Download or read book Smarter Food Procurement in the Public Sector written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-03-30 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The public sector in England spends around £2 billion per year on food and catering services. This NAO report contains three case studies which examine how public sector organisations can improve their food procurement practices in order to reduce costs whilst maintaining the quality of meals provided. The case studies cover three of the four largest expenditure areas relating to the provision of food in schools, hospitals and armed forces bases, and each case study examines the role played by organisations at different levels in the delivery chain, from department level down to frontline delivery. Two accompanying documents are available separately: the main report (HCP 963-I, ISBN 0102937427) and a good practice guide (HCP 963-III, ISBN 0102937443).

Download or read book Smarter Food Procurement in the Public Sector written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-03-30 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The public sector in England spends around £2 billion per year on food and catering services, including in schools, hospitals and armed forces bases. This NAO report examines how public sector organisations can improve their food procurement practices in order to reduce costs whilst maintaining the quality of meals provided. The report finds that the public sector could achieve efficiency gains of £224 million by 2010-11, with significant scope for improvement in relation to: developing market knowledge and buying practices; employing joint procurement to increase purchasing power; establishing greater transparency in contract caterers' charges; promoting the professional development of catering staff in the public sector; reducing costs and environmental impacts through efficient operational practices; and increasing the take up of meals and income generated by them. Two accompanying documents are available separately: Case studies (HCP 963-II, ISBN 0102937435) and a Good practice guide (HCP 963-III, ISBN 0102937443).

Download or read book Public Sector Auditing written by Sir John Bourn and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-07-31 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on 20 years of experience as Comptroller and Auditor General, and head of the United Kingdom National Audit Office, Public Sector Auditing: Is it Value for Money? is Sir John Bourn’s own account of the role and influence value for money auditing has in holding governments to account and in helping public bodies improve the ways in which they deliver services. Key features include: In-depth case studies from UK, US, Canada, China, India and Australia; Detailed analysis of complex areas of public expenditure such as health, education, privatisation, regulation, defence and IT; Examples of how auditing can promote positive outcomes rather than negative post mortems. This book is relevant for people working in both the public and private sectors, and should be essential reading for the staff of public sector audit institutions around the world, as well as commercial accountancy firms and students of accountancy, politics, economics and public management.

Download or read book Sustainable Food Procurement written by Mark Stein and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-02-23 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book examines sustainable food procurement policy and practice in the European Union and beyond, exploring the extent to which sustainability objectives have been achieved and evaluating the new developments taking place at both EU and national levels. While there is a growing recognition that public authorities can use public procurement as a policy tool to pursue multiple environmental, health and socio-economic objectives, contracting authorities still face many challenges. This volume investigates the scope for pursuing sustainable objectives in public procurement of food and catering services, examining different regulatory contexts and organisational models to answer the overall question of how to integrate sustainability concerns into the various phases of public food procurement processes. Contributions in the book examine the policy and legal procurement framework and practices for sustainable public catering in three EU Member States: Italy, France and Spain. There is a comparative survey of the Baltic Region, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Poland and Russia, and moving beyond the EU, there is examination of the UK and Brazil, as well as a cross country comparison of the UK with Denmark and Sweden. Drawing on the expertise of an interdisciplinary and intersectoral team of contributors allows the book to benefit from the insights of different disciplines, including business sciences, anthropology and law. Tapping into the global discussion on public food procurement as a means to achieve multiple social and environmental goals, this work will stimulate readers looking for new creative ways to create value through public food purchasing. This book will be of great interest to students, researchers, policymakers and public- and private-sector representatives interested in public procurement, food policy and law, sustainable food sourcing and supply chain management.

Download or read book Nutrition in Institutions written by Maria Cross and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-01-26 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The importance of good nutrition for individual health and well-being is widely recognized, yet for a significant number of people who rely on institutions for food and nutrition, this importance has not always been a primary consideration. People, therefore, may find themselves consuming food they would not ordinarily choose to eat, with, in some cases, restricted choices precluding individual preferences and compromising health. In recent years, there have been major advances in the quality of catering in some areas, particularly schools. Other institutions which have not been thrust into the media spotlight have fared less well in terms of policy drive and commitment. This insightful new book looks in detail at five institutions: schools, hospitals, care homes for the elderly, prisons and the armed forces. As well as providing a fascinating history of the provision of food in each institution, each section considers: current policy and standards and their implementation adequacy of food provided with regard to the health status and dietary requirements of the people in the care of each institution efficiency of catering organization and issues relating to contract tendering, expenditure and procurement A broad spectrum of further relevant issues is also covered, including the meaning of food to those in institutions and determinants of choice.

Download or read book Law and Economics of Public Procurement Reforms written by Gustavo Piga and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-10-03 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Appropriate laws and regulations are essential tools to direct the action of procurers toward the public good and avoid corruption and misallocation of resources. Common laws and regulations across regions, nations and continents potentially allow for the further opening of markets and ventures to newcomers and new ideas to satisfy public demand. Law and Economics of Public Procurement Reforms collects the original contributions related to the new European Union Directives approved in 2014 by the EU Parliament. They are of both economists and lawyers, and have been presented in a manner that allows for exchanges of views and "real time" interaction. This book features, for each section, an introductory exchange between two experts of different disciplines, made up of a series of sequential interactions between an economist and a lawyer, which enriches the liveliness of the debate and improve the mutual understanding between the two professions. Four sections characterize this book: Supporting social considerations via public procurement; Green public procurement; Innovation through innovative partnerships; and Lots - The Economic and Legal Challenges of Centralized Procurement. These themes have current relevance of the new European Public Procurement Directives. Written by an impressive array of experts in their respected fields, this volume is of great importance to practitioners who work in the field of EU public procurement in the Member States of the EU, as well as academics and students who study public finance, public policy and regulation.

Download or read book The Shareholder Executive and public sector businesses written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-09-20 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This particular report follows on from an earlier NAO report on the same topic, see (HCP 255, 06/07 ISBN 9780102944518), published February 2007. The Shareholder Executive was established in 2003, to act as an effective owner of businesses that are owned or part-owned by government. It is now an operational group within the Department of Trade and Industry, with a portfolio covering 27 businesses and a combined turnover of £21 billion. The Committee notes that the role of the Executive marries both public and private objectives, setting out to both achieve public policy objectives through the most cost effective means and provide a satisfactory return on the public money invested through the shareholder value. The Committee states that the Executive has delivered value for the taxpayer by adopting a business criteria through a framework that sets out clear priorities for the businesses, alongside performance monitoring and, with management held to account for their delivery. The Committee sets out a number of conclusions and recommendations, including: that the Department of Trade & Industry is setting up a Board to provide direction and accountability for the Executive; that there should be a presumption that all government businesses come within the Executive's portfolio; that the Executive should market its services comprehensively and seek to be more visible across government; that the Executive should be given an explicit responsibility for advising sponsor departments on the investment needs of their businesses; that the performance management of the Executive needs to include wider measures that are based on the results of individual businesses; also, that the Executive needs sufficient pay flexibility to continue to recruit high calibre staff; that the Executive's responsibility for the postal services industry extends beyond shareholder value issues, and the Committee believes the Department should identify options for relieving the Executive of responsibility for Royal Mail policy; that the Executive should set business-level dividend targets, which take into account the risks faced by the business and the Executive should systematically undertake valuations of the businesses in its portfolio.

Download or read book Improving Procurement in Further Education Colleges in England written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-10-25 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 384 further education colleges in England spend around £1.6 billion each year on procurement services, including administration and general costs, premises costs, non-pay teaching and support services. Procurement expenditure as a percentage of total income averages 25 per cent but varies widely across colleges, with the greatest variation among small and medium-sized colleges. The Learning and Skills Council has estimated that FE colleges could make £75 million efficiency savings by March 2008 through the introduction of more efficient and effective procurement processes. Drawing on good practice guidance from the Office of Government Commerce and on expertise within the National Audit Office gained from its reports on procurement in other sectors, this report makes eight recommendations for improved procurement. The recommendations are based on five key requirements, including: the need for clear leadership from governors and senior managers in improving procurement; information about appropriate methods of procurement; and exploring opportunities to collaborate with others to gain economies of scale when buying goods or services.

Download or read book The Management of Staff Sickness Absence in the National Probation Service written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-04-26 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This NAO report examines sick leave in the National Probation Service, which was running at 12.3 days per person in the 2004-05 period at a cost of £31.6 million. A number of recommendations have been set out as follows. That the National Probation Directorate should agree with the Chief Probation Officer a consistent minimum standard for collecting and reporting sickness absence data in their areas. This in turn could be used to produce comparative analyses, and offer a basis to diagnose the causes of sickness absence. An upgrade in some areas of their information technology systems should occur, so that better management information can be compiled. All probation areas should implement the mandatory elements of the national policy on sickness absence. All Chief Officers should review their action plans for reducing sickness absence. Sickness absence should be managed effectively but sympathetically, by including return to work interviews, along with a means of distinguishing between avoidable and unavoidable sickness absences, and addressing the culture of absenteeism. Long term sickness absence should be reviewed as a matter of urgency. Policies relating to work/life balance should be implemented nationally.

Download or read book Imagining Sustainable Food Systems written by Alison Blay-Palmer and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-13 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What defines a sustainable food system? How can it be more inclusive? How do local and global scales interact and how does power flow within food systems? How to encourage an interdisciplinary approach to realizing sustainable food systems? And how to activate change? These questions are considered by EU and North American academics and practitioners in this book. Using a wide range of case studies, it provides a critical overview, showing how and where theory and practice can converge to produce more sustainable food systems.

Download or read book The Creation of Ofcom written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-07-05 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ofcom = Office of Communications.

Download or read book Reducing the Reliance on Landfill in England written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-07-26 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1999 the European Union introduced a Directive that require the UK to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste disposed of in landfill. By 2010 we have to landfill 75% of the amount landfilled in 1995. This figure reduces to 50% by 2013 and 35% by 2020. If the target is not met then the UK could be fined for non-compliance. So far DEFRA has spent £336 million on initiatives to reduce the amount of landfill, but reductions have been offset by growth in the amount of waste produced and there is a risk that the targets will not be met. An emphasis on recycling alone is not enough. DEFRA needs to focus on helping the 25 authorities that send most to landfill and help develop alternative waste facilities, as well as encouraging more households to recycle and compost. This examination of the problem is in four parts: 1) England needs to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste disposed through landfill; 2) earlier delays I taking action made European Union targets more difficult to achieve; 3) without a step change in existing local authority plans, England will not achieve its share of the reductions in landfill the European Union requires by 2010 and 2013; 4) recycling and minimisation need to contribute more to reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.

Download or read book Improving procurement in further education colleges in England written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2007-10-04 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 2004 Gershon Efficiency Review proposed procurement as one of the main sources of efficiency savings in the public sector. The Learning and Skills Council, which funds England's 384 further education colleges, estimates that from an annual procurement expenditure of £1.6 billion, colleges could make savings of £75 million by March 2008. The savings made by colleges would be available to be redeployed into front-line services for learners. Until recently, many colleges have tended to treat procurement as a low priority and have not taken advantage of modern procurement methods such as purchasing consortia and procurement cards. They now need to modernise their systems so as to maximise the resources available for learning. Colleges increasingly have staff who are capable of managing procurement, but they are too often let down by the low quality of the systems and the management information available to them. There have been recent successes in persuading colleges of the benefits of joining purchasing consortia and using procurement cards. Indeed the savings target of £75 million may prove unambitious in light of the low starting point of many colleges. March 2008, when colleges make their first reports on savings to the Learning and Skills Council, will be a good time to consider whether greater savings can be made to be re-invested into services for learners.

Download or read book Child Support Agency Implementation of the Child Support Reforms written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-06-30 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new system for child support was introduced for new cases and those with links to new cases from 3 March 2003. There were new rules for child support and a simplified calculation of maintenance. In addition the Child Support Agency underwent substantial restructuring and introduced a new IT system. This was necessary because the Agency had been previously missing its targets, suffered from a large backlog of unprocessed cases and there was a low level of compliance from non-resident parents. However there have been problems implementing the reforms. This report provides an assessment of: what caused the problems; the impact on the quality of service provided to the customers; and actions taken by the Agency in response to the problems and the lessons learnt.

Download or read book Using the Contract to Maximise the Likelihood of Successful Project Outcomes written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-06-07 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report is one of a series of studies by the NAO which examine key factors involved in improving project performance in defence equipment procurement, with the aim of establishing best practice in relation to a theoretical 'gold standard' developed by assessing and comparing results of overseas and commercial operations. Following on from the first report in the series (HCP 30, session 2005-06, ISBN 0102932611) which identified the contract as a key component of project control, this report sets out recommendations on how the Ministry of Defence and its industry partners can best use the contract to maximise the likelihood of successful project outcomes. (It does not examine methods (competitive or otherwise) the MoD might pursue to select a potential supplier, as the effective use of competition will be the subject of a future report). More information on the evidence underlying the recommendations in this report and the gold standard criteria developed can be found on the website: www.naodefencevfm.org

Download or read book Working with Non governmental and Other Civil Society Organisations to Promote Development written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-07-06 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The term Civil Society covers aspects of society independent of the state and the private sector. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are bodies organised around shared interests and values and include NGOs, trade unions, faith groups and business associations. Since 1997 the Department fro International Development (DFID) has increasingly worked with CSOs to help to reduce world poverty. This report looks at DFID's view of the role of CSOs in international development; how it engages with CSOs; and the achievements of CSOs in reducing poverty. It is based on visits to 4 countries, 19 projects, a file review of 40 projects and Partnership Programme Agreements; and the response of 90 CSOs.

Download or read book A5 Queue Relocation in Dunstable Wider Lessons written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-04-28 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dunstable town centre suffers severe traffic congestion, due to limited road capacity and high volumes of heavy goods vehicles, causing poor air quality. The Dunstable A5 queue relocation scheme was introduced to provide a co-ordinated traffic management control system using existing and new traffic signals along the A5. The aim of the scheme was to improve the flow of traffic and reduce queues, to increase the safety and accessibility of pedestrians, to reduce accidents and lessen noise and pollution. Construction began in 1999 and was completed in 2004, at a final cost of two million pounds (although the scheme was budgeted to cost £1.4 million). The NAO report finds that the scheme has not delivered the expected benefits forecast for safety, journey times, environment and accessibility; and has failed to satisfy local expectations. Although there has been an overall reduction in accidents, there has been an increase in the number of accidents occurring at two junctions in the town centre since the scheme was introduced. Whilst the circumstances of the Dunstable scheme are specific to that location, the NAO report identifies lessons to be learned which can be applied more widely across the Highways Agency.