A look at the benefits – especially for SMEs – of Dynamic Purchasing Systems – electronic systems used by a public bodies to purchase commonly used goods, works, or services.
Edward James, workstream lead, Estates, Facilities and Professional Services Workstream, at NHS London Procurement Partnership (pictured), looks at the workings and benefits of Dynamic Purchasing Systems – electronic systems used by a public bodies to purchase commonly used goods, works, or services. One of the major benefits, he explains, is that under a ‘DPS’ – an ‘open market’ system revised in 2015 – smaller businesses have a greater opportunity to win business than in traditional (‘closed’) framework agreements.
For some time now, the UK public sector has been asked to do more with shrinking budgets – while at the same time balancing a number of Government priorities. These demands can, on the face of it, seem very much at odds with each other. As an example, on the one hand there is an expectation that the public sector will aggregate its demand and take this to market to better leverage its buying power and deliver greater value for money for the taxpayer. Under such circumstances, smaller businesses can find it difficult to compete. On the other hand, there is a requirement on the public sector to support smaller businesses keen to win government contracts.
Dynamic Purchasing Systems, if set up with this objective in mind, offer an opportunity to support both SMEs and larger corporations to bid for public sector business. Familiarity with the process, however, is lacking, and levels of use to date have been very low.
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