Show time….

I received an e-mail at work today inviting me to attend the 'Procurement Solutions' exhibition to be held at Earls Court in June'
This is a pretty typical trade exhibition organised by the Office of Government Commerce that basically deals with a lot of Public Sector Purchasing.

Apparently there will be a FREE educational programme; hundreds of exhibitors; ‘inspiring’ celebrity speakers; 2 co-located events and much more which will ‘inform, educate and inspire me to create tangible improvements for my organisation’.

Some of the lectures include sessions on the sustainability of recycled paper, lots about carbon footprints, Multifunctional devices and a whole cornucopia of stuff about ethical purchasing (oh joy)

And even better if you go you will receive a free gift, in this case a wind up mobile phone charger. How could anyone resist especially as one who doesn’t own a mobile phone.

Of course the real purpose of this is for us Buying folks to go around all of the trade stands and chat to current and potential suppliers, glad hand a bit and make a few deals. Which of course you can’t really do in the public sector as there are procurement directives in place that means you can’t really just do the deal.

I must admit that I haven’t been to a trade show for years.

The last ones that I attended were during my time in the private sector working for a manufacturing concern within the Fire Control industry.

Several happy hours were spent at Trade Fairs discussing things that flashed or made loud sounds. Or in some instances both. Or even more fascinating the electronic componentary that goes into the control systems.

‘Oh did we tell you that we have found a new Korean supplier of ribbon cable?’

‘Several times, yes’.

However in the evenings, once the doors had closed they tended to loose the professional veneer.

Representative’s expense accounts emptied at the bar.And worse, I was aware of several relationships that were ruined by a partner’s extra marital activity at these events. And these were of course only the cases when the other half eventually found out.

I suppose after a day discussing the relative merits of the different pad sizes of surface mount resistors one is entitled to a little fun.

However of course this latest invitation is from a government body. Significant shafting would probably be involved but not in the form that I have previously encountered.
I was still wavering a little.

But then I noticed at the end of the message a note saying that if I didn’t want to receive further information about the event then I would need to contact Guardian News & Media Ltd whose ‘Kable’ division seem to be running the event.

So, Government procurement agency pays Guardian division to run event for them. Guardian continues to run myopic commentaries in support of Government. Whilst I suppose all of the ‘Client voters’ as they both would see it, attend and marvel at the wonders of ethically purchasing tofu in hemp bags.

Not playing guys, sorry, however tempting a free wind up mobile phone charger provided at the taxpayers expense is.