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SDP Scotland gives evidence on procurement practices in construction sector at Scottish Parliament

The Supplier Development Programme (SDP) recently submitted a response to the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee’s Consultation on “Construction and Scotland’s Economy.”  The remit of the inquiry was to understand the characteristics and challenges of Scotland’s construction sector to ensure the sector realises its full potential in contributing to a productive and inclusive Scottish economy.

SDP specifically focused on wider procurement issues and how they create challenges within the construction sector.

Today, 26 February 2019, SDP Programme Manager Gillian Cameron gave official evidence to the Committee in the Scottish Parliament.

Gillian Cameron, SDP Programme Manager, said:

“We know that £11 billion is spent annually in the public sector in Scotland, and the Supplier Development Programme provides free training to SMEs to upskill them to be tender ready and bid for pieces of that pie.

“However, there is significant frustration expressed by SMEs to the Supplier Development Programme regarding the complexities in public procurement practices, particularly in the construction sector.  SDP has submitted a number of suggestions to the Scottish Parliament in the hope that changes will be made at a strategic level to help struggling Scottish small businesses into working with the public sector and its supply chain.

“We know from the Scottish Government’s construction procurement review (2013) that it’s difficult for SMEs to get on national frameworks and that there’s a lack of construction procurement knowledge of SMEs. The Supplier Development Programme is a support mechanism for SMEs that could work more effectively with the construction industry to maximise the opportunities for SMEs to compete for public contracts.

“SDP would welcome all construction bodies and Tier 1 Contractors to engage with us and become fully-paid, official Corporate Members of the Supplier Development Programme as an essential first step forward to demonstrate their commitment to best practice in procurement.”

 

 

Membership Opportunities

SDP Scotland offers a myriad of membership opportunities.  Affiliate Membership of SDP is open to organisations from the wider public sector.  Association Membership of SDP is open to trade bodies and other types of organisations such as federations and associations.

Corporate Membership of SDP is open to organisations that, whilst not from the wider public sector organisations, are actively involved in the supply chain and are keen to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and community benefit clauses.

SDP Corporate Membership provides:

• early market awareness and promotion of potential tender/supply chain opportunities;


• support at the organisation’s tender-related supplier engagement events;


• additional participation in the organisation’s tender and supply chain opportunities; and


• assistance to organisations to promote the availability of the Supplier Development Programme’s free procurement training to the organisation’s supply base.

If your organisation fits this criteria and is interested in SDP membership, email info@sdpscotland.co.uk.