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Scotland’s national eProcurement portal, Public Contracts Scotland (PCS), uses Proactis to increase competition and support best value

Executive overview

Profile

Authorities represented
1,400+

Active suppliers
66,000+

OJEU contract notices
110 per month

No. of users
400

Customer since
2006

Operates in
United Kingdom

Objectives

  • Increase competition and support 'Best Value' for Scottish public sector opportunities.
  • Provide valuable, free contract information to suppliers.
  • Support the Public Sector to achieve a more transparent tendering process and adhere to EU rules.

How Proactis helped

  • Worked closely with the Scottish Government and users (both buyers and suppliers) to create a bespoke and easy to use platform to achieve public sector procurement requirements in Scotland.
  • Enables authorities to conduct request for quotation exercises for low value procurements.
  • Prime contractors can promote sub-contract opportunities.

Benefits

  • Transfers data on contract awards to the Scottish Government’s external procurement hub.
  • Built stronger communication links with buyers and suppliers.
  • Provides functionality for buyers and suppliers to support legislative changes such as the introduction of ESPD and the Supplier Information Database.
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Profile

Public Contracts Scotland is Scotland’s national eProcurement portal, providing free access to contract opportunities throughout the country. It also allows contracting authorities to invite suppliers to submit quotations (Quick Quotes) electronically via the website’s secure tender inbox.

Scottish Local Authorities, NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government, Agencies and NDPBs, Higher and Further Education and Emergency Services publish available contracts through the portal, including Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notices (contracts over the European directive thresholds) and low value contracts commonly known as sub-threshold notices. PCS delivers business opportunities to organisations of all sizes that wish to do business with the Scottish public sector.

Objectives

The Scottish Government had a clear set of objectives, with the aim of becoming the national portal to standardise tendering processes into one online system for both purchasers in the public sector and private sector suppliers, opening up opportunities for companies and saving them both time and money.

In a bid to stimulate growth in Scotland, The Scottish Government was looking for a way to provide valuable free contract information to suppliers, while supporting the Public Sector to achieve a more transparent tendering process and adhere to EU rules.

How Proactis helped

Proactis was selected to design and manage PCS and provide the eProcurement service on behalf of the Scottish Government. The advanced platform, which provides a benchmark for national tender portals, is powered by the same technology that created the myTenders publishing service.

PCS provides buyers with the ability to publish tender notices, conduct competitions, and manage their contracts. Every tender notice published by public bodies in Scotland can be accessed via the service, including above threshold Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notices.

Benefits

Proactis’ portal simplifies the creation and management of the tender documentation required by EU and UK regulations. EU legislation means that contracting authorities must adhere to transparent, non-discriminatory and proportional principles when purchasing goods and services. They must also advertise all contracts above a certain value in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The ESPD functionality allows suppliers to respond to ESPD requests from buyers and securely store business data for use in ESPD responses, using the Supplier Information Database facility.

PCS also allows authorities to conduct request for quotation exercises for low value procurements while transferring data on contract awards to the Scottish Government’s external procurement hub.

Prime contractors can advertise sub-contract opportunities, meaning they can encourage competition and best value in their supply chains. Additionally suppliers who are not in a position to bid directly can become part of prime contractor supply chains.

The whole process is building stronger communication between buyers and suppliers.