Industry association Eventia’s Chairman, Simon Hughes, whose Central Office of Information Live Events department was axed by the Government in March, has said Whitehall’s Communications Category Team at the Government Procurement Service (GPS) needs expert advice and assistance.
Following queries from agencies, Hughes says Eventia has offered to step in and help GPS in scoping the future development of the public sector event marketplace.
This move is prompted, he says, by the disclosure that GPS are no longer intending to include events in the Creative and Delivery Services framework that is due to be posted in the Official Journal of the European Union next week.
An Eventia statement says many event agencies had attended a briefing on Agile Communications in late May where plans for this framework had been set out, with the Cabinet minister Francis Maude opening the event by focusing on the need for greater efficiencies, cost savings and more opportunities for SMEs.
Eventia claims it now understands that the GPS has discovered that there are two other event type frameworks being developed – one for travel and venue finding in the Travel Category they control and a separate one involving the UKTI for UK and international event services.
Eventia Chairman Simon Hughes says: “It looks like the Communications Category Team at GPS could do with some expert advice and assistance. They need to consult with both stakeholders and the marketplace to avoid creating false expectations.
“The legacy COI Live Events framework was due to run until November 2013 anyway, so to now change their minds and not communicate clearly to interested parties is certainly perplexing some of our members. We’d happily help GPS get some clarity on this, as it would only be of benefit to our members and the broader events sector to avoid confusion.”
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