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About GPS

The public sector is increasingly expected to deliver efficient, value for money procurement. With this has come greater recognition of the benefits that a well trained, professional procurement team can deliver.

This is the challenge, outlined in the HM Treasury Transforming Government Procurement report, which the Government Procurement Service (GPS) is expected to support.

The challenges the workstream faces include:

  • Raising the profile of procurement  and extending its influence; 
  • Establishing consensus support (both decisions and resources);
  • Identifying the gaps in skills, talent and capability; and
  • Creating enthusiasm for the reformed GPS.

 

Vision for the reformed GPS

The vision for the reformed GPS is to create a sustainable balance of appropriately skilled and suitably managed procurement professionals, to match the growing scale and complexity of the Government's delivery agenda.

The GPS will provide a framework to enable procurement professionals develop the capability needed to deliver better public services and greater savings from public procurement. The reformed GPS will establish a comprehensive package of support to the government procurement profession and government organisations seeking to enhance their procurement capability.

During 2007 and 2008 the GPS has introduced:

  • Professional standards for government procurement professionals
  • Development and training initiatives, including the Online Skills Development Directory
  • Greater coherence in job descriptions and career paths.
  • New flexible routes into government procurement, through the Government Procurement Graduate Scheme and a new placement option for the Civil Service Fast Stream 
  • Revised standards of entry to the GPS for those already working in government and in procurement

In 2009, GPS will be working to:

  • launch the GPS Reward Strategy: "Building the Procurement Profession in Government";
  • develop an approach to Talent Management;
  • establish career development support and advice;
  • build an active and engaged government procurement community, with access to events, networking opportunities and means of maintaining contact with colleagues across departments.

 

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