News

Scottish Business Week

Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Business Gateway and Skills Development Scotland, are once again hosting Scottish Business Week from 3–7 October 2022.

Scottish Business Week is a week-long event that is open to all existing businesses and to anyone thinking about starting a business in Scotland. The programme includes inspirational online speakers, webinars, masterclasses, and networking opportunities that offer support and guidance to help your business increase efficiency and build resilience.

If you are interested in attending events during Scottish Business Week, please register on the Find Business Support website.

Meet the Buyer South

During Scottish Business Week, the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) in partnership with headline partners South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Borders Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council and Scottish Government is hosting the first ever Meet the Buyer South on 4 October at Ettrick Riverside Business Centre in Selkirk.

Meet the Buyer South aims to help local businesses find out what contract opportunities are available both within the three councils, local supply chains, and further afield across a range of sectors. Participants will explore how to do business with public sector buyers and gain an operational understanding of how to become part of local supply chains, as well as how to get involved in Community Wealth Building opportunities.

No business is too small to attend Meet the Buyer South! The event is aimed at sole traders, micro, small and medium sized businesses, supported businesses and third sector organisations, but it is open to businesses of all sizes. If you are interested in attending, please book your free place in advance.

You can join the conversation on social media by using the #MeetTheBuyerSouth and #PowerOfSDP hashtags.

Upcoming training and events

The Supplier Development Programme offers Scottish SMEs free tender training to help suppliers get tender ready for any opportunity. During Scottish Business Week, SDP will be running:

• 2.3 Understanding and Bidding – Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) – At this training on 5 October, you will get an understanding of what a framework is, the common features of a framework and why buyers use frameworks. One of SDP’s expert trainers will also talk you through the two main methods of winning business on a framework e.g. Direct Award and Call Off Contract.
• Quick Quotes Made Easy – A Quick Quote is an online quotation facility within Public Contracts Scotland (PCS), that enables buyers to request competitive quotes electronically for low value purchases. At this session on 6 October, you can focus on the Quick Quote functionality within PCS, and get an overview of PCS, which will be particularly helpful for those new to electronic tendering.