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Government Contracts: Equality

Answer

The information is as follows:(a) The DepartmentThe Corporate Procurement Division (CPD) dictates Procurement Policy and provides Guidance for the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). This Guidance is not mandatory for DCLG Agencies and DCLG sponsored public bodies but is a source of best practice and incorporates material from other sources, including the Office of Government Commerce and the Commission of Racial Equality.This Guidance outlines the scope to take account of social considerations, such as equality and diversity issues, in the procurement process in line with the European procurement rules and the Government's procurement policy based on value for money. In order to be consistent with the procurement policy and legal framework, using the meeting of equality or diversity criteria or targets as Tender evaluation criteria is permissible when they are of relevance to the function or service being carried out.DCLG procurement policy is to evaluate the Sustainability aspects of each procurement at the earliest stage, to identify if equality, diversity criteria or similar can be used as evaluation tools to determine the award of Contract.(b) AgenciesDCLG Agencies have not issued any Guidance of their own on this issue. They refer to departmental guidance (a) in this respect.(c) Sponsored Public BodiesOf DCLG sponsored public bodies, several indicate they have not issued any Guidance of their own on this issue. They refer to departmental guidance (a) in this respect.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

458 c1215W; 128550

Session

2006-07

Related items

Equal Opportunities Commission: Manpower
Friday, 19 October 2007
Written questions
House of Commons

Subjects

Contracts Contracts for services Equality Department for Communities and Local Government

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk