Finance Minister, Ian Pearson MP, has encouraged small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to compete for public sector contracts following the launch of the Procurement Board’s Guide for SMEs (pdf, 472kb). This guidance provides information for SMEs seeking to widen their customer base to include the Northern Ireland public sector.
A companion Guide for Purchasers (pdf, 425kb) which examines the barriers SMEs might face in participating in public sector tender competitions and suggests measures that purchasers might take to reduce or eliminate these barriers, has also been launched.