Procurement
The Scottish public sector spends around £8 billion on goods and services each year, and a significant part of this is spent by local government. It is important for local authorities to get procurement right for a number of reasons:
- procurement can play a strategic role in the improvement of public services;
- savings can be channelled into front-line and priority services;
- local authorities are accountable for achieving Best Value and are subject to EC and UK procurement regulations;
- inadequate procurement procedures and practices can lead to financial losses and damage to an authority's reputation.
Procurement usually refers to a whole cycle of activities, from identification of needs to the end of a contract or the useful life of goods. It encompasses corporate arrangements such as the organisation's procurement strategy, policies and risk management; the procurement process; and contract management. E-procurement, collaborative procurement and sustainability are becoming increasingly important to Scottish local government.
This page contains links to a range of guidance, good practice and other information on all aspects of procurement, with a specific focus on Scottish local government.
IS activity in this area
The IS does not have a programme dedicated to procurement. However, some of our other programmes, such as Shared Services, touch on aspects of procurement. We also work closely with Scotland Excel, the local government procurement Centre of Expertise.
In August 2009 the Improvement Service launched the Consultant Framework Contract. The key purpose of this framework is to ensure the IS and other publicly funded organisations can draw on a wide range of expertise and experience in areas we think are important to Local Authorities and their partners, particularly those areas focussed on improvement and efficiency. The contract should also help reduce the volume of individual consultancy procurement exercises and the time and resource expended on them. The Framework consists of a wide range of suppliers divided into 10 categories.
As per the specific tendering arrangements, use of the Framework by Local Authorities is welcome. Access to the Framework can be given through completing an e-mail registration.
Something missing from this page? If you know of any useful websites or resources that we haven't featured, let us know at listen@improvementservice.org.uk
