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This blog post was published under the 2015-2024 Conservative Administration

https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2016/12/16/calling-central-government-buyers-emma-can-help-you-meet-your-target/

Calling central government buyers: Emma can help you meet your target

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Commercial skills
Head shot of Emma Jones
Emma Jones, Small Business Crown Representative

Did you know, if you work for central government and buy goods or services, by 2020, £1 in every £3 you spend has to go small businesses? You will find this commitment in your Single Departmental Plans.

Small businesses make a huge contribution to our economy and account for over 99% of all private sector businesses. Over the last six years, over 2.7 million jobs have been created and almost a million new businesses have been launched.

Meeting the target would mean an extra £3 billion of new business up for grabs for small businesses, the lifeblood of the UK economy.

Why work with small businesses?

Small businesses can provide:

  • innovation – brand new solutions with the potential to revolutionise the way you are working;
  • specialist services – small businesses often specialise in one service or product; it's likely you’ll work with a leading expert; and
  • value for money – it's a myth that small businesses can’t compete on price.

What can government buyers do?

To help you meet the 2020 target, you can:

  • make sure your procurement evaluation criteria are small-business-friendly if you have any concerns, add a question so that small businesses can address your concerns;
  • focus on the desired outcome rather than prescribing the service you want his will mean small businesses can show how they can provide a solution;
  • reach out to small businesses – hold a 30-minute webinar to answer questions on your contract; Crown Commercial Service can help you set this up and promote it on social media;
  • advertise the opportunity on Contracts Finder for free! thousands of small businesses are registered there.

'Improved outcomes' logoVisit gov.uk/openforbusiness for more information. If you don’t find what you need, email the Crown Commercial Service team with any further questions info@crowncommerical.gov.uk.

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