Small
businesses to get free access to public sector contracts
Sector: Central Government
Date Created: Wed 30th Apr 2008, 15:16:03
Source: Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory
Reform
Link: www.berr.gov.uk
UK - A free trial starts to provide small and medium sized businesses
with access to thousands of public sector contract opportunities.
From 1 May until 31 July 2008, the http://www.supply2.gov.uk website will allow
new registrants to gain free access to public sector contracts valued under £100,000
for the UK and Northern Ireland.
The free trial is part of the Department for Business' Enterprise Strategy which
was released in March, which outlined new measures to increase the amount of
government business that is won by small firms.
Business Minister Shriti Vadera said:
"Small and medium sized businesses need our support to expand. Many smaller
businesses are more innovative, have lower costs and present better value for
taxpayers than larger firms.
"Introducing Britain's small firms to Government procurement contracts online
will provide opportunities to grow that they would not have otherwise found.
"Encouraging more small businesses to register for opportunities will mean
buyers benefit from increased competition and access to a wider range of suppliers."
John Wright, Federation of Small Businesses National Chairman said:
"The announcement of a free trial for small businesses to get access to
public sector contracts is very welcome news. We supported the Supply2 initiative
from the outset and we hope that this free trial period will encourage more small
businesses to try their hand at delivering goods and services to the public sector.
"But local authorities and government departments must play their part too
by making sure that more small business opportunities are advertised on Supply2.
Opening up public sector procurement to the UK's 4.5 million small businesses
can and should eradicate the false assumption that biggest is always best."
More than 3,000 new contracts are available on http://www.supply2.gov.uk each
month. The three month free trial, available to businesses registering for the
first time, will provide access to contracts throughout the UK rather than in
a nominated local area.
The Enterprise Strategy featured a range of measures to boost small firms competing
for public procurement. An advisory committee, headed by Anne Glover, will look
at ways to reduce barriers that small businesses face when competing for public
sector contracts and the practicality of setting a goal for them to win 30 per
cent of public sector business within five years.
The Strategy also included an announcement that the rules for government procurement
will be changed to allow companies, particularly small firms, to use invoice
financing to compete for public contracts.
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