Understanding the Public Services Industy

Public Services Industry Review
OFT
OGC
OJEU
ONS
PFI
PPP
Private Sector
Procurement
Public Sector
SME
Social Enterprise
Sustainable Procurement
Third Sector
TUC
Office of Fair Trading.
Office of Government Commerce.
Official Journal European Union.
Office of National Statistics.
Private Finance Initiative – The method to construct, maintain and
manage public facilities by using private capital, management skills,
and technical abilities. See Box 4.3 for more detail.
A Public-Private Partnership (PPP), refers to a contractual agreement
between a government agency and a private sector entity that
allows for greater private sector participation in the delivery of
public infrastructure projects. In some countries involvement of
private financing is what makes a project a PPP. PPPs are used
around the world to build new and upgrade existing public facilities
such as schools, hospitals, roads, waste and water treatment
plants and prisons, among other things. Compared with traditional
procurement models, the private sector assumes a greater role
in the planning, financing, design, construction, operation, and
maintenance of public facilities.
Part of the economy that is owned & controlled by private
individuals & business organisations such as private & public limited
companies.
Procurement is one element of the commissioning cycle. It refers to
the processes around drawing up tender documents and engaging a
particular contractor.
Part of the economic & administrative system that deals with the
delivery of goods & services by & for the government, whether
national, regional or local.
SME stands for small or medium-sized enterprise - in other words
a business with fewer than 250 employees. (BERR Definition):
http://www.berr.gov.uk/bbf/enterprise-smes/research-and-statistics/
statistics/page38573.html
A business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are
principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the
community.
Process where organisations meet their needs for goods, services,
works & utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a
whole life basis in terms of generating benefits, not only to the
organisation, but also to society and the economy, while minimising
damage to the environment.
A range of institutions which occupy the space between the State
and the private sector. These include small local community
and voluntary groups, registered charities both large and small,
foundations, trusts and the growing number of social enterprises
and co-operatives. Third sector organisations share common
characteristics in the social, environmental or cultural objectives
they pursue; their independence from government; and in the
reinvestment of surpluses for those same objectives.
Trade Union Congress.
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