Speaking at the Scottish Government’s 11th National Procurement Conference as part of Procurex Scotland Live 2015, Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities said that procurement is a key lever of the Scottish Government’s economic strategy.
He called on procurement leaders to work with the Government to help embed fair work practices and sustainability into their procurement exercises in order to help Scotland’s socially just society flourish.
Fair work and community benefit
For Mr Brown, Scottish procurement is a world-leading example of how procurement processes and help build a more socially just society.
The Government’s Fair Work Guidance sets out how procurement can be used to create fairer workplace practices and, in turn, improved social benefit.
The Guidance includes action on the Living Wage, zero hours contracts and giving staff a voice in the workplace. It is the first step in the Scottish Government’s overall Procurement Reform Act, due to come into full effect in the next year and a half.
Scottish procurement marketplace
There is currently a £10bn procurement spend in Scotland – a massive opportunity for businesses of all sizes.
In Scotland, 45% of Government spend goes directly to SMEs, with much more going to small firms via the wider supply chain. In addition, 80% of contracts published on Public Contracts Scotland go to Scottish SMEs.
For your business, employing community benefit clauses in your tender bids is likely to be scored favourably by buyers. If you can demonstrate an overall social improvement as a result of your bid, demonstrate a commitment to pay the Living Wage, and include fair work practices at all times, your bid will be scored more highly than otherwise.
Helping you win
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