The UK construction sector continues to face challenges although there are signs of improvement. Notably, suppliers have reported shorter delivery delays and a decrease in input cost inflation from recent peaks, which is crucial for procurement teams. Despite ongoing delays in infrastructure projects and a decline in public-sector tenders, there are indications of improved confidence wit...

A recent client of our “How to sell to the public sector” course gave us the following feed back“I just wanted to send an email to say a huge thank you for the training which was delivered on Monday and Tuesday this week. I have received a lot of messages to say how interesting and valuable the training was and how the trainer was able to engage such a broad sweep of attendees from e...

AI and automation is transforming contract management, becoming a dominant theme in industry discussions. Recent data shows that 76% of contracting professionals are optimistic about AI adoption in early 2024, a significant increase from 26% in mid-2023, indicating a massive shift in sentiment.The accuracy of AI-assisted contract reviews has improved by 35%, which not only reduces hu...

Industry reports indicate a continued easing of disruptions across various sectors. Transport and logistics providers are announcing new long-term contracts and experiencing fewer delivery delays compared to recent years. This stabilization presents several opportunities for businesses to:- Renegotiate pricing- Revisit service levels- Reduce contingency stock- Improve del...

The Cabinet Office's new Contract Management Playbook is attracting significant attention within the public sector. This guidance emphasizes the importance of active contract management over mere contract administration.Key themes include:- Mobilisation planning- Governance structures- Risk management- Benefits realisation- Contract exit planning- Continuous s...

Today's policy announcements highlight a significant shift in public procurement, emphasizing social value, apprenticeships, UK manufacturing, and regional economic benefits in contract awards. This marks a move away from the traditional focus on lowest pricing alone.Implications for commercial managers include:- Local employment commitments- Skills development initiatives...

The UK government is reforming the home-buying process by introducing legally binding property offers earlier in transactions. This change aims to reduce deal fall-throughs and will impose penalties on parties who withdraw without justification. Additionally, sellers will be required to provide more information upfront. Contract implications include a broader policy trend toward earlier ...

The recent ruling by the Supreme Court in King Crude Carriers SA v Ridgebury November LLC marks a significant development in contract law. The Court has clarified that when a contractual condition precedent is not fulfilled due to a breach, the appropriate remedy is typically damages, rather than automatically treating the condition as satisfied.This ruling will have implications for...

A current political issue is the continued award of public contracts to KPMG despite prior controversy regarding confidential information leaks, while government reviews continue. The broader commercial lesson is not about KPMG specifically. The market is seeing greater focus on:- Supplier ethics- Reputational risk- Governance failures- Debarment and exclusion mechanisms ...