Dumfries and Galloway Council Meet the Buyer Roadshow

Register now! Dumfries and Galloway Council, in partnership with the Supplier Development Programme, is hosting in-person roadshow events in the lead up to Meet the Buyer South. 

Local suppliers interested in supplying goods, works and services are invited to these free events to speak with procurement teams and partners about upcoming contracts and opportunities. Dumfries and Galloway Council and DGHP/Wheatley Group are looking for businesses interested in bidding for contracts in many areas and sectors, including food supply, construction, roads, fleet maintenance, social care, legal services, and much more!

There will be plenty to do: a main agenda, plus time to have one-to-one conversations with buyers, business support services, and the Supplier Development Programme.

Please note: Registration is from 9:30am.

How to prepare for this event

1. Do your homework! Consider which Buyers you wish to meet, go onto their websites, read their contract procurement reports, and have a look at their contract registers to see if they buy things that your business offers already – and make a note of the dates these expire. The SDP’s guide to “Who buys what in Scotland?” would be a good starting point, and be sure to do an internet search for a specific Buyer’s Contract Register.
2. Prepare an informal verbal introduction of your business and what you can provide or supply to the public sector. If you have questions for a specific Buyer, or about potential upcoming contract, framework or Quick Quote opportunities, make a note of these.
3. Write a (maximum) two-page A4 summary of your business that you can print and leave as a reminder with each Buyer. The Supplier Development Programme has developed a downloadable template to get you started, or you can create your own. You can also view an example of this SME’s A4 summary as a .pdf document.
4. A couple of weeks before the Dumfries and Galloway Roadshow event, visit the event’s page on the SDP website. Make a note of which Buyers you would like to engage with, and print enough copies to take along on the day, plus a few extra for networking opportunities.
5. Pack your business cards, and have them to hand as you visit exhibition stands. Finally, take an extra 100 business cards and make a point to introduce yourself and exchange cards with other potential suppliers attending the event. (They could become your next customer!)

Meet the Buyer South

After the two Meet the Buyer events with Dumfries and Galloway Council, be sure you register for the first ever Meet the Buyer South event that is planned to take place on 4 October 2022. Suppliers will be able to meet procurement teams from local authorities on the South of Scotland, alongside other public and private sector buying organisations, and can also find out how to become 'tender ready' for bid writing for these many opportunities through free training from the Supplier Development Programme!