Submission on COVID-19 Procurement

In December 2020, we submitted to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry into public procurement and contracts for PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While noting the unique circumstances and pressures brought about by the pandemic, we outlined our concerns regarding the growing evidence of poor procurement practices. In comparison to the UK, many countries were able to carry out their emergency procurement in a far more open, transparent, efficient, and cost-effective manner. To that end, we urged the Committee to also consider what broader reforms are needed, making recommendations on both ensuring transparency and accountability on COVID-19-related procurement and fixing the UK’s public procurement.