The British property ownership registry is facing scrutiny over a £4.8 million contract it awarded to Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The contract is under investigation as Amazon’s UK head, Doug Gurr, has been a non-executive director on the former’s board since 2018.
There have been suggestions that the registry’s decision might damage the trust of the public and that there needs to be increased transparency in the contract issuance process.
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Procurement process
However, HM Land Registry has dismissed suggestions of any potential interference from Gurr, saying that he serves as a non-executive director with “no involvement in any contract procurement decisions”.
The agency also pointed out that as Amazon.co.uk itself is an AWS customer, Gurr has no say in the cloud major’s business decisions.
The decision-making and award process for the AWS contract took place via the Crown Commercial Services GCloud 11 route, set by the Cabinet Office. This route is compliant with the UK government’s procurement regulations and transparency guidelines, according to the Land Registry.
The UK government is reportedly exploring options for post-Brexit procurement process rules. They are mulling whether there is a need for greater public transparency into the procurement process for public contracts.
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Via: The Telegraph
