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Scotland’s Supplier Development Programme Engages with Government of the Maldives

Maldives Emblem

Gillian Cameron, Programme Manager of the Supplier Development Programme, was recently invited to present to eight senior procurement representatives from the Maldives’ Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and their Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology as part of a study tour looking at best practice in procurement, supplier engagement and opening up the supply chain in the Maldives.

Held up as an example of good practice in Scotland, the Supplier Development Programme answered numerous questions around the free tender training provided to small and micro businesses, and how the public sector’s many bodies and councils have a route to connect with local suppliers to raise awareness of opportunities and support them into bidding.

The various Ministries were particularly interested in how the Supplier Development Programme works with larger companies to improve crucial connections to local businesses in the Highlands and Islands to encourage the creation of local supply chains to support local community wealth building.

Gillian Cameron, SDP Programme Manager, said:

“Our climates might be quite different, but the topography of the Maldives means there are similar challenges regarding the engagement of small businesses in some areas of Scotland; and the Supplier Development Programme corporate membership model is a roadmap as to how governments can hold larger companies delivering contracts to account with independent, measurable outcomes that stand the test of time, so that local businesses do not miss out.”

Support from the Supplier Development Programme

The Supplier Development offers free tender training for Scottish SMEs, supported businesses, and third sector organisations to get 'tender ready' for any opportunity, please check out the SDP Events calendar for upcoming training and support.

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