Hampshire Country Council and Cambridgeshire Country Councils have viewed single suppliers as being preferable to offering multiple services contracts up for tender through the Public Services Network (PSN).

The single vendor choices made by the councils through the PSN appears to have taken the Cabinet Office by surprise.

A Cabinet Office Spokesman said: “We would encourage customers to use individual lots as far as possible, as these have a broader representation of specialist providers. However, procurement strategy is a matter for individual customers, taking into account their service requirements and the level of transformation involved.”