Procurement challenges when working as or with SMEs
The paper aligns with the UK government's Procurement Act 2023, which aims to increase SME participation by recognising their agility, innovation, and value for money.
Getting more SMEs involved helps bring greater diversity, competition, and local economic growth. Larger organisations also gain by accessing specialist skills and more flexible ways of working.
However, both sides face challenges, including complex procurement rules, capacity pressures, unequal partnerships, and limited resources.
The paper looks at these issues and suggests practical ways to improve collaboration, make better use of SME strengths, and support the government's goal of building more inclusive and effective supply chains.
Dave Evans
Dave is a former senior police officer with the City of London Police, bringing extensive experience as a Detective and senior leader across frontline operations and multi-agency partnerships at regional and national levels.
Cinzia Miatto
Cinzia joined techUK in August 2023 as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager.
Ella Gago-Brookes
Ella joined techUK in November 2023 as a Markets Team Assistant, supporting the Justice and Emergency Services, Central Government and Financial Services Programmes, before progressing into Junior Programme Manager in January 2024.
Fran Richiusa
Fran serves as the Programme Team Assistant within techUK’s Public Sector Market Programmes, where she is responsible for delivering comprehensive team support, managing administrative functions, and fostering strong relationships with members.
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