Tories put faith in open-source procurement

The Tories are looking to deliver better value for money in IT procurement

The Conservative Party has published a new report on government open-source IT procurement, claiming that the recommendations would save tax payers' money.

The report is the result of studies by Dr Mark Thompson, of Cambridge University's Judge Business School, who was asked to pursue the topic by shadow chancellor George Osborne in a speech last year.

Osborne was looking for recommendations on how to deliver better value for money in IT procurement, while creating a level playing field for open-source software. The report and its recommendations will now be considered as part of the party's preparations for government.

"The Conservative Party is looking to the future. We have led the debate on using open-source software in government, and I am delighted that Dr Thompson has come forward with these detailed recommendations," said Osborne.

"These proposals are not just about saving money. They are about modernising government, making the public sector more innovative and improving public services."

The report found that the government could save as much as £600m per year by adopting a more effective IT procurement process. The use of open-source software could reduce licensing costs and free up the government from being locked into "long-term, monopoly supply situations".

"This independent report shows how government could save hundreds of millions of pounds a year by creating a more open IT procurement process, including levelling the playing field for open-source software," said Dr Thompson.

"It is not rocket science; it is about creating a modern and efficient procurement system. Governments and companies around the world are making use of open-source software, and we could achieve much more here in the UK."

The Conservative Party also revisited the catalogue of IT procurement failures in recent years, claiming that many could have been avoided through the use of more flexible software.

"When implemented carefully as part of a well managed transformation programme with strong IT leadership, this [open-source] approach can reduce the risk of project failure and deliver significant value-for-money benefits," the report noted.