Northern Ireland Office: Mobile Phones

Lord Laird
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 24 April (WA 304) concerning contracts for mobile phones for the Northern Ireland Office, what is a generic Office of Government Commerce contract; and who decides whether to award such a contract. [HL3276]

Lord Rooker
The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an office of HM Treasury and through its trading arm, OGC Buying Solutions, it provides a professional procurement service to the public sector to enable organisations to deliver improved value for money in their commercial activity and procurement of goods and services. For the purpose of ensuring value for money it establishes arrangements, which departments such as the Northern Ireland Office may use, to draw down goods and services without the need to undertake a further procurement exercise. The decision on the award of the contract was made by OGC Buying Solutions.

Lord Laird
asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 24 April (WA 304) concerning contracts for mobile phones for the Northern Ireland Office, what part equality played in the awarding of the contract. [HL3277]

Lord Rooker
The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an office of HM Treasury and through its trading arm, OGC Buying Solutions, it provides a professional procurement service to the public sector to enable organisations to deliver improved value for money in their commercial activity and procurement of goods and services. The OGC follows public sector procurement rules which provide, through open competition, equality and transparency of opportunity.