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Abandoning a Procurement – Is it time to jump ship?

At a glance

Recent decisions, including by Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, highlight contracting authorities (‘CAs’) ability to abandon a procurement process where appropriate.

Here the CA decided to withdraw a £65 million pound contract award after legal action was commenced by an unsuccessful bidder. This is not the first time the courts have

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DfE’s Condition Improvement Fund – CMA Launches Investigation into Possible Bid-Rigging

On 11 December the Competition and Markets Authority (‘CMA’) announced that it had launched an investigation into suspected bid-rigging in relation to a key government fund for improving the condition of school buildings. Bid-rigging has serious competition and procurement implications, and the CMA has issued almost £60 million in fines in the last year alone to firms who

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It’s time for CATOs

Overview

This article explores the concept of Competitively Appointed Transmission Owners (‘CATOs’), their regulatory framework and role in enhancing onshore transmission infrastructure through competition. It will also look into the potential benefits, risks, associated developments and draw comparisons with the use of offshore transmission owners.

With already high levels of demand on the grid and undoubtedly more electricity

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Bus Franchising Reform – On the Road to Change?

Bus franchising is a model for providing bus services where local authorities have the power to determine the details of the services being provided, including where they run, when they run and the standards of the service.

Usually, this will involve the local authority letting an appropriate contract to a bus operator who will provide the service. This model is

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Value for money – general good practice for local authorities

Recent reports, such as that published by Middlesbrough Council earlier this year exploring their value for money arrangements, have outlined how some local authorities have struggled to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources. With several high-profile section 114 notices also being issued by authorities including Birmingham City Council in late 2023, this article explores key

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Dear Government – It’s time to get innovative about means of public investment

There are several subsidy mechanisms available to the UK Government, as outlined below, that are designed to address various barriers to investment and innovation in the manufacturing sector. These are able to provide both direct or indirect support to enhance competitiveness and drive technological processes and should be means the UK Government is considering soon.

Green Bonds and Climate Bonds

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