Small and Medium Sized Enterprises & Social Economy Enterprises
Effective procurement practices are an important factor in ensuring a varied and competitive marketplace and creating opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and social economy enterprises (SEEs), as well as ensuring value for money from public funds. This view is reinforced by a plethora of reports that have been produced in recent years including
The Government Action Plan for Small Businesses, A
Review of the Scottish Executive’s Policies to Promote the Social Economy and
Tendering for Public Sector Contracts: A Practical Guide for Social Economy Enterprises in Scotland.We recognise the need, where practical, to simplify and standardise processes and to ensure consistency in order to provide a fair and open approach to tendering. With these aims in mind, we have signed up to the
Suppliers' Charter and are committed to applying the principles and actions outlined in that document and in the Scottish Procurement Directorate’s
Buyers’ Guide to Working with Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.
In discharging our responsibilities, we will:
- consult with the business community to identify and reduce barriers to business;
- facilitate understanding of public sector procurement policy and legislation by relevant stakeholders;
- ensure that the approach to individual contracts, including large contracts and framework agreements, is supported by a sound business case;
- keep the tender process as simple as possible, but consistent with achieving value for money, to help minimise costs to suppliers;
- unless there are compelling business reasons to the contrary, ensure that adequate and appropriate publicity is given to contract opportunities that fall below the OJEU threshold limits or are otherwise exempt from the public procurement directives;
- commit to using the core questionnaire in the Suppliers’ Charter for routine procurements supplemented by bespoke additions on a case by case basis;
- offer meaningful feedback to suppliers on the evaluation of their proposal at the end of the tendering process;
- publish guidance for the business community on tendering for opportunities;
- support training for procurement staff to develop consistency in the use of best practice procurement activity.