E-procurement to help small business

New e-procurement tools will soon be available that will make it easier for small businesses to compete for UK public sector tenders, according to the Office of Government Commerce.

E-sourcing technology company BravoSolution SpA will supply a web-based e-sourcing service to participating public sector organisations in a four-year agreement signed with OGCbuying.solutions, the trading arm of the Office of Government Commerce.

It will allow public sector procurement professionals and their suppliers access to e-sourcing technology and related services via the Internet.

It comprises four main service areas - e-tendering, e-evaluation, e-contract management and e-collaboration - the e-sourcing service will encompass the 'full-life cycle' of the tender and request for quotation process.

Hugh Barrett, Chief Executive of OGCbuying.solutions said: "It is a fantastic sourcing tool, very simple to use and it will deliver value for money by saving time and money in the day to day procurement activities of government employees and help companies, including SMEs, to do business with government."

Criticism

There has been much criticism that small businesses miss out on public contracts. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) recently called on the Office of Fair Trading to conduct a market study, arguing that the procurement practice was anti-competitive, distorted the market and was in conflict with the Competition Act.

Figures published recently by the FSB show that just 38 per cent of firms with a turnover under £25,000 sell goods and services to local authorities, compared to 65 per cent of firms with a turnover of more than £1 million, showing that the maxim 'the bigger you are - the more likely you are to win a contract' also holds true with central government.