Department of Works and Pensions uses AWARD to support letting of large services framework contract

8th October 09 - Oxford, UK - QinetiQ Commerce Decisions, a leading provider of software and services to support projects from procurement through to delivery, has assisted the Department of Works and Pensions    (DWP) in the letting of a large services framework contract. The contract is for the renewal of the Social and Economic Research Framework of expert suppliers from which the DWP commissions Social and Economic Research. It was jointly evaluated with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) using QinetiQ Commerce Decisions' AWARD software.

DWP is a Central Purchasing Body and as such this Services Framework Agreement is also accessible to other government departments undertaking social and economic research specifically HMRC research on taxation issues. The Framework is an agreement with a group of suppliers, which sets out the terms and conditions under which specific purchases can be made. It significantly reduces the need to carry out contract letting exercises that are time-consuming and expensive for both the Department and potential suppliers and ensures that there are coherent and consistent processes across the Department.

"The AWARD software was key to managing the large number of bids and associated data, and also allowed us to provide quality feedback to all the suppliers following the completion of the evaluation. It helped us produce a better outcome , provided a clear and transparent audit trail,  and significantly reduced the procurement cycle time and made the whole process far more efficient," commented Colin Browne, Deputy Framework Manager, Reasearch Framework, Department of Works and Pensions.

The AWARD software is a collaborative web-based software solution designed specifically to support the strategic procurement process from Request for Information preparation, through proposal evaluation to negotiation, delivery and post contract review. AWARD is proven to reduce time to contract, improve value for money and reduce risk. It has been used to support strategic procurements in a range of sectors including utilities, transport, central and local government, healthcare, aerospace and defence covering a broad range of activities including the provision of schools, hospitals, transport and defence systems across Europe and the US.

"The AWARD software has become the defacto standard in the public sector for evaluating large-scale procurements. This DWP project is another excellent example of the power and effectiveness of AWARD, which when combined with our knowledgeable and highly experienced consulting services team is improving the outcome of many public sector projects," said John Thompson, Managing Director, QinetiQ Commerce Decisions.