Tender subject

Published on Monday 13 February 2012 00:00

The Jimmy Reid Foundation (your reports) recently highlighted the problems confronting Scottish SME’s when too many Scottish public sector tenders are written in ways that favour larger, often international, suppliers over smaller indigenous providers.

However, this is a UK-wide problem. Despite politicians of most parties seeking ways to rectify procurement practices, until our elected representatives at all levels of government get a proper grip of public procurement then quangos will continue to let local firms and workers down.

It becomes a vicious downward spiral that too many so-called professional procurement people do little to rectify. Instead, they prefer to misuse European Union guidelines as an excuse that prohibits the ability of smaller companies to gain a fairer share of public works.

When one considers the wider socio-economic impact of lost public sector business that many local companies have relied upon for years, then can we really expect anything other than increased unemployment?

GALEN MILNE

Ochiltree

Dunblane

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