Officials are writing to the industry asking them to fill out a survey on their concerns about the time and cost created by competitive dialogue. The responses will help the Treasury decide what to do to help procurements proceed "smoothly".
"We are aware of a wide range of views on both the theory and practice of competitive dialogue. But at present this is largely based on anecdotal information," the Treasury letter says.
"We are therefore keen to gain a fuller understanding of when competitive dialogue is being used, how it is used, and how well it works, or doesn’t work, in practice. We’re also keen to consider how competitive dialogue procurements compare to those using the negotiated procedure."
PricewaterhouseCoopers has been commissioned to undertake surveys and interviews.
"We know the private and public sectors have strong opinions on the dialogue process and we are hoping for an honest assessment of their experiences," the letter adds.
"The more detailed the information and the more honest the insights we receive, the better Treasury will be equipped to piece together an accurate picture of the competitive dialogue landscape. We can then assess what, if any, further work should be undertaken to help both the public and private sectors proceed smoothly through future procurements."
The survey, which will remain open until Monday 30 November, is available at https://www.pwcresearch.com/uc/HMT_CDReview/
Industry asked to improve dialogue
The Treasury has officially launched its drive to get the partnerships industry's "honest" opinions on how competitive dialogue could be improved.