World Commerce & Contracting (WorldCC) is quite explicit that poorly defined specifications, requirements and scopes of work are a major cause of contract failure, disputes and value leakage.WorldCC's Ten Pitfalls research identifies lack of clear scope and goals as Pitfall No. 1. WorldCC says this is the most frequent source of claims, disputes and disrupted relationships and af...

For decades, procurement functions have been under pressure to reduce cost.There is nothing wrong with that.The problem occurs when purchase price becomes confused with valueRecent Government policy provides an important reminder that resilience and security of supply can have significant economic value.Government procurement guidance published during 2026 specifically re...

One of the most significant changes introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 concerns what happens after the contract has been awarded**.Traditionally, supplier performance has largely been regarded as an internal matter between the contracting authority and its supplier.That assumption needs reconsidering.Section 71 of the Procurement Act introduces Contract Performance Notice...

For many years, procurement professionals have been encouraged to demonstrate that they have achieved value for money. Too often, however, this has been interpreted primarily as achieving a competitive purchase price.That approach is changing.The Government is increasingly looking at its enormous procurement expenditure as a means of supporting wider strategic objectives, includi...

Netomnia Ltd v MJ Quinn Integrated Services Ltd case concerned the payment applications submitted as part of a batch of 168 applications worth more than £4.7 million. The court found that the application did not satisfy contractual requirements, including providing the information needed to verify the claim. This case shows that seemingly minor administrative requirements can have major ...

In Westgreen Construction Ltd v Kiryukhina a dispute arose concerning £650,000 of advance payments. The court enforced the adjudicator's decision and found that the contractual events triggering repayment had not occurred. Contract management cannot be used to rewrite a poor contractual bargain post award.These kinds of issues are covered in our Contract Law and Drafting course 30th ...

The Government has announced that electricity, gas and water infrastructure providers will be expected to use their procurement and contracts to support UK manufacturing jobs, skills and apprenticeships. The government says legislation could follow if companies do not respond voluntarily.If an organisation wants procurement to deliver social, economic or industrial outcomes, those ob...

The Cabinet Office recently announced a new Insourcing Unit to examine critical service contracts and identify opportunities to bring services back in-house. It will sit alongside the new Public Interest Test applying to most central-government service contracts over £1 million.Before deciding that outsourcing has failed, organisations need to distinguish between failure of the sourc...

For relevant government projects/programmes worth £10m or more, or expected to require more than 500 tonnes of steel, in-scope organisations should confirm in the Contract Details Notice whether UK-produced steel will be used by the prime contractor or within the supply chain.The guidance also stresses contract management of call-offs to ensure contractual obligations concerning stee...