Government departments get help to become a better client

Government departments are to receive revised and upgraded guides by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) to help them improve procurement and be a better client.

The new guidelines, which form part of the OGC's Achieving Excellence initiative, have been approved by the National Audit Office and are available on OGC's website.

Guidelines include:

• Two high-level guides - a Manager's Checklist of key questions and the Construction Pocketbook overview of procurement for construction projects.
  
• Three core guides - AE1: Initiative Into Action; AE2: Project Organisation; and E3: Project Procurement Lifecycle.
  
• Eight supporting guides - AE4: Risk and Value Management; AE5: The Integrated Project Team; AE6: Procurement and Contract Strategies; AE7: Whole Life Costing; AE8: Improving Performance; AE9: Design Quality (under development); AE10: Health and Safety (to be developed shortly); and AE11: Sustainability (to be developed shortly).