Deloitte handed PPE contract 4 months after it started work
The Cabinet Office awarded a £3.2m contract to big four auditor Deloitte to help procure personal protective equipment (PPE), four months after it had started working with the government.
According to a critical report from the National Audit Office (NAO), Deloitte was handed the multi-million pound contract on 21 July 2020, with the contract effective from 14 March. The firm had therefore been working on PPE procurement for the government for four months before it signed a contract to do so.
The NAO’s report also found no evidence that the Cabinet Office documented its reasons for choosing Deloitte.
Deloitte has been contacted for comment.
The NAO’s report investigated the government’s emergency coronavirus procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic up until 31 July 2020 following concerns raised about transparency when awarding lucrative government contracts.
The report comes amid claims that the government has awarded contracts to businesses with links to ministers and advisers without due scrutiny.