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Celebrating World SME Day: How SDP Helps Scottish Businesses Win Public Sector Contracts

Scotland’s small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create jobs, drive innovation and support communities across the country. Ahead of World SME Day on 27 June 2026, we’re celebrating the contribution Scotland’s SMEs make every day and highlighting the opportunities available through public sector procurement.

Public sector procurement represents a significant opportunity for Scottish businesses. In 2023–24, Scottish public bodies spent £17.5 billion on goods, services and works, with SMEs winning more than 78% of all contracts awarded through Public Contracts Scotland. These figures show that smaller businesses are successfully competing for public sector work, creating opportunities for growth across Scotland.

Whether you’re new to tendering or looking to secure more public sector work, the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) can help you build the knowledge and confidence to compete successfully.

How SDP Supports Scottish SMEs

Navigating public sector procurement can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. SDP provides practical, free support to help Scottish SMEs understand the tendering process and compete for public sector contracts.

Our support includes:

• Expert-led training to help your business become tender ready
• A 24/7 E-learning platform to learn at your own pace
• Practical resources and guides to support you during tender submissions
• Access to public and private sector buyers via Meet the Buyer events
• Support for specific opportunities via our Talking Tenders and Aligned Tender Training webinars
• News on the latest procurement updates and how they affect Scottish SMEs

Take the next step this World SME Day

As we celebrate World SME Day, there’s no better time to explore how free support from SDP can help your business find, bid for and win public sector contracts.

Take your first step - register for a FREE SDP account today!