Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants.

In JulyIn July 2013 HM Treasury's procurement functions transferred to the Crown Commercial Service (CCS—formerly the Government Procurement Service, GPS). HM Treasury decides selection criteria and weightings for procurements based on advice from CCS.

The selection criteria and weightings in the procurement procedures used by CCS are not fixed, but vary from project to project. UKpublic procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.

Diversity policies and records of businesses can be taken into account at tender evaluation stage if they relate directly to the subject matter of a contract from the point of view of the contracting authority.

Treasury's procurements are evaluated against response guidance provided to bidders as part of Invitations to Tender (ITT) or Requests for Quotes (RFQ). Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the tenders issued and contracts they award with a value over £10,000 (excluding VAT):

https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

Selection criteria and weightings applied in procurements form part of the information published.