Purcon: Software 'key for procurement jobs'

Software applications can be vital for people in procurement jobs, new research suggests.

Electronic procurement and sourcing applications can help public sector organisations to save money, according to a new report from market research firm Gartner.

Authored by Gartner Research director Deborah R Wilson, the report said: "Procurement and sourcing applications can significantly impact the ability of public sector organisations to manage costs, do more with less, spur economic development and reduce corruption."

In addition, the research report said that procurement technology programmes that make their use mandatory are likely to have more of an effect than those where the technology does not have to be used.

One of the software solution firms mentioned in the report was ProcServe, which already work with the Office of Government Commerce with its Zanzibar application.

ProcServe chief executive officer Veera Johnson said that her firm has seen first-hand how software can help to transform public sector procurement.

Public sector organisations such as the police and the fire service are currently looking at ways to improve procurement practices as budgets are scaled back by the government.