Poor councils won't escape from CCT

Definitions of quality need to be settled if a Better Value bid system is to successfully replace Compulsory Competitive Tenders, it was claimed this week.

Procurement consultant Frank Griffiths told CJ that cash-strapped councils "have to establish what their criteria for value are," or the will fail to get Better Value. He said that Institute of Purchase & Supply could help standardise what constitutes best value.

Last week the Government announced plans to supersede CCT with a Better Value tender system.

There is no fixed timetable or standards for the new system and the Government plans to have talks with clients and industry, which have both welcomed the proposed change (see Analysis - pages 12-13).

Direct Labour Organisations complained when CCT was introduced because of the competition from the private sector. DLOs, industry and Government came to realise that relying only on lowest bids during tenders jeopardised the construction quality.