From September, Small/Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and third sector organisations (including supported businesses) will be able to take advantage of a new range of free procurement-related workshops from the Supplier Development Programme.

Covering key topics such as Introduction to Tendering, Using Public Contracts Scotland, and completing the European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), the workshops will be held across Scotland at Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels.

In addition to these face-to-face workshops, the Programme will also deliver all workshops online via live webinars, which are accessible from a home or office computer.

The new programme will take into account all the changes introduced by the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, which was implemented in April 2016, and new workshops such as Understanding Community Benefits and Sustainability aim to help suppliers address issues which are of growing concern to buyers.

Giving suppliers greater access to procurement buyers is a key aim of the Programme, and the new “Talking Tenders” monthly webinar series will offer suppliers the opportunity to hear directly from buyers at Scotland’s Local Authorities about their procurement practices at a local level.

To ensure that suppliers understand the relevant Policy documents that may be required as part of the tender process, a new series of online Policy workshops is also being launched. Delivered by industry experts, these webinars will ensure that suppliers are familiar with the latest standards and documentation required to support their bids.

To register for any of the Programme’s workshops, please visit the Supplier Development Programme website.