SMEs to gain greater access to public sector deals

News Article - Friday, May 02, 2008

filed under: Business

Small businesses in Britain will be able to gain access to public sector contracts for free as part of a new scheme aimed at opening up the market to smaller firms.

A new three-month free trial on the Supply2.gov.uk website will offer new registrants access to thousands of public sector contracts.

Contracts valued at under £100,000 in the public sector across the UK and Northern Ireland will be available online as part of a new Enterprise Strategy released in March this year, which outlined measures to increase the amount of government business that is won by small firms.

The trial will run from May 1st to July 31st 2008 and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be able to find and bid for public sector contracts more easily.

Shriti Vadera, UK business minister, said: "Introducing Britain's small firms to government procurement contracts online will provide opportunities to grow that they would not have otherwise found. Encouraging more small businesses to register for opportunities will mean buyers benefit from increased competition and access to a wider range of suppliers."

SMEs planning to expand their reach into the public sector can invest in accounts software to help them manage new commitments more effectively.

The free government trial has been welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which has urged more small businesses to take advantage of the opportunity to deliver goods and services to the public sector.

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