Small businesses’ chance to air views on public procurement policy
Many start-ups, small business, SMEs, complain about the difficulties and complexities of getting any public contracts support for R&D, field trials, technology evaluation by bodies like NHS or alternative energy research. Now is your chance to get your views heard. Anne Glover, CEO of Amadeus Capital Partners, is considering ways to increase opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the practicality of achieving a goal of such firms winning 30 percent of all public sector contracts worth £160billion a year on goods and services. As part of the Enterprise Strategy and Budget 2008, her committee has issued an online call for evidence as part of its work to help more small and medium sized businesses win public sector contracts.
The Glover review will consider issues such as improved tendering procedures, better information for SMEs and reducing the barriers SMEs may face when competing for public sector contracts.
The Glover committee will use the EU definition of an SME (recommendation 2003/361/EC), which stipulates a headcount of less than 250 and a maximum annual turnover of £40m.
Speaking of the Budget 2008 initiative, Angela Eagle, exchequer secretary said, “I want to be sure that SMEs enjoy the same access to public sector contracts as their bigger counterparts and I want to learn of their experiences across small and large contract values in shaping future policy.”
Business minister Shriti Vadera said, “Many smaller businesses are more innovative and offer better value for money but are often disadvantaged when competing against large companies with more resources to dedicate to tender applications. The Anne Glover review will help identify where we can improve accessibility for SMEs and increase their participation in government procurement.”
Anne Glover, added, “SMEs play a vital role in the UK’s economy and it is important that we make it as easy as possible for them to participate in public sector procurement. An order is more valuable than a grant to an SME because it holds the promise of future business.”
“The public sector spends around £160billion a year on goods and services, and SMEs offer the opportunity to contribute both innovation and value for money to the Government’s agenda to deliver world class public services.”
The Enterprise Strategy, published alongside the budget in March, contains a number of measures to provide support to SMEs. It includes a three month free trial, currently available to provide small and medium sized businesses with access to thousands of public sector contract opportunities via supply2.gov.uk.
Small firms, public purchasers and industry groups are invited to share their experiences of doing business across both central government and local authorities using the portal they have set up here. The consultation closes after August 8.
The following are the members of the advisory committee:
- Professor Sir Roy Anderson (rector, Imperial College London and former chief scientific officer at MOD)
- Luke Georghiou (professor of science & technology policy and management, University of Manchester)
- Crawford Gillies (director of Standard Life plc; non-executive chairman of Hammonds LLP and Control Risks Group Holdings Ltd)
- Joe Ippolito (partner at Deloitte and Touche LLP)
- Martha Johnson (vice president at Computer Sciences Corporation, former chief of staff of the United States General Services Administration)
- William Sargent (joint chief executive, Framestore CFC, executive chair of the Better Regulation Executive and former chair of the Small Business Council)
- Tim Byles (chief executive, Partnerships for Schools and former chief executive of Norfolk County Council)
- John Warrington (director, Policy and Innovation at NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency).
Supply2.gov.uk is the government’s portal consolidating access to lower-value procurement opportunities from across the public sector. Supply2.gov.uk opens up the market to all types of business including small businesses, start-up companies and social enterprises to search and view lower-value contract opportunities, typically under £100,000, and promote themselves to the UK public sector.
The web site also offers public sector buyers the opportunity to post their lower-value contract opportunities and access profiles of pre-qualification information created by suppliers registering on the site.
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© Chilli Publishing Ltd 2008 |
19 JUN 2008 |
