This month Wales’ largest procurement event of the year returns to Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena for its fifth consecutive year, and Supply2Gov will be attending.
Officially supported by the Welsh Government and other leading procurement organisations, the event provides a fantastic opportunity to engage with SMEs and other suppliers across Wales that wish to grow in public sector procurement.
Get an insight into what topics will be shaping the agenda of the event, and how to engage with Supply2Gov on the day.
Promising changes to public sector procurement in Wales
Public sector procurement in Wales is set for an exciting future, and the changes ahead will be the centre of conversation topics at Procurex Wales.
The Welsh Government’s ‘Prosperity for All: Economic Action Plan’ shows a continued focus on delivering against the key areas of economic growth, equality, efficiency savings and collaboration, all with the purpose of creating a stronger, more inclusive Wales.
The National Assembly for Wales’ Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee recently consulted on public procurement in the current state of the economy and set out recommendations for changes for the Welsh Government to adopt in public procurement going forward.
These changes include:
- Further encouragement and support are crucial for SMEs to get more involved in local procurement. Evidence suggests that small businesses need to receive more business support with the procurement process. To achieve this, the Welsh Government should focus on breaking contracts into small lots and pre-engagement activity, in order that SMEs can bid on lower-value contracts and build their relationships with other suppliers. More needs to be done to support not only SMEs, but public sector bodies who must build their knowledge and relationships with local suppliers.
- A refinement of local procurement by the Welsh Government is needed – this includes identifying and measuring the impacts of local procurement on economies and providing further clarity on what the successes of local procurement are.
- Spending public money on procurement that drives social value projects is not enough. More needs to be done to ensure suppliers are delivering on their social value promises and outcomes. One way this can be achieved is by monitoring the social value elements of a contract as the project progresses. The Committee has asked the Welsh Government to provide clarity on how it will be working with the Public Services Boards and the Skills and Capability Plan.
These new approaches show the platform for more effective, efficient and SME-friendly is there. There is also a commitment to build wealth within communities across Wales by encouraging local procurement and increasing the amount of local spend – by how much, we do not yet know.
Join in the conversation at Procurex Wales
Procurex Wales offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with all stakeholders involved in public sector procurement in Wales, including buyers, suppliers and the Welsh Government. Not only is it is the largest event of its kind, but Procurex Wales allows for informative, innovative and hugely important discussions to take place. These discussions will prove to be instrumental in paving the way for positive change in the sector.
Meet Supply2Gov on the day
The Supply2Gov team will be located at the ‘Market Support and Engagement Hub’ from 8:30 – 16:00. Come along and talk with us about how we can support you to win business in public sector procurement in Wales.
In addition to this, Supply2Gov will deliver a ‘Get Ready to Tender’ presentation at 11:50am. The talk will take you through a checklist of things you need to know and have in place before you submit your next bid, as well as what needs to be in your Selection Questionnaire responses. There will be a chance to ask any questions you may have on the presentation, including how Supply2Gov can help you.
Claim your tickets
Tickets to attend Procurex Wales are free for the public sector and £95 for the private sector. If you are an annual member of Supply2Gov, don’t forget that this gives you access to exclusive Procurex Wales tickets – claim here.
We look forward to seeing you there.