The government has appointed John Collington as chief procurement officer, handing him the task of promoting collaborative procurement across central government.

Collington will be responsible for centralising procurement in a bid to ensure that taxpayers receive the best value for money.

Collington previously worked as the head of procurement in the Cabinet Office's Efficiency and Reform Group.

The need for efficient procurement was highlighted in Sir Philip Green's Efficiency Review, released in October 2010, which found that the government had failed to make the most of its buying power and credit rating.

David Smith, commercial director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will act as Collington's deputy on top of his current duties.

Collington's elevation follows the appointment of nine Crown Representatives who will each oversee a specific area of procurement.

The Crown Representatives will seek to achieve the cost savings agreed through the renegotiation of contracts with key suppliers.

The government claims that the renegotiation of key contracts has saved it £800m since May 2010.

Source: http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2045971/government-appoints-chief-procurement-officer#ixzz1KiD0pQna