Maude signs first single, cross-government supplier deal

The Cabinet Office has made the first cross-government procurement deal, covering printing.

The move replaces some 140 contracts with printer or printer service suppliers with just one and will save government £21m as well as deliver "major efficiency" over its four year lifetime.

It has also been delivered six months ahead of schedule, suggesting more pan-governmental deals may be in the pipeline.

"My team is extremely pleased to be managing the contract on behalf of Government," Dave Thomas, HMRC Commercial Director, commented on the deal.

"HMRC has been heading in this strategic direction for the last three years and the benefits of the contract align perfectly with the government procurement agenda. This model will now be available across government six months ahead of schedule and we look forward to meeting the challenge of onboarding."

The winner of the contract is a firm called Williams Lea, a global provider of corporate information solutions. It is now official Managed Service Provider for print and print management services to all of central Government.

The firm - the largest print buyer in the UK - won the contract after a competitive process "designed to identify a strategic partner to help HMRC and central government departments move away from a tactical print model."

In its new role, Williams Lea will work with Whitehall procurement and key stakeholders to drive efficiencies, while identifying and developing opportunities to transform print activity throughout the life of the contract.

Tim Griffiths, Group CEO of Williams Lea, added, "This is a hugely important contract win for the business. It recognises our capabilities and we feel very honoured to have been chosen."

The deal is the first real sign of changes prompted by last year's hard-hitting Green review, which heavily criticised Whitehall for unco-ordinated purchasing strategies that failed to leverage the power and size of UK HMG as a business 'customer'.