Procurement - SME and third sector action plan 2024-2026: business and regulatory impact assessment

Consultation

While the Action Plan was in preparation, a consultation process was conducted within Scottish Government and the public sector, and externally with stakeholders.

This consultation was undertaken to ensure that a diverse range of organisations and individuals was able to comment on how the Action Plan could ensure that it met its objectives. Following the consultation, amendments were made to the Action Plan in accordance with the proposals made.

Within Government and across the Public Sector

All sections of the Scottish Government’s Procurement and Property Directorate have been consulted in order to ensure that the Action Plan’s objectives are consistent with directorate commitments.

In particular the following have provided input or oversight:

• The Public Procurement Group (PPG): The cross-sector senior management group responsible for leading Public Procurement in Scotland. Membership from health (NHS National Services Scotland), education (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) and local government (Scotland Excel) were consulted throughout on development of the plan to ensure all sectors were considered.
• Senior Management Team of Procurement and Property Directorate: in order to maintain oversight of the development of the Action Plan.
• Procurement Policy: to confirm that the Action Plan’s policy initiatives are aligned with the current set of policy, tools, systems and guidance that have been developed by Scottish Government to support SMEs and Third Sector organisations.
• Operational Buying: on the parts of the Action Plan that related specifically to the procurement process across the public sector.

During development of the Action Plan, pre-existing Scottish Government research and guidance has been consulted and utilised:

• Public procurement - views and experiences: research - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-public-sector-spend-2020-2021
• Scottish Government procurement: annual report 2021 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
• Public Procurement Survey of Suppliers 2020 (www.gov.scot)
• 1. Introduction - Supporting collaboration between the third and public sectors: evidence review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Wider Consultation with businesses and representative bodies

Consultation was conducted through the directorate’s supplier representative groups, and through bilateral engagement with the membership of the Procurement Supply Group (PSG), the leadership group for public procurement suppliers in Scotland.

Input was received from the following members of the PSG on their behalf and on behalf of their stakeholders: