Supplier trade body Intellect is working with the government to establish a code of conduct for IT vendors undertaking public sector contracts The code is one element of a series of initiatives that Intellect and Whitehall buying arm the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) are discussing to improve public sector procurement processes and counter criticism that the IT industry often fails to fully deliver on its promises.
If all goes well, public sector contracts should be implemented with 'less fuss, less trouble and more success', says Intellect egovernment programme manager Nick Kalisperas.
'The code of conduct is one part of a package of measures which we are commencing work on now,' he said. 'It will contribute towards a more mature procurement environment, where there are smarter suppliers and more intelligent customers. It's about making sure everyone knows what is expected.'
The code is in its infancy at present, and details about how it will be implemented and adhered to have yet to be decided.
But Kalisperas says the code will mean there is some redress and security for public sector bodies if projects go wrong.
'The key point is this needs to be a code of conduct with teeth. There needs to be a means of redress if anyone is deemed to have violated the contract,' he said.
The code of conduct is a result of work Intellect has been doing through its Senior IT Forum programme with the OGC, and is a reaction to comments made by OGC chief executive Peter Gershon and eEnvoy Andrew Pinder about the failure rates of public sector contracts.
Intellect is also working on initiatives around education, partnering and responsibilities that will work in conjunction with the code of conduct.
If the initiative is a success, it will be extended to cover private sector IT buyers.
Quelle: Computing
