Media release: Local councils connect Scottish businesses to public contract opportunities through Supplier Development Programme

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ABERDEEN City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Highland Council Shared Procurement Service have announced an initiative for local businesses looking for a new path to market in 2021.

Each year, £11bn is spent in Scotland’s public sector on goods, works and services, and the Shared Procurement Service wants to engage with local businesses to deliver a share of upcoming contracts.

The three councils have teamed up with the Supplier Development Programme (SDP), a free business support service that offers tender training and advice to Scottish micro, small and medium-sized businesses.

Jennifer Payne, a development officer with SDP, is helping to organise the online event.

She said: “No business is too small to get involved in public sector work. Even a one-person opera­tion can have something to offer.

“A big problem for many micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is gaining the know-how they need to do business with the public sector.

“That’s why we work with local authorities like Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Highland Councils, so that local businesses can be invited to bid and learn skills to bid more successfully, to deliver the contracts on offer.”

A free webinar, called ‘Talking Tenders with Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Highland Councils’, will take place on Wednesday, 27 January at 2:00pm.

“Businesses impacted by the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are looking for a lifeline and a path out of this mess,” said Gillian Cameron, SDP programme manager.

“By registering free on the SDP website, SMEs and supported businesses across Scotland can access resources and free tender training to learn how to find, win and keep public sector contracts.

“This Talking Tenders webinar will allow businesses to learn about the Shared Procurement Service and its role across three local authorities.

“Businesses that participate will understand how the tender process works, and be able to ask questions to council staff about upcoming tender and framework opportunities that they can bid for in the near future.”

Suppliers can register for the free webinar on 27 January on the SDP Scotland website.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

  • SDP is a publicly-funded partnership led by local authorities, working in conjunction with Scottish Government and other public bodies, to bring Scottish SMEs support in all aspects of tendering. By assisting businesses to become tender ready for public procurement, SDP improves all-round efficiency, sustainability and market potential.
  • In Scotland, there is an annual public spend of £11billion. In the UK, there is an annual public spend of £240billion. SDP Scotland offers free training throughout Scotland to Scottish SMEs to support and champion them tendering for this work.

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SDP contact details…

Contact: Jennifer Payne
Phone: 07584174531
Email: jennifer.payne@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
Website: http://www.sdpscotland.co.uk