[pop80_uk]

The real reason for the lack of collaborative procurement in government and central government (councils) is quite simply politics. A labour controlled council will refuse to collaborate with a Con or Lib Dem council, its poor but its a fact.

The buyers are not to blame they are constrained by politics and red tape, not to mention the EU public sector procurement regulations, which limit the actions they can take and the way contracts are procured and goods and services bought.

There is a lot more to this story than simply a weak supply chain or refusal to collaborate.

As for the pens cheaper at the local warehouse etc, 99% of contracts let and awarded in public and private sectors you could find the product cheaper, the difference is it will not have been tendered and often these items are special offers etc.

Its an interesting report and collaborative procurement does add value, however NHS PASA failed on many levels but one was due to their "buying power" resulting in higher prices than alot of local NHS procurement departments could purchase at from local suppliers.