A BID WRITERS’ BLOG
In an earlier blog I explained the key features of the Procurment Act 2023.
For and SME who is a supplier to the public sector, or one who wants to be a supplier, the news is very good. The Procurement Act is very SME friendly.
I am not going to repeat the benefits of this legislation for SME suppliers as I listed these in my second Blog. And although the Act itself is long, most of it refers to the requirements on “buyers” not the “sellers”
I have seen some organisations charging SMEs hundreds of pounds to attend a workshop about the Act but being realistic if you are a supplier you simply don’t need to waste that money.
The only negative issue is that the Act was supposed to come in to force in October 2024 but was delayed until this month (February 2025). But it is – finally – “live”
I think a key issue will be the willingness of the Government to enforce the requirements of the Act – particularly regarding the need to make Tenders SME-friendly and some prompt payment requirements.
I am already hearing that some Local Authorities are complaining that due to their financial problems they just can’t pay on time. The Act does not give them the option of delaying payment and I will be looking out for breaches in payment performance and reporting them to the Small Business Commissioner.
That’s it for this blog but next time I will concentrate on “answer the tender questions” – seems obvious but I will explain this issue in more detail in a couple of weeks.
Tim Colman – Timecheck Consulting / Procurment Lead for Your Business Community