The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is developing a standardised digital platform to boost the prospects of smaller companies winning more public sector contracts.
It has highlighted the development in its new SME Action Plan, which sets out how the organisation is simplifying procurement processes to make it easier for a diverse range of suppliers to win contracts.
CCS is the largest public procurement organisation in the UK, providing a range of commercial agreements from which public sector bodies can find suppliers.
Digitising aspects of the user journey provides a significant element of the plan. It will include the provision of digital platform, using the same documentation across CCS, aimed at making it easier for a supplier to understand what the buyer wants and to take part in the bidding process.
Portal, e-signatures and filtering
CCS said that features will include a common portal with documents that will become familiar to suppliers, functions for building contracts and e-signatures online, and digital filtering to guide public sector users to the right commercial agreement and lot for their need. The latter is expected to remove the need for SMEs to promote and signpost themselves to potential customers.
In addition, the platform will include a standard catalogue and payment process for buying certain products, which should give SMEs a level playing field with larger companies. It will include a facility for customers to use a CCS credit card.
This is expected to produce a benefit of SMEs not needing to be registered with a merchant, which can be a significant expense.
The plan also refers to the development of a single sign-on for CCS services and a central identification index, drawing on data from Companies House, Dun & Bradstreet and other registries.
Other elements of the plan include the creation of an SME working group, a simplification of procurement processes, further developments of CCS commercial agreements and improving market engagement.
Levelling the field
Referring to the action plan as a whole, Richard Denny, director of the CCS corporate pillar, said: “SMEs bring diversity and innovation to our supply chains, and levelling the playing field for businesses of all sizes will bring economic and social benefits as well as supporting the UK to grow the economy.
“Our updated action plan sets out the work we’re doing to ensure we’re continuously creating those opportunities, supporting our customers to improve the value and outcomes delivered through their procurement.”
Alongside this, CCS has CCS has also published its voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) action plan, which outlines how it will improve the awareness of VCSEs with the aim of increasing their presence on its agreements and reducing barriers to participation.
