because they aren't listed on some of the most important frameworks.
Mitie confirms CCS framework success
The group has been named as a supplier on the Crown Commercial Service facilities management frameworks for security and defence.
Government warns on paying on time
More than 10,000 businesses have been warned by the government that they must pay their suppliers on time or face being prevented from winning further government contracts.
Think-tank urges better public sector procurement
Reform, which focuses on public services improvement, has published a lengthy analysis of commissioning policy and practice in England, culminating in a series of recommendations.
Public procurement standard out for consultation
Views are being sought on a new draft standard that sets out generic requirements for organisations providing products and services to the public sector.
Atalian Servest in HMRC's sights
A new contract award positions the company as a critical engineering services provider to HMRC across its central region within the UK.
Government 'shake up' around contracts and social value
Businesses that want to secure future government contracts will be urged to show they can also help improve society by tackling issues such as modern slavery and climate change.
Vinci lands DfE FM contract
The Department for Education has awarded a four-year multi-services contract to Vinci Facilities.
HMRC turns its focus on Bellrock
Bellrock is to support HMRC in its northern region to deliver the department's smart building vision, part of the biggest modernisation of the UK tax system in a generation.
Whitehall publishes Outsourcing Playbook
A new guide on outsourcing decisions and contracting has been designed to improve how government works with industry and to deliver better public services.
Central government, contracts and the way forward
Outsourcing has been firmly in the news again as we pass the anniversary of the Carillion collapse and learn more about the situation at other big-name firms, as well as government thinking on the future.
Living wills become a thing in FM
Central government is looking seriously at them as a requirement for key service providers, and that may set the scene for broader application.
NAO questions NHS financial sustainability
In its annual report on the NHS, the National Audit Office concludes that substantial deficits in some parts, offset by surpluses elsewhere coupled with growing waiting lists and increases in waiting times, does not paint a picture that is sustainable.
Facilities services staff at MoJ set to strike
Outsourced staff including security guards, cleaners and receptionists at the Ministry of Justice are planning a 48-hour strike beginning 21 January, which may force MoJ offices to close.
Government outsourcing: "a turbulent year"
An annual review from public procurement analyst Tussell also highlights some key trends for the future.
Government cut-backs: some positive news
New figures from the Cabinet Office show that the size of the government estate has continued to fall, along with costs, resource consumption and emissions.
Understanding the scale of government contracting
Government spends £284bn a year on buying goods and services from external suppliers. That's around a third of all public expenditure.
Crack down on supplier payment
Whitehall has announced a new prompt-payment initiative to ensure all government suppliers and subcontractors benefit from being paid on time.
New contracts to "revolutionise government procurement"
Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington has announced new measures to deliver better public services and use contracts as a "force for good".
MoD plans to diversify supply base
The Ministry of Defence has announced plans for modernising its estate and establishing a broader and more diverse supply base.
CCS tackles renewable energy for government
The Crown Commercial Service is setting out to make it easier for public bodies to reduce their carbon footprint by launching a new agreement that makes renewable energy easier to source.
100% Hackitt campaign launched
An industry initiative to encourage the government to deliver all of the recommendations contained in Dame Judith Hackitt's report has been launched with the backing of two key industry bodies.
Think-tank takes on PFI
The Private Finance Initiative has been a controversial policy virtually from the day it was introduced in the early '90s. Nowhere has this been more so than in the UK health sector and one group has been looking at alternative strategies.
Vinci lands £38m Welsh Government TFM deal
Vinci Facilities has won a new five-year contract with the Department of Economy and Infrastructure to provide total facilities management and affiliated services across its property portfolio.
ISS retains Irish Parliament contract
ISS Ireland has been reappointed to deliver cleaning and related services at the Houses of the Oireachtas for a further four years.
Amey wins UKHO contract
The UK Hydrographic Office has awarded a three-year contract to Amey covering a range of facilities management services at its new head office.
MPs slam government on supplier oversight
Two parliamentary committees, working together to look at the lessons from the Carillion collapse and how Whitehall manages major service providers, have registered alarm about a lack of action.
ISS in multi-site win with BEIS
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has awarded ISS a four-year contract covering over 50 sites.
Amey takes over MoD contracts
Amey has completed the acquisition of the Ministry of Defence Regional Prime and National Housing Prime contracts, picking up the agreements formerly jointly held with Carillion.
Government outsourcing bounces back
Public sector outsourcing spend increased sharply in the first six months of 2018 despite a backdrop of Brexit uncertainty.
Interserve extends FCO deal
The new five-year contract to provide total facilities management services for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is worth £67m.
iSite appointed to G-Cloud 10 Framework
Software specialist iSite has been awarded supplier status on the government's G-Cloud 10 Framework, making it available to government departments and the wider public sector.
BIFM welcomes PAC recommendations
The British Institute of Facilities Management has welcomed recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee following its Strategic Suppliers Inquiry.
PAC singles out government procurement failings
The latest report from the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee highlights a series of flaws in central government procurement policy and procedure.
CCS launches FM Marketplace, confirms providers list
The Crown Commercial Service has launched the Facilities Management Marketplace agreement, designed to give the public sector access to a wide range of suppliers for their FM requirements.
Carillion exposes flaws in government outsourcing
The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has published a hard-hitting report on the Carillion saga.
Whitehall offers simplified public sector contract
The government has launched a new, simplified contract designed to make it easier for businesses to apply for public sector work.
Government announces post-Carillion changes
Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington has unveiled a package of new measures designed to promote "a healthy and diverse marketplace" of companies bidding for government contracts.
NAO reviews Carillion's final months, and the cost
The National Audit Office has published an investigation into the government's handling of the collapse of Carillion. The likely cost to taxpayers is £148m, though that could well rise.
Strategic suppliers inquiry launched
We've argued several times that the Carillion collapse has to mean something for the industry, ideally in terms of lessons learned. Certainly the groundwork for that is being laid by the number of examinations spurred at central government level.
Committees launch next round of Carillion inquiry
The Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees have written to all witnesses and key stakeholders, inviting responses to the inquiry's findings.
Servest extends FCO deal
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has added another year to its security contract with the services provider, pushing the end date out to 2020.
Cordant boss calls for social value in government contracts
Public sector contracts should no longer be given to the lowest bidder but awarded to "social business" companies that agree to share profits with staff and employ local workers.
Bentley offers MPs views on Carillion lessons
Addressing the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee yesterday, Mitie CEO Phil Bentley highlighted six lessons he suggested should be learned from the collapse of Carillion.
KBR acquires Carillion's share of Aspire Defence
KBR is now the sole backer of the former joint venture that has supported the Ministry of Defence on Project Allenby Connaught since 2006.
OCS in five-year MoJ win
The Ministry of Justice has awarded the new multi-service contract as part of the government department's integrator service delivery model.
TUC offers insights on lessons to be learned from Carillion
The TUC has published a report on the reforms needed to protect public services and improve quality in the wake of Carillion's collapse three months ago.
ENGIE secures extension double at DWP
ENGIE has extended its relationship with the Department for Work and Pensions with two new contracts for administrative support services.
Whitehall tightens up subcontractor protections
In a move at least partly inspired by the Carillion experience, the Cabinet Office is planning new measures designed to help secure the position of smaller businesses working on government contracts.
Whitehall launches property agency
The new Government Property Agency intends to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the government estate and generate benefits of between £1.4bn and £2.4bn over the next ten years.
DWP turns to WSP for security advice
As the Department for Work and Pensions makes the transition to a new estates and FM services model consulting firm WSP has been appointed as Security Technical Advisor.
Singapore rolls out smart bins
JTC, the Singapore government's development agency, has installed more than 40 solar-powered smart waste bins around its key commercial sites.
Calls for change, but will they stick?
Yesterday, a profit warning from Capita sent its share price plummeting by nearly 50%, cutting the company's stock market value by more than £1 billion.
MoJ launches FM company as Carillion impacts roll on
Acting on the government's "robust contingency plans", the Ministry of Justice has announced the creation of a new government-owned facilities management company.
Apprenticeship Levy numbers down again
New Department for Education figures show that the number of apprenticeship starts fell by 27% in the first quarter of this academic year compared to last year.
Financial watchdog takes a hard look at PFI
The National Audit Office has published a report on PFI and its successor PF2, an unexpectedly timely review of a key contracting concept that reshaped one big part of the public sector outsourcing landscape.
Carillion fallout continues
Following news of Carillion’s liquidation on Monday, question marks over the stability of another government supplier have emerged.
CCS FM framework update
The next Crown Commercial Service Facilities Management Framework is moving ahead, with the contract notice published and the latest briefing due at the end of this week.
G4S lands multi-site DWP contract
G4S Secure Solutions has won a contract with the Department for Work and Pensions to provide security services for an estate of over 700 properties.
Mitie seals Home Office deal
Mitie's Care & Custody business has been awarded a 10-year contract with the Home Office worth an estimated £525m.
Mitie lands highways safety deal
The group's security business has been awarded a two-year contract with Highways England to provide up to 50,000 road workers with a health & safety passport.
Gearing up for the next-gen CCS framework
Preparations are underway for introduction of the next FM services framework from the Crown Commercial Service. There's plenty of time to get involved, but providers should be planning their bidding strategies now.
Change at the top in Interserve
Bruce Melizan, Managing Director of Interserve Support Services, has stepped down from the board as part of the organisation's ‘Fit for Growth’ programme.
Public sector outsourcing spiked in Q3
The public sector outsourcing market experienced its strongest quarter in 2017 between July and September, as government bodies renewed investment in transforming back-office services.
FM framework to trial new streamlined contract
The next Crown Commercial Service facilities management framework looks set to be the testbed for a shorter, simpler, easier to use central government contract.
DWP: some good news for Interserve
Interserve has been awarded a five-year contract worth £227m to provide facilities management services for the Department for Work and Pensions.
Next CCS briefing next week
Manchester is the site of the next update from the Crown Commercial Service on plans to launch a new facilities management framework.
Interserve secures prison training deal
The services group has signed a £12m contract with the Ministry of Justice to run a series of employment workshops at HMP Berwyn, a large new prison in Wrexham.
Australia names three big winners
The Australian government has awarded three major contracts for the provision of integrated property and facilities management services, each encompassing multiple government clients.
BIFM calls for evidence-based migration policy
The British Institute of Facilities Management is calling on the government to ensure that any future migration policy is evidence-based and meets the skills needs of the British economy and its industries.
Interserve motors off with DfT contract
The Department for Transport has awarded a five-year, multi-customer TFM deal worth £90m to Interserve.
CCS unveils new estates framework
The Crown Commercial Service has launched a new Estates Professional Services framework which, it says, could save public sector bodies £35m over the next four years.
CCS plans second briefing on FM framework
The Crown Commercial Service is developing a new FM framework and will hold a feedback event on 13 July in Manchester.
Sodexo wins largest integrator contract in the public sector
Sodexo has secured a five-year contract with the Department for Work & Pensions to provide an integrated asset and estates management service.
Still time to learn about new FM framework
The new Crown Commercial Service Framework, due to be tendered in 2018 and worth a total of £12bn, will be the focus of a key event tomorrow, 6 June.
Premier reselected for Parliament
Premier Workplace Services has been awarded a new contract for the provision of removals, porterage and storage at the Houses of Parliament.
CCS plans new FM framework
With the current Crown Commercial Service framework for facilities management due to expire in July 2019 notice of the next one, with a total value of up £12bn, has been published.
Praise and criticism for government estate strategy
Government is getting better value for money from its estate, but the Government Property Unit is not making much progress towards its key objective.
NHS property: Naylor review published
The end of March saw the publication of a long-awaited investigation into estates strategy needs and options within the NHS. What happens now will be a measure of the commitment to sorting out some longstanding issues.
Government must focus on improving contract management
Central government is improving the way it manages outsourced public services but precarious reforms could still fail, according to new research by independent think tank the Institute for Government.
Interserve gets Justice
The support services business has been awarded a one-year extension to its TFM contract with the Ministry of Justice.
Xenon supporting property professionalisation initiative
As part of a drive to increase skills and capabilities within the 2000-member Government Property Profession group, the training services provider has been appointed to deliver accredited facilities management qualifications.
Crown Commercial Service: a work in progress
The government's central buying agency was certainly born out of a laudable ambition, but assessing its effectiveness so far is not easy according the National Audit Office.
Interserve sweeps up government 'cluster' deal
The support services and construction group has won a five-year total facilities management contract encompassing six central government departments.
One Public Estate passes 150 mark
The Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association have confirmed that 159 councils will join the next phase of the programme that targets improvements in the use of public sector property.
Interserve secures Environment Agency extension
The company has been awarded a two-year extension to its multi-service, multi-site deal with the Environment Agency.
Mitie secures place on CCS G-Cloud agreement
Mitie has been awarded a Crown Commercial Service contract under the G-Cloud framework, which covers a range of cloud-based services for public sector bodies.
DWP plans replacement of PRIME contract
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a tender process that will ultimately lead to the appointment of a new services provider, as its existing 20-year outsourcing deal comes to a close.
Servest lands FCO security services deal
The group will be working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the next three years at six sites in the UK.
Servest retains Parliament contract
Servest has won a new five-year contract at the Houses of Parliament, building on an existing three-year working relationship.
Interserve secures TFM deal at Home Office
The services provider has won the five-year contract under the new Crown Commercial Services facilities management framework.
Built environment industry backs low carbon commitment
In a letter printed in the Financial Times late last week, a long list of organisations representing the construction and property sectors came together to underline their views on the importance of sustainability.
KBR secures Home Office contract
The FM services provider has won the first contract to be awarded under the Crown Commercial Service FM Assurance Framework.
Shared service centres: missed opportunity?
Whitehall's programme to transfer back-office functions to two shared service centres is making savings, but it's not delivering value for money.
Government launches social enterprise buying challenge
Interserve and Wates are amongst the major companies backing a campaign to see more goods and services procured from the UK's social enterprise sector. The initiative marks the start of Responsible Business Week.
NOA aims to 'rid public sector of outsourcing failure'
The National Outsourcing Association is launching a campaign to drive improvements in public sector outsourcing at a time, it says, when an unprecedented number are choosing outsourcing to improve services and help deal with cuts to funding.
CIBSE slams government energy policy
A lack of consistent policymaking and disjointed attempts at delivery are behind past failures of energy efficiency policy, says the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.
Grounds contractors challenge NLW impact
BALI-NCF, the National Contractors' Forum for grounds maintenance contractors, has written to government ministers and the Low Pay Commission highlighting the implications for local authorities of the introduction of the National Living Wage.
Whitehall to slash office estate
Central government has pledged to reduce the size of its office estate by 75% by 2023. And it is calling on local government bodies to publish their own rationalisation plans.
Changing how government does outsourcing
Flexible contracts, greater innovation and collaborative risk management are among commercial behaviours the public sector should adopt, the CBI says.
New guidance for public sector service providers
The Committee on Standards in Public Life has published a new guide for providers of services to the public sector, aiming to promote high ethical standards across the board.
SMEs most at risk ahead of BIM deadline
Small and medium-sized firms could find themselves unintentionally frozen out from competing for tens of billions of pounds of central government contracts in just a matter of months.
Think tank launches public sector outsourcing support tools
The Institute for Government says research has highlighted a lack of practical information and support for management teams in central and local government tasked with designing and implementing outsourcing programmes. It has set out to fill that gap.
SMEs and public sector contracts
The past couple of years have seen several policy announcements focused on a government campaign to open up competition for contracts to small and medium sized enterprises. But does Whitehall actually understand the needs and resources of SMEs?
Government's living wage will not lead to job losses in London
That's the conclusion from new think tank research, which finds that the London economy can currently support an uplift in wages without impacting employment.
KBR named for FM assurance role
The Crown Commercial Service has awarded its new Facilities Management Assurance agreement to Kellogg, Brown & Root, the international advisory services group.
Whitehall moves again in support of SMEs
Matt Hancock, Minister for the Cabinet Office, has announced a new target to get more small businesses working on central government contracts.
CCS to build apprenticeship commitment into contracts
Declaring that procurement will play a key part in Whitehall's support for apprenticeships, the Crown Commercial Service has said that it will write contractors' commitments into contract documents.
BSRIA calls for single point of contact on carbon
In a recently launched white paper on the issues involved in achieving carbon targets the building services group sets out the challenge of making progress in a confusing policy climate.
CCS unveils new facilities management agreement
The much-discussed agreement will provide access to standardised services for the public sector and is expected to save hundreds of millions of pounds.
Zero carbon buildings off the agenda
Plans to introduce zero carbon homes in 2016 and zero carbon non-domestic buildings in 2019 have been dropped by the government.
Carillion lands registry extension
The Land Registry has extended its TFM contract with Carillion for a further two years.
A living wage vs the Living Wage
In his summer Budget Chancellor George Osborne set out plans for a national living wage to replace the national minimum wage.
Open-book accounting a closed book to Whitehall
The National Audit Office is calling for government to negotiate greater access to, and to make better use of, information about how much outsourced public services are actually costing suppliers and therefore how much profit they are making.
Action needed now on climate change
The Committee on Climate Change is calling for early action in the new Parliament in order to keep the UK's emissions reductions on track and to adapt to climate changes.
The incredible shrinking government estate
The Cabinet Office has published its latest State of the Estate report, highlighting the fact that the government has exited over 2000 buildings since 2010.
BSA hails VAT relief for shared services
The extension of VAT relief for shared services to non-departmental public bodies has been welcomed by BSA Chief Executive Mark Fox, who declared it a 'big win'.
Procurement: Whitehall targets SMEs, again
Last week saw the launch of changes in public sector procurement systems aimed at making it easier for SMEs to win contracts for the supply of goods and services, worth a total of about £187bn annually.
Bellrock secures place on G-Cloud 6 framework
Property and facilities management services provider Bellrock has been awarded a place in two categories on the 2015 G-Cloud 6 framework, for software as a service and specialist cloud services.
Carillion signs prisons deal
Carillion has signed contracts with the Ministry of Justice to provide a range of hard and soft facilities management support to the National Offender Management Service for prisons in two regions.
Checking up on paying on time
There is little evidence the government's commitment to pay 80% of undisputed invoices within five working days is having the intended effect of helping the UK's 5m small and medium-sized enterprises, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
Interserve team confirmed for MoJ contract
The Purple Futures partnership, led by the services to construction group, will be providing probation and rehabilitation services in five areas of the UK from February, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed.
MoJ names Carillion and Amey for prison FM
The Ministry of Justice has selected Carillion and Amey as preferred bidders for facilities management services, maintenance and the management of a range of works for public sector prisons.
In-sourcing vs outsourcing in the NHS
It seems there's life in this debate still; and there's nothing like the prospect of a general election to encourage politicians to take up positions on both sides of the argument around a range of FM services.
Sodexo and Interserve top list of MoJ preferred bidders
The list of preferred bidders for 21 probation service contracts reflects the government's commitment to transfer much of the service requirement to the private sector and charities.
FCO shares details of its FM strategy
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has published its response to a Freedom of Information query about its arrangements for outsourced facilities management services.
Government to slim London presence
There's a ring of familiarity about this: the government says it plans to reduce the number buildings it occupies in London and move vast numbers of civil servants to cheaper parts of the country.
Government contract management is better but....
A new report from the National Audit Office concludes that central government has made 'significant improvements' in managing contracts, but a lot remains to be done.
New FM contracting model PIN published
In the culmination of a comprehensively communicated programme to develop the new Facilities Management Contracting Model, the OJEU notice has now been published.
CCS offers draft tender documents
The Crown Commercial Service has published draft tender documents for the planned new Facilities Management Contracting Model.
One Public Estate programme expands
Twenty councils have been selected to take part in the second phase of a programme to release excess government land and property by encouraging greater collaboration between local and central government.
FM contracting model: briefing planned
You certainly can't fault the Crown Commercial Service for communication efforts in the run-up to the launch of its new Facilities Management Contracting Model.
FM contracting model revisions
The much-discussed new Facilities Management Contracting Model, due to be launched this summer by the Crown Commercial Service, has seen some revisions.
Green policies: could do better
Government policy designed to reduce carbon emissions from commercial buildings needs to be better understood, more efficiently monitored and easier to enforce, according to a new report.
New dates for FM contracting model
The Crown Commercial Service has announced new dates for the launch of its new Facilities Management Contracting Model.
G4S strikes deal with taxman
G4S Integrated Services has been awarded a three-year contract to provide FM for the HM Revenue and Customs Commercial Directorate.
BIM must be mandated in FM
The government should mandate Level 2 BIM in facilities management if the industry is to take it seriously, according to Kath Fontana, Managing Director at BAM FM.
PAC: government must get house in order on outsourcing
Late last week the Public Accounts Committee published a report on the contracting out of government services, slamming management skills, policies, performance and even the market structure.
CBI calls for new transparency measures
The CBI has proposed new measures to boost transparency and trust in private and third sector managed public services contracts.
Retail property body slams Green Deal
The Green Deal is not fit for purpose for the commercial property sector, according to the British Council of Shopping Centres.
Mitie lands £180m immigration centre deal
Mitie has been awarded a new contract with the Home Office covering a range of services at two immigration centres in west London.
CCS confirms dates for new FM model
The Crown Commercial Service, successor to the Government Procurement Service, has outlined its latest plans for the introduction of a new Facilities Management Contracting Model.
Treasury targets PFI costs
Plans have been announced to deliver £1.5bn in savings across the 495 operational Private Finance Initiative schemes in England.
Good news & bad for Serco & G4S
The two companies at the centre of the storm around tagging contracts with the Ministry of Justice have had opposite news from the same client in a different area.
CIBSE calls for action on EPB regs
CIBSE reports that lack of enforcement of Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations is both costing money and undermining green strategies.
PCS to strike over outsourcing
Here's a reminder that the path to change isn't always a smooth one in the public sector. The Public and Commercial Services union has called on civil servants to strike on Friday.
GPS adds supplier webinar
You can't fault the Government Procurement Service for its communications efforts in the run-up to the launch of a new FM contracting model.
GPS plans one to one clinics
The Government Procurement Service is set to move on to a further stage in the preparations for the introduction of a new facilities management contracting model next year.
Shared service boost
Eighteen local authorities are to share £6.9m in new funding for the development of 'cutting edge' shared service projects.
Re-energise the green agenda: report
The All Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment has backed the government's flagship green policy, but says it urgently needs to be reviewed.
GPS reports positive response to FM model
The Government Procurement Service says it is 'delighted' with the positive feedback from participants at its first supplier conference focused on a proposed new Facilities Management Contracting Model.
Whitehall moves again to be SME-friendly
Plans to make it simpler and easier for smaller businesses to bid for and win work across the entire public sector have been announced by Cabinet Office Minister Chloë Smith.
Welsh focus on asset management
Millions of pounds of public money could be saved if the Welsh Government tightened up its management of its own estate, according to a new report.
G4S secures prison extension deal
The Ministry of Justice has commissioned G4S to design, build and operate a new 216-cell extension to Parc Prison at Bridgend.
GPS confirms FM contract lot structure
The Government Procurement Service, which is in the process of developing a new FM contracting model, has published details of the proposed lot structure.
GPS names FM supplier dates
The Government Procurement Service is moving ahead with its plans 'to actively engage' with service providers prior to the launch of a new FM contracting model.
H&S goes top secret
MI5 is looking for a Health and Safety Advisor; but don’t bother asking any questions about the job.
Whitehall launches Commercial Service
The new Crown Commercial Service is intended to strengthen the government's business-like approach to how it buys goods and services, maximising public sector buying power and generating savings.
Government FM outsourcing climbs
The central and local government outsourced FM market has been on a growth trend which looks set to continue, though at reduced levels, through to 2016.
GPS plans new FM contracting model
The Government Procurement Service has given initial notice of its intention to launch a new contracting model for facilities management. This will replace an existing framework due to expire in July 2014.
Amey wins extension at Home Office
Amey has been awarded a two-year contract extension to the TFM service it provides to the Home Office and Ministry of Justice across London, the south and east of England.
Interserve bags government extension
Interserve has been awarded a contract extension with HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions across their Newcastle estate.
Whitehall backs 'one estate' move
Whitehall is backing a new pilot scheme designed to encourage local councils to work with central government and other public sector organisations to share buildings and re-use or release surplus property and land.
Government cuts estate by 15%
Whitehall's latest State of the Estate report shows that the size of the government's holding has been reduced by 15%.
Whitehall moves on shared services
The government is moving ahead with its second new joint venture between the public and the private sectors, again targeting efficiency in civil service back office functions.
Police procurement hampered
A new analysis from the National Audit Office praises initiatives to improve procurement practices at the 43 police forces in England and Wales but notes there is still considerable room to do better.
Whitehall moves for single registration system
The government is developing a new centralised supplier registration system intended to make it easier and cheaper for companies to compete for public sector contracts.
Whitehall told to integrate
By operating in a more integrated way, including through better coordinated use of office space, government could reduce inefficiencies and deliver better services, according to a new National Audit Office report.
Government off-loads £1 billion of property
Government departments have raised over £1 billion since May 2010 by selling property and land no longer required by the Civil Service.
Whitehall unveils new shared service scheme
After what it calls 'a decade of frustrated attempts', the government is aiming to cut the cost of back office functions by establishing the first independently-run shared service centre.
NAO questions procurement success
The National Audit Office says that current government procurement strategy is 'the most coherent approach to reform yet', but calls for more effective implementation if it is to live up to expectations.
Cabinet Office changes consultant rules
The government has introduced new procedures for buying consultancy services which it says will cut costs, end reliance on big business and give more work to smaller firms.
Whitehall launches commissioning academy
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has unveiled plans for a new academy designed to provide public sector organisations with 'commissioning skills for the future'.
Sodexo stays at Home Office
The support service group's contract with the Home Office has been extended for a further two years.
Whitehall plans next-gen shared services
Fundamental changes to the way the government shares its corporate services are set to radically improve efficiency across departments and save taxpayers up to half a billion pounds a year, the Cabinet Office says.
Whitehall cuts waste to save
According to the Cabinet Office, nearly £50m has been saved over the past year through a blitz on greenhouse gas emissions, unnecessary waste and water consumption.
Re-shaping public sector outsourcing
As the FM industry looks at the public sector, primarily seeing business opportunity, it is easy to forget that outsourcing is not universally popular. A new report warns of possible 'serious consequences' flowing from growing private sector involvement.
Collaborating to win government business
Whitehall's commitment to increasing the share of government spending that goes to SMEs has drawn little more than scepticism within the FM sector. But there might be a way to work the system.
Remove barriers to outsourcing: BHA report
The British Hospitality Association has for the first time used its annual food service and management report to call on the government for action that the BHA argues would improve services and cut costs.
Government's £84bn pipeline
The government has moved to share more details of future projects and contracts with a view to stimulating growth and helping businesses to plan for opportunities.
Energy efficiency strategy promises 'revolution'
DECC has published the nation's first comprehensive energy strategy, promising that it will lead to a revolution in UK energy efficiency.
MoJ revises prison plan
The Ministry of Justice has issued an update on its plans for outsourcing prison management, revealing a big change in direction and a snub for G4S.
DfT failure highlights procurement issues
A range of senior Whitehall figures has weighed into the West Coast Main Line cancellation quagmire, arguing that it shows that more expertise in procuring and managing complex contracts is needed in the public sector.
LGA rejects CBI report
Responding to the CBI report calling for more public services to be opened up to competition, the Local Government Association has described the estimated savings figures as 'pie in the sky'.
CBI: outsourcing could save £22.6bn
A new report from the employers group argues that billions of pounds of taxpayer money could be saved by further opening up public service delivery to independent providers, with no loss in quality.
CIBSE backs POE for government buildings
CIBSE has thrown its weight behind a new call for post-occupancy evaluation of all government building projects above a minimum value.
UKGBC grades green progress
As we settle into World Green Building Week, the UK Green Building Council has been assessing the government's progress towards its aspiration to be the 'greenest ever'.
Government property: could do better
The Government Property Unit, established in 2010 to drive efficiency savings from the vast public sector estate, is not up to the job in its current form, according to the Public Accounts Committee.
Thinking again on public sector outsourcing
In recent days Defence Secretary Philip Hammond and Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt have both questioned the success of the private sector in supporting public sector service delivery.
DECC slashes energy use
The Department of Energy and Climate Change is practising what it preaches with the award of a new, much improved Display Energy Certificate rating of C for its Whitehall headquarters building.
Government appoints new CPO
Whitehall has made another move as part of its drive to operate in a more business-like way with the appointment of a Chief Procurement Officer with a new broadened remit.
Shared service missing targets
The Commons Public Accounts Committee has joined in the recent criticism of Whitehall's shared services strategy, arguing that much stronger leadership is needed.
Whitehall tries again to help SMEs
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has unveiled the latest step in a campaign intended to help SMEs compete for a share of central government's outsourced business.
Public sector outsourcing set to boom
That's according to the Financial Times, which says market analysts are looking forward to 'the biggest wave of outsourcing since the 1980s'.
CBI calls for CRC to be dumped
The business group has made a case to the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the scrapping of the Carbon Reduction Commitment and the implementation of mandatory carbon reporting.
Government cuts cost of space
The costs of running the central government property estate have been cut by £278m in the financial year 2010/11, according to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude.
CCC turns green spotlight on local government
The Committee on Climate Change has declared that if national carbon reduction targets are to be met, local authorities must take tougher actions in key areas, including commercial buildings.
Derwent stores up a win
Derwent FM has been appointed to a national government storage framework agreement worth up to £37.5m per annum.
Serco looks to future with AWE
Serco has added £1.5bn to its order book following the agreement of new pricing schedules with the Ministry of Defence for its work at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Public sector: look harder at property
Public sector budget cuts are driving fundamental changes in the size and shape of governments around the world. As a result, a much clearer focus on property resources is required.
Public sector growth market
It's a sure bet that the outsourcing market across central and local government bodies will grow strongly over the next several years. Is FM ready for that?
DIO starts discussions with 4 bidders
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation is in detailed discussions with four private sector bidders competing for the first of four regional facilities management contracts.
DIO opens door on England and Wales
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation has hosted more than 200 industry representatives at an event to discuss future contracting arrangements for managing Defence facilities across England and Wales.
CRC revisions aim to cut costs
Millions of pounds will be saved for businesses through ambitious new proposals to simplify the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme, DECC has declared.
CRC to be simplified, or scrapped
Amongst all the noise generated by the Chancellor's Budget announcements, Jones Lang LaSalle has noted that the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme is to be reviewed.
New date for HSE fee scheme
The Health and Safety Executive has confirmed that its controversial cost recovery scheme will go ahead but will now not start in April as originally planned.
Big providers sign up to SME pledge
Amey, Balfour Beatty and Serco, amongst other big service providers, have pledged to support government initiatives to open more contract opportunities up to small and medium sized businesses.
£1m boost for Green Deal training
The government has announced that funding is to be made available to Asset Skills to deliver training for up to 1000 Green Deal advisors ahead of the programme launch.
Shared service concept disappoints
A new report from the National Audit Office looks at the initiative for government departments to share back-office functions. It concludes that, despite significant cost and effort, the benefits are not being delivered.
Government property: could do better
The latest report from the National Audit Office looks at the efficiency of central government office property since 2004. The conclusions are a mix of praise for progress and calls for more action.
Energy plans could make buildings unlettable
GVA, the UK's largest independent property advisor, believes that 20% of UK commercial building stock could be unlettable by 2018 if the government doesn't act to address the problem.
Government needs to get a grip on its property
A new approach to property management in the public sector is needed to reduce costs and manage changing workspace requirements, according to a report from business advisors Deloitte.
AECB challenges new Energy Secretary
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey has declared that energy efficiency 'has to be right at the heart of what we do'. The sustainable building association wants to know how, exactly.
Whitehall moves to develop project skills
The University of Oxford's Said Business School is to host a leadership academy for civil servants responsible for major government projects.
Government plans NHS property company
Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley has confirmed plans to create a property company to own and manage much of the primary care trust estate.
MITIE is Prison Service bid partner
MITIE Group has been selected by the Prison Service as its partner to bid for the management of nine prisons.
Green Deal: welcomed, with reservations
Business and professional groups have given a positive welcome to the government's flagship energy saving initiative but at the same time warned that serious problems lie ahead.
MPs criticise PFI plans
The Treasury Select Committee has reacted to the government's proposed changes to the Private Finance Initiative, highlighting in particular concerns about project funding.
Preferred bidders for asylum services named
The UK Border Agency has named three outsourcing specialists as preferred bidders to deliver the COMPASS project, a scheme to improve support services for asylum seekers.
Less talk, more action
How seriously should we take Whitehall's pledge to involve more SMEs in government outsourcing contracts?
Autumn Statement: green opportunity goes begging
Amidst all the reaction to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement comes praise and concern in equal measure from the UK Green Building Council.
Cautious welcome for Green Deal
This week's launch of the Green Deal, the government's scheme to 'revolutionise the energy efficiency of British properties', has been met with a mixture of enthusiasm and concern.
SMEs welcome procurement change
News that the government will implement 'radical reform' to the public procurement system has been welcomed by the Forum of Private Business.
Whitehall plans new approach to procurement
The Cabinet Office says that new measures will revolutionise how the government buys products and services, including facilities management, from the private sector.
Greener public buildings, homeworking could save £8bn
A new report has suggested that the public sector could raise the productivity of its workforce by £8 billion a year by using buildings in a leaner and greener way and offering more flexible working.
Sustainability group slams government
The AECB, the sustainable building association, has called on the government to stop wasting billions of pounds on a 'green energy' strategy that delivers neither value for money nor energy security.
Shared service initiative comes up short
A project intended to streamline back-office functions for the seven UK Research Councils has not been good value for money and the investment made may not be recovered, according to a government watchdog.
Approach to climate change causing uncertainty
A new report by the Environmental Audit Committee welcomes the Government's decision to set the fourth carbon budget. required under the Climate Change Act, at the level recommended by the independent Committee on Climate Change.
Target 'middle office', says BSA
In its response to the government's Open Public Services White Paper, the Business Services Association has highlighted the prospect of big savings in the space between traditional back office and front office operations.
MITIE scoops two MoJ contracts
The flow of contract news from MITIE Group continues unabated. The latest covers two wins with the Ministry of Justice.
MoJ names G4S for integrated FM deal
G4S has been awarded a contract to provide integrated facilities services to the Ministry of Justice in a deal worth up to £300m over five years.
Derwent does deal with the taxman
Derwent FM and its parent Derwent Living have won a £1.65m contract with HM Revenue and Customs to provide office support services at its Nottingham headquarters.
Second committee questions PFI value
PFI looks like a better deal for the private sector than for the taxpayer, according to the latest report from the Commons Public Accounts Committee.
CIBSE calls on Osborne to back DECs
CIBSE President Andy Ford has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, calling for the introduction of Display Energy Certificates in the commercial sector.
New school building programme unveiled
Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove has announced new government plans to launch a £2bn privately financed school building programme.
Treasury to turn the screws on PFI contracts
The government intends to deliver at least £1.5bn in savings across the 495 operational Private Finance Initiative projects in England, recycling the money back into frontline services by the contracting authorities.
Serving time: more prisons to be outsourced
This autumn, the Ministry of Justice will be looking for private sector partners to take over the management of nine more prisons.
Outsourcers call for more support for SMEs
A survey of outsourcers, including facilities management providers, has found over two-thirds agreeing with the suggestion that Government should do more to help smaller businesses win more of its work.
DWP beats carbon reduction target
Telereal Trillium, the Department for Work and Pensions property services provider, reports that they have exceeded the government 10% energy reduction challenge, launched in May 2010, by a comfortable margin.
G4S confirms prison takeover plans
The security services provider has pledged to keep redundancies ‘to a minimum’ at HMP Birmingham, as it announced details of its plans to take over operational control from 1 October.
Centralised fire control goes down in flames
The project to replace the local control rooms of the 46 Fire and Rescue Services across England with nine purpose-built regional control centres linked by a new IT system has been declared 'a comprehensive failure' by the National Audit Office.
Joint low carbon construction plan due
The Government has announced that it intends to work with the construction industry to 'decarbonise' the built environment by 2050.
Whitehall makes next move on procurement
The Cabinet Office must be one of the busiest departments in this government, with new money-saving initiatives seemingly launched weekly.
Schools PFI lives on
The Labour government's Building Schools for the Future programme may be dead, but there appears to be plenty of life in the concept of using private finance to deliver school facilities.
Government turns to construction cost cutting
The Cabinet Office has unveiled a new Construction Strategy designed to change the way in which government procures construction across all sectors, the latest in a series of procurement initiatives.
All change for Whitehall procurement?
The government has laid down the gauntlet to FM service providers, warning them that large businesses might no longer be the chosen way forward for government outsourcing.
Change on the menu for Parliament
The House of Commons Administration Committee is proposing a series of moves to cut Parliamentary catering costs by £1.25m within four years.
Greenest government ever?
Following an assessment of the Coalition Government's progress toward David Cameron's policy promise, a new report concludes there is a very long way to go.
Outsourcing proves to be a touchy subject
Hopes of a public sector 'rush to outsource' may be misplaced according to recent reports, as the decisions required prove politically sensitive.
Civil engineers take on procurement practices
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association has published ten priorities for public sector procurement reform, all of which would draw full support from the FM industry.
Government needs to be better buyer
That's the conclusion of a new report from the National Audit Office, which argues that doing a better job of acting as an 'intelligent customer' will be a key factor in securing the targeted annual infrastructure delivery cost savings of £2 to £3bn.
Government appoints CPO to cut waste
The much anticipated swing to central procurement in Whitehall has been given a big push with the appointment of a Chief Procurement Officer.
Government outsourcing past its peak
Multi-service outsourcing in central and local government peaked in 2010 at a total market value of about £4.26bn, following several years of solid growth.
Terms of reference for H&S review published
The draft terms of reference which will govern the independent review of health and safety legislation announced last month have been published.
Government says supplier representatives will cut costs
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has unveiled new plans to improve the way that Government deals with its major suppliers.
Compass calls for more public sector outsourcing
Group Chief Executive Richard Cousins argues that billions could be cut from public sector expenditure through more outsourcing.
Schools report draws praise and fire
As we reported yesterday, the James review looking at how schools in England are planned, funded, built and maintained has become an instant magnet for strong views.
Review damns approach to school buildings
A government-commissioned review has concluded that the Building Schools for the Future scheme was not just expensive; it was also not fit for purpose.
NAO reserves judgment on efficiency unit
Parliament's spending watchdog says it is too soon to decide if the government's Efficiency and Reform Group is delivering the goods.
Government claims big savings on property
Central government has cut its property-related costs by £48m as a result of a lease moratorium introduced last year, according to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude.
Carbon Trust plans for a leaner future
The Government's point-man on carbon reduction was spared inclusion in last autumn's 'bonfire of the quangos' but is taking a serious hit to its resources nonetheless.
Treasury goes looking for PFI savings
The Treasury has launched a pilot project to identify the scope for achieving savings in operational Private Finance Initiative contracts.
Government opens door to new providers
Whitehall has taken a series of actions to stop 'excessive bureaucracy and petty regulation' making it difficult for new companies, small firms, charities and voluntary organisations to compete for public sector contracts.
Buying Solutions future in doubt
The 'national procurement partner for public services' has lost its Chief Executive just as a review of its operations is launched.
EMCOR lands DoH renewal
The Department of Health has awarded a seven-year FM contract to EMCOR, marking the extension of a relationship that started in 2001.
FoI confirms importance of government spending
Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request show the scale of fees paid by three major government departments to private sector contractors, including many involved in the support services industry.
Government claims early success on efficiency drive
According to the Cabinet Office, the Government has achieved savings of around £1bn against the targeted £3bn in one year. Half of that has come through a moratorium on consulting, ICT, recruitment and property spending.
Councils told to share more services and outsource more
Confirming the obvious, that councils will have less money to spend next year, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has called for more sharing of services and more outsourcing in order to deliver savings.
Government kills off two-tier code
Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude has withdrawn the two-tier code with immediate effect and replaced it with a new good practice document.
Carbon Trust targets public sector
Not for profit energy advisor the Carbon Trust has identified 'immediate opportunities' for the public sector to achieve net savings of £1bn through energy efficiency projects.
Praise for new skills strategy
Asset Skills has welcomed the Government's new skills strategy, which looks set to keep employer input at the core of training and vocational qualifications development.
Defra targets greener buying
It's not just the Cabinet Office that is putting the pressure on for changes in government procurement policies and practices.
Government risks 'less for less'
A new BSA report challenges a public sector cuts strategy based on lowest cost services rather than working with outsource service partners to build long-term value.
OGC makes pay deadlines a contractual requirement
Here's another reason to chase central government work: you can count on being paid promptly.
G4S in post CSR MoU
The security services group has signed a memorandum of understanding that will see it respond to the government's Comprehensive Spending Review by delivering savings on a number of existing contracts.
Government simplifies pre-qual process
Business Minister Mark Prisk has unveiled a streamlined pre-qualification system for government contracts in what could be the first step in a centralised system to be adopted government-wide.
Scotland unveils procurement app
Public Contracts Scotland, the Scottish Government's purchasing portal, has launching the world's first app specifically designed to alert business to new contract opportunities from the public sector, a market worth £9bn annually.
CABE mulls over a future with no money
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, the government's design and function champion, has had its funding withdrawn as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
NAO lifts lid on consultant spending
As if to emphasise its place well away from last week's 'bonfire of the quangos', the National Audit Office has reminded the government just how much it spends on consultants and what bad value that is generally.
Bonfire of the quangos smaller than expected
The coalition government's charge through non-departmental bodies will deliver some big change, though not quite as much as originally thought.
Public sector cuts to be felt in private sector jobs
Almost half a million private sector jobs could be lost as a result of public sector spending cuts, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Green slams government procurement efficiency
The government has consistently failed to make the most of its scale, buying power and credit rating. That is the key finding of Sir Philip Green's policy and practice review, published yesterday.
Measuring success is fundamental, right?
Well, we assumed it was. But the folks at Buying Solutions, the 'national procurement partner for all UK public services', don't seem overly concerned about that.
LAs miss out on savings by failing to collaborate
Over two-fifths of local government organisations are missing out on millions of pounds in potential savings by not collaborating to use assets efficiently.
Pickles discovers facilities cost savings
Following an internal consultation, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has set out to cut down and cut back, making his own Whitehall department a model for others and for local government.
Government looks at simplified procurement process
Major suppliers to the public sector have had a second meeting with the Cabinet Office amidst reports that in future they may be expected to deal with a single point of contact rather than a series of individual departments and agencies.
Groups weigh in on spending review
As October's Spending Review edges closer, a range of business and professional groups has started to stake out the lines they hope the government will follow.
MPs ponder what to eat
The House of Commons Administration Committee has kicked off an inquiry into catering services provided for MPs, their staff, House staff and others onsite in Westminster.
Government wakes up to value of FM
The Government Property Unit's Smart FM conference, held last week in London, marks an encouraging step towards full recognition of the value of strategic facilities management. Andrew Green reports.
Commons eyes up new ways of working
With efficiency initiatives swirling around Whitehall like leaves in an autumn wind, the message is beginning to hit home at Parliament. Space planning experts are to be appointed at the House of Commons.
Cloud gathers over public sector suppliers
Amongst businesses supplying goods and services to the public sector, the number going bust has leapt by 47% in the last year. Austerity measures are now leading to corporate failures, according to accountants Wilkins Kennedy.
Eight join new FM framework
Buying Solutions, the public sector procurement organisation, has unveiled its latest framework agreement for facilities management services.
Flexible working key to government savings
Public sector spending on property could be reduced by up to a fifth and prime city-centre property could move from public to private sector use if government adopted more flexible working practices.
Watchdog warns on PFI financing
The National Audit Office has praised last year’s Treasury intervention in PFI project financing but warned that it may not represent good value for money in the long-term.
Contractors should help cut emissions, government says
Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, has called on government departments and contractors to work together to cut carbon emissions in support of the government's plan to be 'the greenest ever'.
Defra cuts off sustainability watchdog
The Sustainable Development Commission, the government's green watchdog, is to lose its Defra funding.
Public sector transition isn't going to be easy
Civil servants can see the value of outsourcing and teaming up with the private sector to deliver savings, but many approach the idea with doubt and a lack of trust.
Sign of the times: public sector tightens up
The changing climate in public sector procurement, spending and contract management is beginning to make itself felt, as recent news reports show.
Advisors look for streamlined procurement
KPMG says it expects central government to unveil new procurement procedures soon, largely as a necessary consequence of this week's emergency budget.
OGC moves to Cabinet Office
The coalition government has made a move to centralise a series of responsibilities by shifting the Office of Government Commerce and the public sector procurement agency, Buying Solutions, to the Cabinet Office.
Whitehall puts energy use online
The Home Office and the Department for Energy and Climate Change have become the first two government departments to establish freely available online resource monitors.
Audit groups back collaborative procurement
As the new coalition government pulls hard to tighten the public sector belt, it is clear from a joint National Audit Office and Audit Commission report that there is considerable scope for improved public sector procurement.
Axe falls in Whitehall
Monday's announcement of the wide-ranging cost cutting planned by the new coalition government has been described as 'only the first step'.
Carbon Trust targets government estate
Twenty ministerial departments, agencies and other public bodies have signed up to work with the Carbon Trust, and each other, to help meet the new government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions.
CBI backs call for public sector outsourcing
The employers group has urged the new government to take a series of steps to re-engineer the public sector, including greater involvement of the private and third sectors.
Government cuts planned: this time it's carbon
Carbon emissions from central government will be cut by 10% in the next 12 months, Prime Minister David Cameron announced today.
New Ministers urged to increase outsourcing
Business Services Association Chief Executive Mark Fox has written to incoming government Ministers setting out recommendations to improve and increase the use of the private sector in delivering public services.
Where next for public sector outsourcing
It must have seemed like a really good idea six or eight months ago. In the run-up to a general election, the outsourcing of public services should be a hot topic for a conference.
Public sector job cuts could reach 500,000
Half a million public sector jobs could be shed over the next five years as the new government begins to tackle the budget deficit.
HMRC PFI deal bashed again
Criticism of the HM Revenue and Customs property outsourcing deal, first put in place in 2001, is almost as regular as those tax reminders that seem to turn up rather too often.
Outsourcing the delivery of public services
Post-election cuts in public sector budgets seem certain to necessitate a radical rethink about the way that government services are delivered.
Ecovert in DCMS win
Ecovert FM has landed a five-year contract to provide a range of services for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
Thousands of civil servants to move
Wednesday's budget announcements were accompanied by two important moves that could see as many as 15,000 government jobs moved out of London and more cooperation at regional and local government sites.
Brown backs back-office service companies
In a wide-ranging 'digital future' speech, Gordon Brown has unveiled plans to set up service companies to handle back-office functions for government departments.
CBI calls for public sector productivity improvements
Urgent steps must be taken to help rebalance the public finances, according to the business group.
Whitehall pats itself on the back over estate savings
The second annual report from the Office of Government Commerce highlights achievements made over the past year in the management of the government civil estate, putting it in some cases ahead of private sector performance, OGC says.
Public sector squanders money on procurement and outsourcing
That's the conclusion of a new report from the Institute of Directors, which argues that billions of pounds could be saved annually through fundamental change.
The high cost of reorganising central government
The National Audit Office has been at it again: this time looking at government department reorganisations, what they cost and what benefits they deliver. Predictably, the former is much clearer than the latter.
Government ups commitment to asset management
Whitehall has kicked off a campaign to strengthen property asset management capabilities across the wider public sector.
Waste programme wastes money
The National Audit Office has laid into another government department for operating a spending programme that has no specific quantified targets and a shortfall of reliable information on performance.
Carillion takes DCMS deal
The Department for Culture, Media & Sport has awarded the provider a five-year FM contract for its central London locations.
Public sector needs 'strategic transformation'
One indication of the scale of the storm expected to blow through central and local government in the coming months is the recent flurry of reports from big-name consultants defining problems and offering recommendations.
NAO slams Foreign Office estate management
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office lacks a clear strategy and comprehensive data to manage its overseas estate effectively, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.
'Public sector recession' looms
Hot on the heels of this week's news that the UK has officially limped out of recession comes the warning that public sector organisations are set to face their own unique serious problems for the next several years.
Whitehall to be testbed for energy efficiency ideas
A handful of government departments are to take part in a pilot project that will see Whitehall buildings used to demonstrate new energy efficiency technology.
DECs not being used to deliver energy efficiency
New research from the BRE Trust shows that data from Display Energy Certificates is not being used to provide evidence of real energy efficiency improvements and carbon emission reductions in public sector buildings.
Public buildings 'leaking like a sieve'
A comprehensive assessment of the energy performance of public sector buildings shows that the cumulative carbon footprint is 27% higher than previously estimated.
Government in a 'strong position' to meet its own carbon targets
The Government has declared that it expects to meet targets for carbon dioxide emission reductions from the buildings that it currently occupies.
Report calls for public sector restructuring as 'age of austerity' arrives
A new report from business advisors Deloitte argues that changing the public sector’s organisational shape and approach to service delivery is essential. Without that, pursuit of savings could lead to ineffectiveness and plummeting staff morale.
Government moves to consolidate property portfolio management
John McCready, a partner at Ernst & Young, has been named to take over as head of a new Whitehall agency charged with running a £370bn central government property portfolio.
Government takes the next step in efficiency campaign
The publication of a new strategy document by the Cabinet Office is a follow-up to last spring's Operational Efficiency initiative. The impact could be significant; but implementation is the key.
STEPS not delivering value for money, NAO says
Eight years on, the landmark STEPS property outsourcing deal is failing on value for money criteria because HM Revenue & Customs has no long-term plan for estate management, according to a new investigation by the National Audit Office.
Government lacks skills to handle big projects
The National Audit Office has warned that the value for money of 43 major projects worth around £200bn is at risk because of significant weaknesses in government commercial skills and expertise.
Performance data escapes prison service
Maintenance performance targets applied to the 129 public sector prisons in England and Wales are useless, according to a new report from the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee.
Land Registry faces up to cost cutting and outsourcing
The Land Registry has unveiled a five-year plan designed to cut its costs 'significantly'. Outsourcing FM is on the agenda, too.
Only a matter of time before public sector axe falls
Business advisers KPMG say that public sector bodies, and by implication their private sector service providers, should start now to make plans for cuts in public expenditure.
Axe BSF, IoD says
Describing the government's flagship education investment initiative Building Schools for the Future as a programme that is not performing, the Institute of Directors has called for it to be abolished.
Regulators should push sustainability agenda, commission says
The government's independent sustainability watchdog has declared that public service regulators for schools, hospitals, primary care trusts and local councils have a vital role to play in creating a sustainable future.
Serco signs for new deal
Serco has signed three contracts with the Department for Work and Pensions, making it a Prime Contractor delivering the government's Flexible New Deal initiative.
Construction industry to get top-level champion
Government Ministers today announced plans to appoint a Chief Adviser on Construction to look after public procurement and to promote the interests of the industry.
MoJ advertises huge TFM framework deal
The Ministry of Justice is seeking up to 10 service providers for a four-year framework agreement covering a wide range of facilities services.
Government extends free access to new contract opportunities
Free access to the public sector database was due to end at the close of July. But now the plan to return to charging for information has been abandoned in a move intended to clear the way for smaller companies to benefit.
TWFM motors ahead with Highways Agency
Taylor Woodrow Facilities Management has secured an extension to 2011 on its existing contract with the Highways Agency.
Pension costs deter bidding for public sector contracts
Businesses are being put off bidding for public service contracts by the need to mirror costly public sector pensions when staff are transferred from the public sector to the private, the CBI warned today.
Partnerships for Schools to manage all school building programmes
The trouble with being good at what you do is that someone will eventually ask you to do more of it.
Plan now for public sector austerity
A new report from business advisers Deloitte argues that the recession will not fully impact the public sector until 2011. Suppliers counting on doing business with government should take note of both the warning and the possible opportunities.
Public sector inspiration?
The government estate Ð massive even if you just consider central government Ð tends to get overlooked in any discussion of new ideas for efficient and effective property strategy: we assume all the ideas people are working in the private sector.
Northern Ireland dumps PFI plan
Hit by market realities, Northern Ireland's Department of Finance and Personnel has confirmed that the Workplace 2010 property outsourcing project has been abandoned.
Government extends property benchmarking service
The Office of Government Commerce has confirmed plans to extend its Property Benchmarking Service, operated by IPD Occupiers, more widely across central government and the public sector generally.
Call for Whitehall to up its game on property management
The Office of Government Commerce is backing the use of a new self-assessment tool for Whitehall property managers with the goal of raising asset management standards across the massive civil estate.
More doubt over future of BSF
As MPs listened to views on the possible reshaping of a programme that has been tipped as a partial solution to downturn in private sector markets, a key industry spokesman warned that the credit crunch could force the whole thing to a halt.
Consultant spending questioned in Scotland
A new report claims the £114m a year that ScotlandÕs central government bodies spend on consultancy services is not delivering full value for money.
Government establishes environmental risk centre
A new centre dedicated to helping the government and businesses understand natural and environmental risk has started work.
Government management of service contracts: could do better
Central government could make big savings by better managing its contracts for services, including catering, cleaning, security and IT, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
Office furniture gets OGC framework
Government procurement adviser OGCbuying.solutions has launched a new framework agreement covering workplace furniture, claiming it offers 'quick wins' in legislative and best practice compliance.
NAO studying outsourcing contracts
Noting that the government spends 'a significant amount' on service contracts, the National Audit Office has confirmed that it is carrying out a study into how well these outsourcing deals are managed.
Public sector gets 'new and improved' estates procurement system
OGCbuying.solutions has launched a new contract framework aimed at helping organisations across the public sector to manage their estates more efficiently and sustainably.
Whitehall aims to confront new ways of working
The Office of Government Commerce is spearheading a campaign to modernise ways of working in the Civil Service. A new guide seeks to open the doors that will make mobile working and homeworking a common alternative to 9-to-5 office occupancy.
Government centralises sustainable procurement
Tom Watson, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office and the man with responsibility for taking the lead on sustainable government procurement, has produced a delivery plan to be applied across Whitehall.
Electronic procurement grows
Zanzibar, the government's electronic purchasing platform, is reported to be growing and delivering 'significant benefits' for public sector organisations.
Better H&S advice could mean £300m saving
A new report on how health and safety regulation affects low-risk and small businesses has been welcomed by the industry.
Diplomats go green
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has commissioned the Carbon Trust to help it develop a strategy for reducing the FCO's global carbon footprint.
CBI slams progress on BSF
Delays in the £45bn Building Schools for the Future programme are inflicting both short and long-term damage on the economy, according to the CBI.
More money for fire and rescue includes FM funding
The government has tabled £130m for Fire and Rescue Authorities, earmarked for long-term projects that can include new stations, modernisation of existing facilities and provision of FM services.
Whitehall to go green by tackling ICT
The government is claiming a world-first with the announcement today of plans to slash the carbon footprint of its computer systems.
UK is 'world leader' in outsourced public services
The contribution of outsourced public services to the UK economy has grown 130% since 1995 and now represents the most developed public service industry in the world, according to a report published today.
Government launches property efficiency programme
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper has unveiled a new programme that will target greater efficiency in public spending on property and other key service areas.
Government 'patchy' on sustainable procurement
Public sector procurement is too often driven by short-termism rather than whole-life costing which would deliver value for money and promote environmental and social sustainability.
OGC leads switch-off campaign
Switching off PCs when they are not in use could produce an annual energy cost savings of up to £10.2m and carbon emission reductions of up to 55,723 tonnes.
Room for 'big improvement' in government offices
The Commons Public Accounts Committee has been at it again, this time turning its attention to how efficiently central government uses its office accommodation.
Government doesn't understand support services, Accounts Committee says
The latest report from the Commons Committee of Public Accounts accuses the government of failing to understand and manage key support services and therefore missing out on opportunities for greater efficiency and savings.
MPs launch inquiry into greening existing buildings
A Parliamentary inquiry into what ministers, city leaders, property owners and occupiers need to do to cut carbon emissions from the country's offices, shops and factories has been opened.
Government gets new workspace standards
The Office of Government Commerce is urging all government departments, agencies and sponsored bodies to adopt new workspace efficiency standards from today.
Whitehall to get new sustainable procurement centre
A new centre of expertise is to be set up to help Whitehall departments achieve their targets for reducing carbon emissions and waste across the government estate.
Government failing on sustainable buildings
The government is a long way off meeting its own targets and standards for the sustainability of its buildings.
Fire stations next to go green
Red will continue to be the fire brigade signature colour, but if the government gets its way, they'll all be thinking green.
Thorough cleaning key to MRSA battle
The probability of hospital patients acquiring MRSA has dropped by more than a quarter in the past five years, according to a new report published by the Department of Health.
Shared services could save billions
A report from spending watchdog the National Audit Office says that government departments could save billions by putting a concerted effort behind shared services initiatives.
Government 'a long way' from full value in office property
Some departments are on their way towards having a structured and strategic approach to property asset management. But central government overall is still a long way from achieving full value for money from office accommodation.
Carbon Trust: could do better
An independent review of the Carbon Trust has found that it has made good progress on climate change issues - but UK businesses have still failed to take up much of its advice.
Funds earmarked for education and waste
Local authorities are to get £21.9bn to upgrade classrooms while investment in sustainable waste PFI schemes will go up from £280m in 2007-08 to £700m in 2010-11.
Government to slash red tape for green solutions
The government has undertaken to change planning rules and make it easier for retail, office and leisure businesses to install green technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines.
New website offers businesses waste advice
The Environment Agency has redeveloped its waste management website to provide a platform for businesses to share information, tips and best practice in this increasingly regulated area.
Government looks to save £1.5bn through better management
Government departments are on track to save up to £1.5bn a year through more effective management of the government estate, the Office of Government Commerce claims.
NAO offers consultant assessment tool
The National Audit Office has launched an online assessment tool targeted at public bodies wanting to achieve greater value for money from the use of consultants.
Whitehall ready to transform government estate
Whitehall departments accounting for over 90% of the government's office premises have agreed how to deliver the transformational 'high performing property' initiative that, they say, will have 'the most fundamental impact ever' on the public estate.
Audit bodies push value for money agenda
The UK's five leading audit bodies have joined forces to throw their collective weight behind a drive to improve the value for money achieved by the public sector in estates management and other key corporate services.
CBI calls for transformation of public sector services
The CBI has published a five-point plan to transform the delivery of public services in the UK to meet the rapidly emerging challenges of the 21st century. The plan calls for more private sector supply of frontline and back-office functions.
Public sector not maximising outsourcing benefits
Outsourcing is perceived to be working well as a delivery model, but the public sector has yet to achieve the full potential of the benefits, according to a new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Government backs new CO2 campaign
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Environment Secretary David Miliband today backed a major new campaign that aims to help individuals cut their personal CO2 emissions.
Schools to turn green
Education Secretary Alan Johnson wants to use £100m to ensure all new secondary schools are designed to be carbon neutral, or at least produce substantially reduced carbon emissions.
Plans for energy ratings for public buildings confirmed
Public buildings such as museums, government buildings and town halls must get energy ratings and display them from April 2008. The government wants visitors to see the carbon emissions of each building, hoping this will encourage energy improvements.
Public buildings must work harder for environment
The government must take the opportunity of its massive building programme to ensure that all new public buildings meet the carbon challenge, both at completion and in use.
MoD praised for estate management
The Ministry of Defence has introduced positive changes to how it manages its estate and has invested substantial resources to maintain and improve it, according to a new report from the National Audit Office.
Watchdog slams government sustainability performance
A new report from the Sustainable Development Commission is highly critical of government performance against sustainability goals in 2006. Departments were found to be failing to meet carbon, waste and water targets.
Government launches sustainable procurement plan
The government has set out actions designed to deliver the step-change it says is needed to ensure that supply chains and public services will be increasingly low carbon, low waste, water efficient, and respect biodiversity.
Government aims to save via better use of estate and better FM
The Office of Government Commerce Chief Executive John Oughton has outlined plans for public sector savings of between £1bn and £1.5bn a year by 2013.
Assessing risk assessment for 2012
Programme, procurement and project management are amongst the key areas of risks that need to be managed for the successful delivery of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London in 2012.
More backing for RIBA smarter PFI campaign
The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee has thrown its weight behind the RIBA's proposals that design issues should be considered at the early stages of PFI projects.
Government prescribes dose of funding for NHS energy efficiency
Health Minister Andy Burnham has announced funding of £100m to the NHS to help make energy savings. The money comes as a new report confirms that seven out of ten trusts in England are already hitting energy targets.
Government procurement service 'could do better'
A National Audit Office review of OGCbuying.solutions, the public sector procurement service, says that much has been achieved - but there is much more to do.
Government not getting enough bang for its purchasing buck
The government spends £150bn on goods and services every year but must get better value for the money it spends and should use its purchasing power as a driving force for innovation, CBI Director-General Richard Lambert argues.
Climate change office open for business
The Office of Climate Change, which will work across government to provide a shared resource for analysis and development of climate change policy and strategy, was launched today by Environment Secretary David Miliband.
MPs £1m over budget on office costs
MPs have spent almost £1m more than the budgeted figure on running their offices over the past year.
OGC launches asset management consultation
The Office of Government Commerce has published its Routemap to Property Asset Management Excellence for consultation prior to launch in the autumn.
Shared responsibility is key to service success, CBI says
Private companies, which have taken over the delivery of public services, are amongst some of the best employers in Britain according to research by the CBI.
Government needs more office flexibility
The National Audit Office has stepped out of its normal role as Parliamentary spending watchdog and produced a report on how best to use and manage public sector office space.
OGC launches property benchmarking service
The Office of Government Commerce, at its first asset management conference, held yesterday, launched a property benchmarking service designed to enable departments to measure their estates performance.
Public sector skills report welcomed
A joint Business Services Association/Public and Commercial Services Union skills development project marked a milestone today with the launch of its first-stage survey report, confirming both need and widespread interest.
CBI backs Whitehall shared services initiative
A new report from the CBI says that needless duplication of administrative functions in the public sector is costing taxpayers millions of pounds a year and damaging the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery.
Shared services back on government agenda
The Cabinet Office has confirmed plans for a shared service centre that will support a range of government departments.
OGC offers early-mover procurement guidance
OGC, the government procurement adviser, has released a new web-based publication for use by all organisations involved in public sector procurement.
Government post bill £31m too high
Parliamentary spending watchdog the National Audit Office has found that about £31m a year could be saved by more efficient management and purchasing of postal services by the public sector.
Treasury backs more upfront design for PFI
The Treasury has announced that it wishes to see greater design work at the early stages of PFI projects, a move welcomed by the Royal Institute of British Architects.
CBI calls for 'competitive neutrality' in public sector contracts
A new publication from the CBI puts the case for reviewing the existing government contracts marketplace to ensure that all potential providers have the benefit of a level playing field.
Real time traffic CCTV for your mobile
If your job entails spending time on motorways, you may be interested in a trial project recently launched by the Highways Agency.
Government keeps consultants busy
The Office of Government Commerce, in charge of central government efficiency programmes, nearly doubled its spending on consultants over the past year.
OGC puts new focus on public sector procurement
Faced with the demand for better public buildings, as well as the need for new the Olympics infrastructure, the Office of Government Commerce has set up a new body to drive improvements in procurement.
Audit Office suggests new approach to procurement at DCMS
The National Audit Office has studied the annual procurement spend of £575m at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and suggested that it needs more control and coordination.
One in six public sector workers critical of services they provide
A study by MORI and The Work Foundation shows that public sector workers are nearly three times as likely to be critics of the services they provide as private sector workers.
Government throws weight behind shared services strategy
The government has launched a new drive to deliver 'major efficiencies for tax payers' by merging back office functions in public services.
Public sector must try harder on efficiency targets
Senior managers and frontline staff at all levels of government will struggle to meet efficiency targets unless they realise the potential of technology, says new research from the Work Foundation.
DTI cuts funds to built environment
Figures recently obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the Department of Trade and Industry's construction unit has had its budget cut by nearly half over the past four years, reports the Chartered Institute of Building.
Commons committee questions STEPS deal
The Public Accounts Committee has published a new report into the 2001 STEPS estate management contract in which two government departments transferred ownership and management of most of their estates to Mapeley in a 20-year PFI deal.
Union slams government 'army' of consultants
Research carried out by the GMB union concludes that in the financial year 2003/4 the government spent at least £1.4bn on consultants to provide project advice. The figure was up on the £986m spent on consultants in the previous year.
New scheme to improve government estate management
A six-month pilot project to assess how the government can improve the management and use of its estate has been launched.
Partnerships save money for public sector
A report issued by the National Audit Office has revealed that up to £2.6bn a year could be saved if the public sector adopts a collaborative approach to construction work.
Shared services help public sector achieve strategic goals
85% of government executives across the world believe that shared services are playing, or will play, a role in supporting their organisations' strategic goals, according to a study carried out by Accenture.
NAO confirms value of DWP outsourcing deal
The National Audit Office has given its formal endorsement to the £1.2bn expansion of the PRIME property outsourcing contract between the Department for Work and Pensions and Land Securities Trillium.
Political conference season draws suggestions from heavyweights
The Construction Industry Council and BT have both taken advantage of recent party gatherings to way in with their own suggestions for action to improve business prospects and performance.
Government 'locks in' green procurement targets
New, stricter green purchasing and estate management targets for all government departments have been put in place.
Mood turns sour in Civil Service
Ballot papers for a one-day strike over government plans to axe over 100,000 jobs have started arriving through the letter boxes of 290,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union.
Good-bye NHS Estates
This month's award for dubious timing goes to the Department of Health, for announcing almost simultaneously plans to build 15 new hospitals and to break up NHS Estates, its adviser on modernising the healthcare environment.
Red tape still giving business the hump, says IoD
Red tape is tying down UK business according to a major new survey by the Institute of Directors.
Renewable energy grants top £5.5m
The Clear Skies renewable energy grant scheme has offered a further £651,000 in grants to a range of schools, local authorities and other community organisations, following the 5th round of applications.
GCHQ costs criticised
MPs have been critical of rising costs at the new GCHQ headquarters. Spending on the IT element has climbed from a projected £41m to £450m.
Alfred McAlpine £20m ABRO contract: the details
Following i-FM's report on McAlpine winning the £20m ABRO contract, some more information is now available.
Proposed fire safety law reform unveiled
Plans to improve fire safety for businesses by simplifying the law and placing greater focus on fire prevention have been laid before Parliament by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
National Audit Office delivers verdict on STEPS deal
The National Audit Office has reported to Parliament on the £1.5 billion STEPS and Mapeley deal. It will save £300m for the taxpayer, and was a good deal - but why wasn't there a plan B?
Budget roundup
Decisions on civil service employment and public spending may prove to have a bigger impact on the FM scene than any other measures announced in Wednesday's budget.
20,000 civil service jobs should leave London
Sir Michael Lyons has challenged the government to 'mainstream' decentralisation of public sector activities and move 20,000 civil servants out of London.
DTI to publish research on effect of international outsourcing
Unions, company leaders and government met yesterday to consider the phenomen of international jobs outsourcing to less developed economies. Now the government is promising publication of research in early April.
LST completes £100m extra-PRIME deal
Land Securities Trillium has completed the £100m acquisition of 1,078 properties from the Department of Work and Pensions announced in November.
Serco set to retain £500m NPL contract
Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury, has announced the DTI's decision to select Serco Group, the incumbent supplier, as preferred bidder for the operation of the National Physical Laboratory under a new 10-year contract.
Public procurement initiative spreads to EU
Chancellor Gordon Brown has instigated a review of procurement policies in EU countries in the face of complaints that British companies tend to lose out when it comes to bidding for contracts.
Chancellor turns up heat on public procurement
Amongst the mountain of material produced in conjunction with Gordon Brown's pre-budget statement is reaffirmation of the pressure to be applied on spending at government departments. This will take in operations, procurement and relocation.
OGC commits to reverse auction strategy
Best-value watchdog the Office of Government Commerce has selected five suppliers who will form a new framework agreement designed to supply electronic procurement services to the public sector.
Construction of first one-stop health centre gets underway
Health Minister John Hutton will lay the foundation stone for a new £4.9m one-stop health centre in East London on Wednesday.
MoD cuts losses on stock control system
The MoD's buying branch, the Defence Logistics Organisation, has terminated development of a new system designed to give greater control over stocks held, writing off the £118m already spent.
Action Energy offers to help cut bills
With energy prices set to rise this winter, the pressure to adopt energy efficient practices is increasing. Government-backed Action Energy is offering services designed to help FMs cut their costs.
Jarvis drops out of NHS IT bidding
A consortium which includes support services firm Jarvis is out of the running for a major NHS information technology programme.
Sustainable buildings group launched
A high-level group of builders, developers, planners and advisers will spearhead efforts to raise the environmental quality of buildings, under the auspices of environment secretary Margaret Beckett.
Lyons report 'to recommend greater outsourcing'
Speculation about the impact of the Lyons report gathered pace today as Sir Michael said that he would make recommendations about the substantial opportunities which exist in 'back office re-engineering'.
Hospitals to be safer places
The Health and Safety Executive and NHS Estates have signed an agreement that sets out plans to work together to improve the health and safety of hospital patients, visitors and staff in England.
Lyons to recommend centralised property management for civil service estate
When Sir Michael Lyons presents his final report in November - in which it is widely believed that he will try to relocate 20,000 civil servant jobs out of London - he will also recommend national management of the civil service estate.
20,000 Civil Servants face relocation
A new report commissioned by the Treasury says it should be possible to move 20,000 or more public sector jobs out of London and the South East.
Crack appears in e-government strategy
A survey of public sector organisations has found that less than half have invested in ICT skills training, despite the fact that the 2005 e-government deadline will place a heavy emphasis on familiarity with new technology.
Home Office PFI HQ 'too small' says NAO
The new headquarters for the Home Office, procured under PFI, is unlikely to accommodate all the department's staff by the time they are ready to move in.
DTI tightens employer regulations
The Information and Consultation Directive, which will create employee works councils, is due for implementation at larger companies in 2005. The DTI has revealed some of the planned regulatory framework.
Nigel Griffiths now responsible for construction industry
Nigel Griffiths, parliamentary under-secretary of state for Small Business and Enterprise is now in charge of the construction industry following the departure of Brian Wilson.
Solution defined for two-tier workforce disputes
New proposals setting out a fast and cost-effective procedure for settling disputes over two-tier workforce issues that arise in connection with local TUPE transfers have been accepted by the government.
Wilson casualty of reshuffle
Brian Wilson, the construction minister, has stepped down as part of yesterday's (Thursday's) groundbreaking reshuffle.
Treasury concedes 'failings' in Mapeley deal
The transfer of Inland Revenue properties into the hands of a company registered in the tax haven Bermuda 'clearly illustrated failings in the department's internal procedures', the Treasury said yesterday.
Modern matrons empowered to improve facilities
Matrons are being positioned as FM customers as they are given control over their own budgets to improve patient environments in NHS A&E departments, Health Secretary Alan Milburn announced today.
Government responds to school spending challenge
Following a spate of criticism, the Department for Education and Skills has announced changes to the schools capital programme which will see 'every secondary school pupil inspired to learn in state-of-the-art buildings'. But it will take a while.
IR 'should have been alert to Mapeley tax avoidance'
Mapeley did nothing illegal, although it clearly wanted to avoid tax in the STEPS property deal, says the Commons Treasury Select Committee. But the Inland Revenue, of all government departments" should have been alert to what was going on.
BSA warns of NAO 'fishing expedition'
The Business Services Association, which represents major private sector companies providing services via government contracts, has expressed reservations concerning the new rights of inspection to be awarded to the National Audit Office.
New powers for audit watchdog
The National Audit Office is to be given the power to inspect the books of private sector companies that receive government monies.
20m for better police stations
Home Office Minister John Denham has announced the allocation of £20m of government funding to improve police stations, modernise officers' working environments and update technology.
Milburn provides lifeline for failing hospitals
Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn has published a 'register of experts' listing over 70 organisations from inside and outside the health service eligible to take over failing NHS Trusts.
UK Hydrographic Office pulls back from full outsourcing
The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office has decided to contract out just a limited number of ‘non-core' functions following a feasibility study that had concluded a much wider range of work could be outsourced.
Watts and Partners appointed as preferred government consultant
Watts and Partners has been awarded a public sector-wide framework commission by the Office of Government Commerce to provide assurance and advice on building and estates management.
Asbestos regulations "will save thousands of lives"
New asbestos regulations have been laid in the House of Commons requiring anyone with maintenance and repair responsibilities of workplaces to assess whether they contain asbestos and if so, whether it presents a risk.
57m to improve skills
The Government will spend £57m on an extra 100 Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) providing specialist teaching, to meet employers' skills needs in occupations from catering and computing to construction.
EU urges UK Government to change working law
Private sector union Amicus has received support from the European Union in its complaint over the UK Government's implementation of the working time directive, with Amicus calling it ‘unlawful and inadequate'.
NAO says Portcullis House is value for money
In the second report on a major Government accommodation project in as many days, the National Audit Office claims Portcullis House, the new £234m Parliamentary building, has achieved value for money.
Budget response
Business appears broadly content with a budget which is widely seen as primarily affecting individuals. Criticism is mostly confined to the impact of the increase in employer's NIC.
DTLR seeks service provider
Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is planning to outsource the property management of its estate, which consists of 1,400 properties around the country including three HQ buildings in London accommodating 2,000 staff each.
CBI and TUC support gender gap action
The CBI and TUC have, for different reasons, expressed their approval of the Government action to cut the gender pay gap, as announced by Trade and Industry Secretary and Minister for Women Patricia Hewitt.
Government proposes charge for tribunal users
The Government proposes to charge for tribunals and for businesses to resolve disputes in-house.
Fixed terms contracts regulations delayed
The government has delayed the implementation of new Regulations governing Fixed Term Contracts. The decision has been taken after the closure of a consultation process that seems to have thrown up a number of areas for concern.
Put policies into practice RICS tells Labour
The RICS issued a strongly worded call for the new Labour administration to stop talking and start tackling Britain's problems.
Business leaders positive after Labour victory
Following Tony Blair's Labour party victory in the General Election for the second time running, business leaders are optimistic about the future.
NAO highlights potential savings on professional services
Government departments can get better value for money from the £600m they spend each year on professional services from suppliers of specialist expertise advice and assistance, says The National Audit Office
Carillion to start £800m project
The new Government Communications Headquarters in Cheltenham will be the largest facility to be built under the UK's Private Finance Initiative.
Features - Search found 17 features
Government FM deals fall again in Q4 2023
UK government awarded 183 contracts relating to facilities management in Q4 2023, worth a total of £184m.
Q3 sees over £1bn in FM contracts
The UK government awarded 274 contracts relating to facilities management in Q3 2023, worth a total of £1.1b.
Market insight: public sector contracts climb
Across the public sector 263 contracts relating to facilities management were awarded in Q2 2023, worth a total of £2.5b.
Market insight: public sector contract values down
The UK Government awarded 419 contracts relating to facilities management in Q1 2023, worth a total of £418mn.
Market insight: public sector procurement falls again
The UK government awarded 357 contracts relating to facilities management in Q4 2022, worth a total of £312mn.
Market insight: public sector procurement falls significantly
The UK government awarded 246 contracts relating to facilities management in Q3 2022, worth a total of £280 million.
Market insight: public procurement up in second quarter
The UK Government awarded 321 contracts relating to facilities management in Q2 2022, worth a total of £872m.
Market insight: FM procurement falls in Q1 2022
The UK government awarded 264 contracts relating to facilities management in Q1 2022, worth a total of £360 million.
Market insight: Public FM procurement hits £5bn in 2021
The UK government awarded 252 contracts relating to facilities management in the fourth quarter of 2021, worth a total of £445m.
Market insight: 292 public sector contracts in Q3
This is the third in a quarterly series of updates exclusively for i-FM from Tussell, the public sector procurement experts.
Enhancing the value of facilities management
Baskar Sundaram looks at the changing face of public sector FM procurement, as evident in the upcoming Crown Commercial Service framework.
UK government facilities management contracts: Q2 2021
This is the second in a quarterly series of updates exclusively for i-FM from Tussell, the public sector procurement experts.
UK government facilities management contracts: Q1 2021
This is the first in a quarterly series of updates exclusively for i-FM from Tussell, the public sector procurement experts.
Next Gen CCS Framework: an FM opportunity
As the market prepares itself for the government's next-gen FM CCS framework, Baskar Sundaram helps providers ascertain if the framework is the way forward for them.
Bidding in the public sector
Looking for public sector contracts? Nicola Bramwell explores some of the common pitfalls for bidders and offers advice on ways to avoid them.
A brief history of Carillion
Recently, Carillion reported pre-tax losses of £1.153m for the first half of 2017. It is the latest chapter in the sometimes tumultuous history of one of the FM market's most active businesses.
Public Perceptions
At a time when government cuts make front-page headlines, it is easy to forget that facilities managers are on the frontline making the difficult decisions.
Comments - Search found 13 comments
The people factor
The UK public sector faces growing skills shortages, putting critical services, infrastructure and sustainability goals at risk.
CAFM: a new horizon for prison efficiency?
Garth Chivell discusses the potential to generate new efficiencies and create spaces for effective prisoner rehabilitation.
Playing whack-a-mole with schools funding
Years of under-funding have exacerbated the problem of the condition of school buildings to such an extent that the recently announced £1bn spend on re-building schools in England is nowhere near enough.
Why we must support SMEs in the supply chain
SMEs continue to be undervalued and under-represented in FM. But they offer numerous benefits and it’s high time we offered them more support to enter and stay in the supply chain.
Time for change in government outsourcing practice
On exactly the same day that yet another key supplier of services to the government ran into financial problems, last week saw a speaker from the Cabinet Office tell the Workplace Futures conference that "we need significant cultural change on all sides".
Outsourcing in the public sector: a social commitment
The Public Service Act (Social Value) 2012 puts social value at the heart of commissioning, ensuring that authorities consider the wider economic and environmental benefit that they can achieve when buying goods and services. The Act became law in 2013.
Sizing up public sector contracts
The way that central government contracts are allocated, awarded and serviced has, for a long time, been a cause of deep concern for me.
Politicians are missing the point (again)
The pros and cons of outsourcing FM in the NHS is once again a hot topic with some politicians campaigning for services such as cleaning to go back in-house. Jeremy Waud joins the debate.
Umbrella solution
Back in 2010 the government announced that 25% of its business would be awarded to SMEs. What has that meant in practical terms for our industry?
Public sector panacea
In our post-recessionary climate the general market wisdom has often seemed to be that the public sector would provide significant growth prospects for the outsourcing community.
No sector can afford to think it's better than another
As the post-Olympics row about public sector outsourcing simmers on, Sodexo's Phil Hooper calls for balanced thinking.
Public sector challenge
In the 10 seconds or so that it takes you to read this sentence, it is a fact that the public sector will be spending in the region of £100,000 on outsourcing.
Hollow Rhetoric from the PM
It was heralded as the next big opportunity for smaller businesses, yet public sector outsourcing contracts still remain a closed door for most of us.
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