The Public Sector in Scotland is responsible for ensuring that Scottish citizens are provided with the wide range of goods, works and services that support them in their daily lives. From street lighting to MRI scanners, from social care to education and emergency services, the people of Scotland expect their taxes to be spent wisely whist ensuring value for money and delivery of the highest quality products.
The public sector in Scotland accounts for over £13 billion of spend per annum. That level of spending is of enormous significance to Scottish businesses and must play an important role in building a wealthier and more successful Scotland.
In response to the recommendations contained in the Review of Public Procurement in Scotland report, the Scottish Procurement Directorate within Scottish Government set up the Public Procurement Reform Programme.
One of the recommendations in the report stated, that to maintain a competitive environment and to support an open and transparent market environment, a single public sector ‘electronic portal’ should be established where suppliers can access essential information on opportunities to offer services and bid for contracts for the supply of goods, works and services to the whole Public Sector in Scotland. It further stated that access to, and participation in, tenders should be free of charge.
The Public Contracts Scotland portal was launched in August 2008 to provide a national advertising website for Scottish public bodies to post higher value regulated procurements (previously Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notices), lower-value notices, and subsequent contract awards; prime contractors on public sector contracts can also advertise sub-contract opportunities.
On the 18th of April 2016 it became a legal requirement for all Scottish public sector bodies to use PCS to advertise all regulated procurements (£50k and over for goods/services; £2m and over for works) and their subsequent awards; in addition, many organisations use PCS for direct requests for quotations (Quick Quotes) for lower value, non-regulated procurements.
Since its launch in 2008, PCS has played a vital role in helping to reform public sector procurement and has delivered wide ranging benefits for both suppliers and the public sector.
Public Contracts Scotland website: www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
