TheWelsh Assemblyis deploying
anonline procurement systemwhich it
says will save the Welsh public sector £200m over five
years.
The xchangewales programme will provide an all-Wales system that
will allow every Welsh public sector organisation to find suppliers
and order and pay for goods online.
The assembly said the benefits will be lower prices, increased
use of corporate contracts and paperless ordering with reduced
administration.
Andrew Davies, Assembly minister for finance and public service
delivery, said, "By modernising the procurement and payment process
of the Welsh public sector, from schools to local authorities,
Wales will be the first place in the UK to deliver an electronic
sourcing, ordering and payments system on a country-wide
'
shared services' basis."
Seventeen organisations across the NHS, local government and
higher education have already put themselves forward as
"Pathfinders" for the programme.
The project will go live in spring 2008, said the assembly.