Small Businesses in the UK will now be able to access public sector procurement opportunities free of charge. The contracts, worth up to £100,000 will be available to view on the Government’s website www.supply2.gov.uk.
The government have advertised thousands of opportunities for the last three years, however small businesses had to pay a subscription fee of £180, to be able to view them.
In light of the current economic conditions, the Government have now removed this fee, making it possible for small businesses to access the contracts to help their businesses grow.
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ian Pearson said:
“Small and medium businesses are a crucial part of the UK economy and in these challenging times it is essential that we support them in as many ways as possible.
“By introducing a free to use national search service we are helping to create a level playing field on which SMEs can compete with their larger counterparts. This will realise benefits for SMEs, the economy as a whole, and help drive further innovation in public services.”
The Glover report, which was published in November 2008 highlighted the need for a single online portal for public sector contracts.
Business Minister Shriti Vadera said that the free service for small businesses is a step towards that goal:
“Small businesses are facing significant pressure in this downturn and new contracts are essential for their return to growth.
“We want to support small businesses by making it easier to access the thousands of Government procurement opportunities that are directly relevant to them.
“This free service is an interim step along the way to introducing a single website for all public sector contracts next year.”
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