The United Kingdom government wants to modernize the way it buys technology and will do it with a new platform: National Digital Exchange. The objective is clear and ambitious: save up to 1,200 million pounds sterling a year to public coffers.
The tool will allow public organizations – from hospitals to schools – compare, value and share experiences on technological products. Thus, faster purchase decisions can be made and, above all, better informed, with an approach determined in efficiency.
The initiative, led by the Department of Science, Information and Technologyis presented as part of a major strategy: the Executive wants to digitize internal processes, reduce waste and facilitate access to more reliable technological solutions, as well as open the door to more local companies, favoring innovation and sovereignty at the same time.
It’s not just about saving, go. One of the objectives is Promote the participation of small British technological companies in public contracts. In fact, the government provides an increase of 40?% In its presence in the next three years. A fact that, if fulfilled, can be an important change for the country’s technological ecosystem.
I could not miss: although the platform is still in development, some details are already known. For example, that it will be built in accordance with the country’s contracting standards, which guarantees a solid legal basis; It will also be accompanied by a “digital manual” that will guide those responsible for purchases towards more responsible, sustainable and fair decisions; And it will also have its pinch of AI.
The system will integrate Artificial Intelligence Functions to expedite the processes and match buyers with the appropriate suppliers in a matter of hours. This is explained by Feryal Clark, Minister of AI and Digital Government: “We have all heard stories about slow, ineffective public purchases, even disastrous. This has to change. This platform will change it”he says.
The project is part of the Ai Action Planthe road map with which the United Kingdom wants to become a key actor in the field of artificial intelligence. The plan includes numerous actions, among others, enable growth areas for AI infrastructure, such as data centers or electrical networks, in addition to facilitating access to public data anonymized for research.
The National Digital Exchangewith its combination of transparency, shared data and algorithmic efficiency, fits perfectly in this vision. And beyond economic savings, it points to another objective: to consolidate the United Kingdom as a global reference in technological innovation applied to the public sector. All this, at least, on paper. But it can be an interesting example for other territories, read the EU.
