The Office of Government Commerce has rejected criticism that its announcement of £1.6 billion in savings are inaccurate and that it took credit for savings that were not its doing (see 
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University and college purchasers should use e-auctions more, according to the sector's procurement advisory body.
Ann Marie Cawkwell has been appointed to head Thompson Plastics' newly created group purchasing department. She will take on overall management of the whole group's buying process, consolidating teams in several locations in the UK.
Local councils are calling on the government to set up a contract for purchasing ballot packs in the wake of Britain's largest experiment in all-postal voting.
Nearly 60 per cent of purchasers believe that outsourcing procurement does not deliver on its promises, according to the latest Supply Management online poll.
Indigo Software is introducing demand planning software to help consumer goods manufacturers reduce over-production and stocks.
A plea for purchasers to foster local suppliers was made by business commentator and ex-purchaser Sir John Harvey-Jones.
Global eXchange Services has introduced a system to automate the information that suppliers provide to their retail and manufacturing customers.
Card fraud fell for the first time in eight years last year, according to an industry report, which also forecasts that debit and credit cards will be more popular than cash for consumer payments by 2005.
UK purchasers should pressure the government to collect information on foreign officials and companies that try to bribe them, according to a major international advisory body.