Lincolnshire Police will be the first force to use the new to select and pay for a range of approved goods and services from 500 suppliers.

The NPIA reckons the hub will save the police service £30 million over six years. It will enable Lincolnshire and others to buy items such as IT, body armour, vehicles and a variety of other goods and services.

It harnesses the buying power of the whole police service in order to lower costs, whilst realising greater efficiency in billing and processing transactions, said the NPIA.

The hub is being delivered by the NPIA in partnership with ProcServe, a company which provides electronic procurement products. All police forces are expected to be using the hub by June 2012.

Sue Moffatt, head of commercial and procurement at the NPIA, said: "The police service is committed to deliver significant savings from better procurement."