I would like to respond to Mike Cuthbert of Drivas Jonas’ assertion that “there are lots of well-used e-tendering services” in your article on the lack of take-up of the RICS e-tendering service (30 January, page 16).

In 2006, a survey by BCIS showed that less than 2% of projects used e-tendering and on 92% of projects paper documents were still distributed. The survey showed that one of the main barriers to the implementation of e-tendering was the cost of buying into the available services.

To remove this barrier RICS e-tendering service was set up.

When we launched the service we set ourselves two objectives: to persuade the profession to take the lead in e-tendering; and to sell them on the RICS e-tendering system. Thus far, we have failed in both.

Joe Martin, executive director, BCIS

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