The campaign for fairness in public procurement for small businesses – add your voice to the debate
Voices for Innovation argues that more small businesses should be given the opportunity to compete for public sector contracts. To add your voice to this debate or provide feedback, click here or read on to learn more....
In times of economic difficulty, it is even more important that government is able to deliver efficient and effective public services. Governments over decades have failed to ensure a level playing field for small and medium sized businesses in IT procurement. We need to ensure that the innovative talent in the UK IT industry is given more opportunity to win more public sector business.
We believe there are five main issues in the fight towards ensuring a level playing field for SMEs:
- Providing bidders with equal access to information
- Ensure the cost of bidding doesn’t exclude SMEs from applying
- Tender documents should specify the outcomes to be achieved rather than the means to achieve them
- Reducing the size of public sector contracts so more SMEs can bid for them
- Providing the skills and knowledge for how to bid effectively
How can you get involved in the debate?
- Visit Voices for Innovation (VfI) to read our full article, “The campaign for fairness in public procurement for small businesses” and sign up to the VfI network to receive more information as this debate develops.
- Complete our survey, “Help us campaign for a level playing field for smaller businesses to win government IT contracts” to give us your views.
- Microsoft are seeking opportunities for VfI members views to be known directly to senior politicians. If you would like to add your voice to this debate, please contact us.