Public and Commercial Services Union

The project team

If the outsourcing proposal proceeds, the department will usually appoint a project team to manage the procurement process. It is essential that PCS representatives are on this team. 

It is important to request the opportunity to comment on the business consultant - before the decision is made.

The official journal of the european communities

The department must publish an invitation of expressions of interest with the publication of a contract notice in the official journal of the European communities. The OJEC notice must provide sufficient information to enable interested service providers to bid. Treasury PFI guidelines require departments to let the trade union representative see and comment on the OJEC before publication.

Regarding the OJEC for projects, adverts have to be placed in the official journal when the value for the length of the contract is over £3.4m.  Likewise advertisements for services and supplies of the value over £99,695.

The invitation to tender

The invitation provides details of the project, including its scope (what is and is not expected to transfer), specifications, funding and selection criteria.

Short-listing of bidders

The short-listing of bidders is a detailed evaluation of the bids. At this stage the project team looks at the cost of each bid, its delivery mechanisms and proposals for meeting the criteria in the tender. It is important to examine staffing issues at this stage.

Meeting with short-listed bidders

Treasury guidelines recommend that departments facilitate meetings between the recognised trade unions and each of the short-listed bidders. Although bidders are not compelled to meet with union representatives, the project board can count this refusal against the bidder when refusing proposals. Please note that the bidders won't have access to staff at this stage so in most cases you would expect them to seize the opportunity to talk to staff representatives.  It is a sure sign of a poor bidder if they do not take this opportunity

The main purpose of the meeting is to give you the chance to find out more about the bidders proposals and their union-related background if they have one. This is an excellent point to ask hard questions about where they stand in relation to trade unions.

Before the meeting

• You should make sure all union members affected are consulted and an opportunity is given for their questions to be tabled.


• Gather detailed information on the companies in each of the consortia.


• Discuss the questions you are going to ask the companies


• Arrange then in a logical order.


• Make sure you have someone appointed to take a minutes of the meeting.