Dirty tactics go on and on

Working in a telecare monitoring centre I have witnessed the following. It involves companies who openly say they don't get involved and people in governing bodies. It's a case of "we don't do that" but, behind closed doors it continues and I don't see it stopping in the future:

1. Tender specifications where the manager of the response centre has a preferred friendly supplier. The company assists the manager to draft the tender document to detail specifics within their equipment which others may not be able to supply.
2. The manager calling the company to advise when the tender is going out.
3. The manager going over the tender application with the company.
4. The call centre wasting other companies' time and energy by sending their staff to give presentations, but the centre's staff being told that visit was just to get some ideas.
5. The manager's preferred company getting the contract on the basis of the specification even though they were [a figure between £15k-£20k - editor] more expensive.
   
6. A manager (always at the company's table) who manipulated the lack of knowledge of the finance section by getting their preferred supplier to send a letter detailing that the equipment could only be purchased from them, as technically it was not compatible with other providers' equipment.

I can go on and on, but just look at the TSA conferences and see which sales managers are best friends with, and socialise with, response centre managers at functions and outside of work.

A real grip needs to be taken, with financial regulations inspections and follow ups on the use of telecare funding, otherwise the money is just being wasted. How many telecare project jobs for friends were created using the PTG funding? TOO MANY. And how many pieces of equipment sitting on shelves rotting? TOO MANY.