Recommendations
Key recommendations have been grouped as follows:
v Implementation of e-procurement
v Public sector procurement and the engagement of SMEs
Strategic issues relating to e-procurement in Leicestershire
v E- business software needs to move towards an open standard.
This implies some form of XML – possibly eBIS-XML or cXML (Commercial XML). It is in our view absolutely vital that the public sector takes the lead and moves towards an XML open standard. This needs to be managed on a regional basis and requires input from and collaboration with EMDA who we believe will be fully supportive of this initiative.
v Adoption of the Government Procurement Card
There needs to be a concerted effort to get the Government Procurement Card (GPC) more widely adopted by the public sector in Leicestershire and the East Midlands. This has a key role to play as a first step towards e-procurement and as a cost effective settlement mechanism in e-procurement.
Public sector procurement and SMEs
Public sector procurement and SMEs
v Advice to SMEs on tendering to the public sector ("Meet the Buyer"). Advice should be given by running regular (perhaps once a quarter) half-day training sessions to outline:
· The types of products and services purchased from SMEs
· The requirements with which the buyers need to comply
· What buyers look for in a tender. What factors are likely to promote success..
· Sources of information on public sector contacts and on procurement compliance issues.
The "Meet the Buyer" sessions should be supported by more specific events on bid / tender documentation (see below).
v Preparation of Bid / Tender documentation.
There should be a series of regular short (perhaps 2 hour) sessions on bid and tender documentation for SMEs. They should be given examples and pro-forma documents to keep.
v Document Standardisation.
This initiative ought to be implemented in conjunction with 2.2 above and should aim to identify and eliminate unnecessary differences in documents required from suppliers by different buying authorities. The aim should be to adopt exemplars of "best practice" as the standard.
v Bids and tenders notice board for SMEs.
This overlaps with e-enablement for SMEs (see below). It should be possible to set up an electronic notice board on which public sector organisations can post details of contracts below the OJEC threshold. It should also be possible for buyers to post notices simply requesting information from suppliers.
v EU Directives.
Training and information should be provided on the workings of the EU Procurement Directives. This should be aimed primarily at the public sector (rather than SMEs). Buyers should be told how to apply the directives without interpreting them in an unduly restrictive way
E-enablement initiatives
v First Steps Programme
Continue to encourage and support the First Steps Programme. This has been very successful to date and seeks to address the real needs of small businesses.
v Annual E- conference for SMEs.
Depending on the success of the event which the LSEP is planning for June 2004, it would be worth considering running an annual version of the event.
