7

SMEs have long faced difficulties in accessing public procurement opportunities.

Conclusion
SMEs have long faced difficulties in accessing public procurement opportunities. There has been some progress since Defra’s 2014 Plan, but it has been slow. The pilot run by Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) using the Dynamic Purchasing System showed promising results, including, crucially, that local sourcing can be more cost-effective. We are satisfied that plans had been made to scale up this pilot in the south west of England, with a view to national rollout in the longer term.
Paragraph Reference
54
Government Response

A response document is linked to this report, dated 5 July 2021. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document.

Addressee Bodies
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Timeline
Recommendation age 5.4 yrs
Report published 21 Apr 2021