28 April 2009
Finance Secretary John Swinney has asked public bodies to take 'Six simple steps' to give small and medium sized enterprises, social enterprises and third sector bodies better access to public contracts.
The six simple steps for public bodies are:
- Use the free Public Contracts Scotland portal which gives suppliers access to public contract opportunities
- Include in their terms and conditions a requirement that contractors pay any sub-contractors within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice
- Use outcome based tenders to allow for innovative and alternative solutions to public sector business needs
- Review contract award procedures to ensure that they place the minimum possible burden on suppliers
Measure spending with SMEs via a Best Practice Indicator to identify trends
- Adopt the Suppliers' Charter which commits public bodies to improving the way they work with businesses
John Swinney said:
"Public bodies spend £8 billion a year on goods and services and everything we do has to support our economy. In the current recession and with rising unemployment, public bodies have a duty to help SMEs compete for public sector contracts."
Read about the Six Simple Steps