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E-procurement

The Government expects all local authorities, including fire services, to be capable of delivering procurement services electronically. This includes the ability to carry out e-procurement, using electronic systems to source, order, invoice, and pay for goods, works and services from suppliers.

The approach is expected to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement, resulting in a number of benefits and resource savings for local government and suppliers through faster processing, better use of information, reduced transaction costs and more effective communication.

The Government has published a National Procurement Strategy for Local Government and has set some priorities for all local authorities including:

Appropriate systems for paperless ordering, invoicing and payment.
Promoting the advantages of e-procurement to local suppliers.
Improvement in the time taken by local authorities to pay invoices.

To help us to meet these priorities we have initiated a project that will enable Hampshire Fire and Rescue to utilise Government Procurement Cards (GPC) via VISA payment processing arrangements.

This commits us to making the best use of information and communication technology to reduce the cost of the procurement process for both Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and its suppliers and contractors. E-Procurement is not seen as an opportunity to drive down prices at the expense of suppliers and contractors, but an opportunity to reduce administration and processing costs.