In an effort to improve SME access to public procurement contracts, the Government has now launched a new Mystery Shopper Scheme.
The Mystery Shopper Scheme has 2 roles:
1. It provides a clear, structured and direct route for suppliers to raise concerns about public procurement practice even when attempts at resolving issues with a contracting authority or a first-tier supplier have failed and provides feedback to enquirers on their concerns. 2. It also takes a proactive approach through spot checks on procurement documents.
This enables the Government to:
- identify areas of poor procurement practice so we can work with the contracting authority to put them right, and help ensure similar cases do not arise in future
- take action to reduce the likelihood of similar issues arising in other authorities
- identify examples of good practice that we can share with other authorities
You can use the service by sending an email to [email protected] or by telephoning their Service Desk on 01603 704999.
What bodies are covered?
- central government departments (e.g. Defra, MOD) – they will address feedback about the central departments or any of the bodies for which they are responsible (list of government departments)
- the wider public sector (e.g. local authorities, NHS trusts or education establishments) in England (They do not investigate procurement carried out by devolved bodies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales)
- prime contractors working on government contracts – we will work with contract managers in departments and prime contractors to address feedback about unfair practices and other issues in the supply chain of government contracts
Before contacting the Mystery Shopper team If you want to submit feedback to us read the terms set out in our scope and remit. This explains what we may be able to achieve in relation to your concerns. By submitting feedback to the Mystery Shopper Scheme you are accepting the scope and remit of the service.
Results We publish the results of the investigations into the cases we examine. The documents on the Mystery Shopper results page set out the issues and the resolution of the cases investigated so far. We also use social media to share the results of our investigations, only the contracting authority is named when we share and publish our results.
Taking a proactive approach The Mystery Shopper Scheme now carries out spot checks on procurement processes as well as continuing to deal with referrals raised by SMEs and other concerned suppliers. This extension of the Mystery Shopper scheme was announced in the report Small Business GREAT Ambition.
The Mystery Shopper team examines procurement documents, typically from online portals, and discusses their findings with the contracting authority responsible for the procurement. Cases are selected at random from a spread of organisations, either looking at general procurement issues or focusing on particular aspects of the procurement. The team will publish the results of cases in line with the government’s commitment to transparency.
