Local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are invited by Bristol Council to submit proposals for IT contract opportunities.
Bristol City Council is making a significant shift in its procurement policies, aiming to create more opportunities for local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the IT sector. This move comes as a response to the government's recognition of the need to change its approach, a shift that Bristol City Council wholeheartedly supports.
According to Cllr Jon Rogers, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources, Bristol has a thriving digital sector with many small and medium-sized companies. Recognising the potential of these businesses, the council is taking steps to allow them to bid for a portion of its annual IT spend, currently standing at £25 million.
The aim is that within a few years, more than a quarter of this annual spend on Information Communication Technology (ICT) will be directed towards SMEs. To achieve this, Bristol City Council will adopt a more flexible approach to procurement, with smaller packages of work being procured for shorter periods of time to make contracts more accessible to small businesses.
The council will host an event on 4 September for digital sector suppliers, briefing them on opportunities for work on the government's cloud procurement framework, G-Cloud, as well as contracts under the Workplace program. The Workplace program focuses on consolidating offices and improving public services through technology.
In addition to opportunities with Bristol City Council, procurement opportunities are also available in partnership with Natural England, the government's advisor on the natural environment. This partnership opens up a wider range of opportunities for SMEs, particularly those with expertise in environmental technology.
Last year, the government awarded Leeds-based CDS the opportunity to build its new IT asset and service knowledge base, emphasising its commitment to making it easier for SMEs to win government IT contracts. The specific SME that was given the opportunity by Bristol City Council in 2020 to develop new IT assets and service knowledge base is not explicitly named in the provided search results, therefore this specific information cannot be confirmed from the given sources.
Cllr Jon Rogers hopes that Bristol firms will be in a position to gain from this policy shift. By making IT procurement more accessible to SMEs, Bristol City Council is not only supporting local businesses but also contributing to the growth of the digital sector in the city.
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