As highlighted in the recent story - Ministers unveil central buying service for Whitehall - the launch of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) will amalgamate the existing Government Procurement Service with other agencies in order to centrally purchase common goods and services for central government.

By making the most of the government's position as the largest buyer in the market, the CCS should free up procurement functions within other departments, allowing them to focus on critical areas unique to them. In addition, we would argue that, by applying more commercial sensibilities, the introduction of the CCS should broaden the playing field for smaller businesses wishing to bid for contracts, increasing competitions and delivering savings across the board.