Procurement rules to be changed to be simpler, more flexible and transparent

Brand new digital infrastructure will make it easier and cheaper for organisations of all sizes to bid for public contracts, with a single digital platform that will hold all of a supplier’s credentials.

Publishing pipelines of procurement opportunities will also allow small companies to make more competitive bids, including forming consortia, while a commitment to prompt payments for a wider range of contracts will level the playing field for SMEs and help reduce the reliance on the same group of large companies.

The reforms are expected to accelerate government spending with SMEs, which new figures reveal increased for the fourth consecutive year to a record £19.3 billion in 2020/21.

Spending through SMEs grew by £3.7 billion on the previous year, with £10.2 billion of the total spent with SMEs directly and a further £9.1 billion through supply chains.

Click here to find out more on gov.uk