A review into the procurement of boilers and their installation, service and maintenance in social housing, organised by the Association of Gas Safety Managers (AGSM), will be held at the House of Lords on 17 July.

Each year, many thousands of organisations in social housing across the UK spend millions of pounds going through the procurement process for the installation, service and maintenance of boilers. Most have fairly standard requirements to supply heat in the most efficient, cost effective, sustainable manner.

On 17 July, representatives of the key stakeholders will carry out a review of the procurement process in the House of Lords under the chairmanship of Lord Redesdale, ceo of the Energy Managers Association, and organised by the AGSM.

Stakeholders represented include: housing organisations – primarily gas and asset managers and directors; procurement frameworks; boiler manufacturers; contractors; merchants; facilitators, including the AGSM and CORGI Technical Services.

Ceo of the AGSM, Claire Heyes, said: “Collectively, housing organisations and suppliers spend thousands of man hours in the development, submission and assessment of lengthy pre-qualification questionnaires and invitations to tender, with little value being added to the supply chain for either party, or for the tenant.

“The figures for cost versus benefit of the current processes just do not stack up! A survey of members of the AGSM told us that the supply chain is lacking innovation and that they didn’t believe the current model is effective or sustainable.”

She continued: “We know that millions of tenants are living in fuel poverty. This situation seems unjustifiable when the industry is not being as efficient as it could be in the spending of public money.”

At the review on Thursday 17 July, oral evidence will be gathered from the stakeholders to examine the processes and ways to streamline, simplify and share information across the sector’s supply chain.

Lord Redesdale, who is chairing the review, said: “The procurement process appears to have unnecessary bureaucracy and is potentially wasting millions of pounds of public money. A review is much needed and the input from a representation of a wide range of stakeholders is very welcome.”

For more information visit www.agsm.uk.com