DSGi Business, part of the group that owns Currys and
PCWorld, has failed to make the second round of the tender stage
for a £6bn public sector framework agreement due to kick off in the
spring.
The framework, due to be launched on 1 March 2010 with an
estimated value of £6bn will be used across government for
supplying PCs, peripherals and software.
Framework organiser Buying Solutions has told bidders whether
they have passed the qualification criteria.
DSGi brand Equanet - the third largest supplier on the current
three-year agreement - has not made the grade for the next round,
according to people close to the deal.
"Equanet is off the list," said one insider involved with Buying
Solutions. "It did not score highly enough on the marking and
weighting scheme." It is understood that one of the areas DSGi fell
down was the growth of its business over the last three years.
Around 170 suppliers were involved in the second tender stage
for the previous framework, known as Catalist, three years ago, but
this time only 45 resellers have made it through. Twenty-nine
suppliers supply public sector departments under the current
Catalist agreement, but that number could fall.
"Buying Solutions has definitely made it tougher, it was too
easy for resellers to join the lots without offering value, you
need to be able to drive demand when on the programme," said one
supplier.
Buying Solutions refused to comment specifically on DSGi
Business "as it is commercially sensitive information". DSGi
Business declined to comment on commercial relationships.
A version of this story appeared onMicroScope.co.uk