Public procurement - views and experiences: research

Appendix 1 Survey questions

Introduction

Scottish Government has commissioned Blake Stevenson Ltd., an independent research company, to investigate the views and experiences of third sector organisations and new private sector companies, in relation to public procurement in Scotland.

In our definition of ‘third sector organisations’, we include charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups. By ‘new’ private sector companies, we mean companies set up within the last 5 years.

You may have recently bid for a public contract (either as the lead or as part of a consortium) or may have decided not to for a variety of reasons. In either of these cases, we are interested in your views.

For the purposes of this survey, we are interested in your experience of public procurement related to public sector bodies which are based in Scotland and which relate only to Scotland. This includes, but is not limited to, the Scottish Government and the 32 Scottish local authorities, as well as Scotland’s NHS, universities and colleges, and registered social landlords.

Your views will be analysed by the researchers and will inform future development of the public procurement system in Scotland, ensuring that it is as inclusive as possible and that organisations can better access, compete for and deliver public contracts.

How we will use the data you provide

The information gathered through this survey will be analysed alongside the information provided by other respondents. In our report – which Scottish Government plans to publish – we will reflect key messages from all responses and we will not attribute any of the information or comments that you provide directly to you. In other words, your comments will be anonymous.

At the end of the research, we will transfer the anonymised data to the Scottish Government and all data will be deleted within 12 months.

Blake Stevenson is compliant with the Data Protection Act 2018 and your responses will be returned directly to the Blake Stevenson research team. Taking part in the survey is voluntary. For more information on your individual rights and how your data will be kept securely, please open the document embedded below:

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the survey.

Background Information

1. Name of organisation (free text response)

2. Is your organisation a:

• Third sector organisation?
• New private sector business?

Routings according to options selected above are indicated as appropriate throughout the document.

3. If Q2=third sector organisation, which of the following best describes your organisation?

• Charity/voluntary organisation
• Social enterprise
• Community group/association
• Intermediary/umbrella organisation
• Other (please specify)

4. Approximately how many people work in your organisation? (By that, we mean both full-time and part-time employees on your payroll, as well as any working proprietors or owners, but excluding the self-employed and outside contractor or agency staff)

• micro (1-9 employees)
• small (10-49 employees)
• medium (50-249 employees)
• large (250+employees)

5. Which areas does your organisation operate in? (Tick all that apply)

• International
• UK wide
• Scotland wide
• Drop down of LA areas Scottish Local Authority (multiple responses possible)
• Aberdeen City Council
• Aberdeenshire Council
• Angus Council
• Argyll and Bute Council
• City of Edinburgh Council
• Clackmannanshire Council
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
• Dumfries and Galloway Council
• Dundee City Council
• East Ayrshire Council
• East Dunbartonshire Council
• East Lothian Council
• East Renfrewshire Council
• Falkirk Council
• Fife Council
• Glasgow City Council
• Inverclyde Council
• Midlothian Council
• North Ayrshire Council
• North Lanarkshire Council
• Orkney Islands Council
• Perth and Kinross Council
• Renfrewshire Council
• Scottish Borders Council
• Shetland Islands Council
• South Ayrshire Council
• South Lanarkshire Council
• Stirling Council
• The Highland Council
• The Moray Council
• West Dunbartonshire Council
• West Lothian Council

6. Which sector(s) does your organisation operate in? (Tick all that apply)

Drop down menu:

• Arts and Creative Industries
• Citizen’s rights, legal, advocacy
• Community Centres and Halls
• Early Learning and Childcare
• Education, Training and Employment
• Environment and Recycling
• Financial Services
• Food, Catering & Hospitality
• Health and Social Care
• Housing
• Information, Consultancy and Support Services
• Property, Energy, Utilities and Land Management
• Religious activities
• Retailing
• Sport and Leisure
• Tourism, Heritage and Festivals
• Transport
• Other (please specify)

7. In the last five years, has your organisation bid for a public sector contract in Scotland either as a main contractor or as part of a consortium? Please tick all that apply. (multiple responses possible, unless No is selected) By ‘main’ contractor, we mean if you have bid as either the sole contractor or as the prime contractor. By ‘consortium’, we mean if you have come together with another supplier to bid.

• Yes, as the main contractor
• Yes, as part of a consortium
• No

If yes, continue to questions below. If no, route to questions in Section 2 of this survey.

8. How often has your organisation bid for Scottish public sector contracts in the past five years?

• very frequently (at least once a month)
• frequently (every other month)
• occasionally (every 6 months or so)
• rarely (roughly once a year)
• very rarely (less than once a year)
• don’t know

9. Which parts of the of the Scottish public sector has your organisation contracted with in the last five years? Please tick all that apply.

• Central Scottish Government (including executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies - for further information please follow this link: National public bodies: directory - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )
• Local government
• NHS
• Universities and colleges
• Registered social landlords
• Other (please specify)
• Don’t know

Benefits of Bidding and Contracting

10. In what ways has contracting with the Scottish public sector benefited your organisation? Please select up to three options from the list below.

• security of public contracts (including financial security)
• favourable/prompt payment terms
• the prestige of supplying to the public sector
• transparent procurement processes
• access to interesting and/or unique opportunities
• Other. Please specify.

Please explain your answer

Enablers and barriers to bidding

11. On a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being very easy and 4 very difficult, how easy is it for your organisation to bid for Scottish public sector contracts

• Very Easy
• Easy
• Difficult
• Very difficult

If Easy or Very Easy have been selected, route to the following question:

What made this process easy? (Free text response)

12. What, if anything, has made it difficult for your organisation to bid for Scottish public sector contracts? Please tick all that apply.

• Lack of time and/or capacity to produce bids
• Difficulties accessing tender documents
• Complexity of the bidding process
• Lack of understanding of the bidding process
• Don’t know where to find bidding opportunities
• We haven’t identified opportunities that are relevant to our organisation
• Too much competition in our sector
• Previous experience of being unsuccessful in bidding
• Difficulties meeting the requirements of the contract (e.g. financial capacity, insurance, IT requirements, professional qualifications/accreditations)
• Organisational capability or capacity for managing the contract
• Public contracts are not economically viable for us
• Other (please tell us what)
• None of the above

13. In the last five years, has your organisation been invited to tender for a Scottish public sector contract through any Quick Quote processes?

• Yes
• No (please go straight to Q16.)

14. If yes, how did this experience compare with any open tender process you have participated in?

• Easier
• About the same
• More difficult

15. To what extent do you think the Scottish public sector is willing and able to do business with organisations like yours.

• To a great extent
• To some extent
• Not at all

Please explain your answer:

Take up of advice and support

16. Has your organisation engaged with any of the following mechanisms for training, support and advice around bidding for Scottish public sector contracts in the last five years?

List 1 below will appear for those who answer Third Sector in Q2:

• Supplier Development Programme
• Just Enterprise
• Partnership for Procurement
• Support from the Scottish Government
• Other (please specify)
• None of the above – we have not engaged with any training, support or advice (Route to Q19)
• Don’t know (Route to Question 19)

List 2 below will appear for anyone who selects Private business at Question 2:

• Supplier Development Programme
• Support from the Scottish Government
• Business Gateway
• Other (please specify)
• None of the above – we have not engaged with any training, support or advice (Route to Q19)
• Don’t know (Route to Question 19)

17. On a scale of 1 to 4 with 1 being very helpful and 4 not at all helpful, how useful was this support and training?

1. Very helpful

2. Quite helpful

3. Not very helpful

4. Not helpful at all

If 3. Or 4. selected, route to question below:

Please explain why these were not helpful? Free text response

18. Do you have any other comments about what the Scottish public sector can do to enable more third sector organisations to bid for and deliver public contracts? (Free text response)

Section 2 Non-Bidders

1. Why has your organisation not bid for Scottish public sector contracts in the last five years? (multiple responses allowed)

• We don’t know where to look for public contract opportunities
• The process was too complex
• We don’t understand the bidding process
• We do not have the staff capacity or expertise to bid
• The contract budgets were not high enough
• The opportunities available are not relevant for the type of work our organisation does
• We prefer to work with the private sector
• Other (please specify):

2. Has your organisation engaged with any of the following mechanisms for training, support and advice around bidding for Scottish public sector contracts in the last five years?

List 1 below will appear for those who answer Third Sector in Question 2:

• Supplier Development Programme
• Just Enterprise
• Partnership for Procurement
• Support from the Scottish Government
• Other (please specify)
• None of the above – we have not engaged with any training, support or advice (Route to Q3 below)
• Don’t know (Route to Question 3 below)

List 2 below will appear for anyone who selects Private business at Question 2:

• Supplier Development Programme
• Support from the Scottish Government
• Business Gateway
• Other (please specify)
• None of the above – we have not engaged with any training, support or advice (Route to Q3 below)
• Don’t know (Route to Question 3 below)

3. On a scale of 1 to 4 with 1 being very helpful and 4 not at all helpful, how useful was this support and training?

1. Very helpful

2. Quite helpful

3. Not very helpful

4. Not helpful at all

If 3. Or 4. Selected, route to question below:

Please explain why these were not helpful? Free text response

4. Would your organisation consider bidding for any public sector contracts in the future?

• Yes
• No

4a). If no, please explain why not. (Free text)

4b) If yes, please tell us what would help with this. (Free text)

5. Do you have any other comments on what the Scottish public sector can do to enable more third sector organisations to bid for and deliver public contracts? (Free text)