Timms welcomes spec streamlining

Construction Minister Stephen Timms has welcomed the introduction of a more streamlined way to manage specification, saying the procurement process needed to be "more lean and more efficient".

RICS eTendering service is a method of exchange of documents and information that will reduce waste and cost for both buyer and supplier by reducing existing paper-based procedures.

Timms said: "We need to find ways of reducing waste in procurement for both purchasers and suppliers throughout the supply chain, at the tendering stage and beyond."

The service is applicable to competitive tenders, negotiated tenders and framework contracts. It is offered at a pay-per-tender basis to buyers, while contractors and suppliers can use the system for free.