The value of contracts by local government buyers in the North has increased dramatically since 2016, with £3.6bn-worth of contracts being awarded this year*, The Public Sector Solutions Expo has discovered
The first quarter of 2018 saw 1,170 contracts awarded to 1,599 suppliers, by 98 local government buyers in the North*. The largest sectors these contracts were awarded to includes health, social and community services, construction, and business and financial services.
Corby Ganesh, portfolio director for the Public Sector Solutions Expo, said: “Obtaining the best value for money services, while avoiding cuts to frontline services, is the aim of public sector procurement. Join us at this year’s Expo to explore how eight years into austerity the public sector has made big strides in reforming itself to better engage with suppliers, effectively allocate resources and manage meaningful corporate solutions.”
The Public Sector Solutions Expo, is taking place on 20 November at Manchester Central, and is free to attend for those working in the sector.
Nearly £1bn-worth of local government contracts are expiring every year. The largest of these in the North is the £80m contract to Comensura, the supply management specialists, for the provision of temporary labour to Cheshire East Council, which expires in April 2019. Leeds City Council has collected more contracts than any other council in the North this year. It has achieved 1,305 awards, worth £31.1bn, since 2015.*
Gus Tugendhat, the founder of Tussell, an online marketing intelligence company, who is speaking at the Expo about corporate solutions, said: “The Expo is perfectly timed because there is a largely overlooked good news story to tell about public procurement in the North of England. Contracts worth more than £5Bn were awarded by Northern local authorities in 2017 – more than double the amount in 2015. Yet this market opportunity is going untapped by many exhibitors at PSS Manchester, who are currently more reliant on awards won from Central Government. With nearly £1Bn of contracts by local authorities in the North of England expiring in 2019, now is the time to start building relationships with those buyers.”
Frank Tudor, interim head of portfolio management office at Transport for Greater Manchester, who is also taking part in a panel discussion at the event, said: “Pre-engagement with suppliers is an integral part of the procurement process and this event is an excellent way to scope out the market. PSS Manchester is a great opportunity for identifying and realising new collaborative and innovative opportunities in procurement across the public sector domain.”
Throughout the day the Expo will focus on the delivery of better public services procurement through a series of panel discussions, lectures and debates. The show, will also discuss cross-sector collaboration, the potential impact of digital technology and automation, and effective cost-saving measures in the public sector.
