| MUMBAI: The BBC has launched the next stage
of the procurement process for parts of its HR services in the UK.
The process formally began in July 2005 with the publication of a
notice in the Official Journal of the European Union. It has attracted
widespread interest from a broad range of service providers.
Eight organisations are being taken through to the next round,
all of whom have demonstrated a strong desire and credibility as
potential suppliers for parts of the BBC's HR services. The bidders
are Accenture, Capita, Convergys, Excellerate HRO, Hewitt, IBM,
Northgate and Xchanging.
BBC People director Stephen Dando said, "I am delighted with
the really positive response we have received from the market to
our advert for the partial outsourcing of services within BBC People.
During the next phase of the process there will be a rigorous evaluation
of not only the expertise and operations of these bidders, but their
culture and fit with the BBC – this is a crucial part of our
evaluation."
The areas which the BBC is looking for a supplier or suppliers
to undertake are recruitment, remuneration, development, HR administration
services, relocation, occupational health services, and disability
access services.
The preference is to award one contract for all of the services,
however the BBC will award more than one contract where it is deemed
commercially advantageous to do so, or where this is necessary to
achieve the required service standards. The BBC states that it has
conducted a rigorous evaluation process in order to compile a long
list of interested parties. Final negotiations are expected to take
place at the end of this year and the contract with the successful
supplier is due to become operational from spring 2006.
The procurement process follows an internal review which proposed
that a number of services should be outsourced. The review team
identified this as one of the measures to help put extra resources
into programmes as part of the BBC's radical plans to transform
the organisation into a simpler and more creative digital broadcaster.
The BBC will be in full consultation with the recognised trade
unions throughout the procurement process. BBC People was formed
in 2001, bringing together for the first time the vast majority
of the BBC's functional HR specialists. The Division supports the
whole employment process. It supports around 27,000 BBC staff, some
6,000 casuals and 6,000 freelances based within multiple UK locations
and internationally, and deals with the significant 'churn' associated
with new hires/leavers.
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