Procurement by government departments in the UK and elsewhere is big business. Some 1,500 procurement staff spend an estimated £13 billion+ a year on civil procurement in the UK. This report is not about the faults of the past. It is about the opportunities for the future. The examples it uses are examples of successes not failures.

The way in which local authorities/local councils deliver transport schemes and services impacts on almost every aspect of everyday life. This guide on the procurement options seeks to assist local authorities in understanding the range of options available to them when considering how to deliver services in the most efficient manner possible.

Before new PFI assets are constructed and services delivered, there is a process by which procuring authorities invite tenders and select a winning bidder for the contract.  In order for value for money to be achieved in PFI deals, all stages of the deal have to be managed effectively, including this tendering stage.  This report looks at this area of procurement and tendering.