Nils Pratley’s summary of governmental incompetence regarding HS2 is stark (HS2: a complete failure by the British state and its politicians, 18 June). However, it is the lack of application of a basic procurement principle that is the underlying cause of the HS2 debacle.
On a major project like HS2, the first question a procurement professional should ask is: “What is the business need?” The time spent establishing a clear need, signed off by all stakeholders, is time well spent. My experience is that quality procurement expertise is not sought before the project specification is defined and this question is fudged. Why scupper a glamorous ill-defined (and therefore inevitably costly) project for a dull and precisely defined one?
