Public body procurement reports and strategies 2023 to 2024: analysis

Footnotes

1 Regulated procurements are those worth at least £50,000 for supplies or services, or £2 million for works (Scottish Government, 2014).

2 The standardised data templates are documents that capture the minimum reporting requirements for annual procurement reports. They are considered a part of the annual procurement report. A link to these standardised data templates can be found in Annex A of the Scottish Procurement Policy Note for the 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 annual procurement reports (Scottish Government, 2023a).

3 The 2014 Act defines what must be included in annual procurement reports. Further guidance is provided each year through Scottish Procurement Policy Notes (SPPNs). For the 2022 to 2023 and the 2023 to 2024 financial year, SPPN 2/2023 was the relevant source of guidance (Scottish Government, 2023a).

4 More information on the real Living Wage in Scotland can be found on the Living Wage Scotland website (Living Wage Scotland, n.d.).

5 The standardised data templates are documents that capture the minimum reporting requirements for annual procurement reports. They are considered a part of the annual procurement report. A link to these standardised data templates can be found in Annex A of the Scottish Procurement Policy Note for the 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 annual procurement reports. 124 public bodies submitted their data templates for the 2023 to 2024 financial year.

6 Regulated procurements are those worth at least £50,000 for goods or services, or £2 million for works (Scottish Government, 2014).

7 Most public bodies’ financial year runs from April-March, however universities and colleges adhere to a financial year which aligns more closely to the academic year (August-July).

8 The standardised data templates are documents that capture the minimum reporting requirements for annual procurement reports. They are considered a part of the annual procurement report. A link to these standardised data templates can be found in Annex A of the Scottish Procurement Policy Note for the 2022 to 2023 and 2023 to 2024 annual procurement reports (Scottish Government, 2023a).

9 One of these public bodies was a joint purchasing organisation. As such, we did not include their quantitative data in the analysis. We did this to avoid double counting those contracts reported by both the joint purchasing organisation and the public bodies on whose behalf they were purchasing. Therefore, some denominators used in this analysis include all 125 public bodies, and some include 124.

10 The 2014 Act defines what must be included in annual procurement reports. Further guidance is provided each year through Scottish Procurement Policy Notes (SPPNs). For the 2022 to 2023 and the 2023 to 2024 financial year, SPPN 2/2023 was the relevant source of guidance (Scottish Government, 2023a).

11 Throughout the report, data from the previous reporting period is presented in its original percentage format, to allow meaningful, relative comparisons across different reporting periods. Totals are also included for this year, to allow further insights.

12 The 2014 Act uses the term “contracting authorities” for public bodies that fall under its remit. Please note that where this report uses the term “public body”, it should be read the same as “contracting authority” as per the 2014 Act.

13 For more information on Quick Quote procurement processes, please refer to the PCS Buyer User Guide for Quick Quotes (Scottish Government, n.d.)

14 Only percentage figures were included in the previous reporting periods. Total figures have also been included this year for improved robustness of the research. The number and type of public bodies who provide their reports change each year. Please treat these comparisons with caution.

15 Only percentage figures were included in the previous reporting periods. Total figures have also been included this year to provide further detail. The number and type of public bodies who provide their reports change each year. Please treat these comparisons with caution.

16 These tools are part of the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Tools (Scottish Government, n.d.).

17 35 public bodies reported that 0 regulated sub-contracts were awarded to SMEs.

18 More information on the Scottish Government’s policies towards supported businesses in public procurement processes can be found in the Scottish Procurement Policy Handbook (Scottish Government, 2024b).

19 106 public bodies reported that 0 regulated contracts were awarded to supported businesses.

20 48 public bodies reported that 0 regulated sub-contracts were awarded to supported businesses.

21 More information on the Scottish Government’s approach to procurement with third sector engagement can be found through the SME and Third Sector Action Plan 2024-2026 (Scottish Government, 2024c).

22 More information on the Scottish Government’s polies towards social enterprises can be found in the Scottish Government policy document on the third sector (Scottish Government, n.d.).

23 Public bodies are required to consider including community benefit requirements in regulated procurements where the estimated contract value is £4 million or more.

24 For more information on the Scottish Government’s community wealth building policies, please refer to the relevant page on the Scottish Government website (Scottish Government, n.d.).

25 For more information on the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First criteria, please see the Statutory guidance to the 2014 Act.

26 For more information on the real Living Wage in Scotland, please visit Living Wage Scotland’s website.

27 More information on the Scottish Government’s approach to value for money in regulated contracts can be found in the Scottish Procurement Policy Handbook.

28 Whole-life costing (WLC) is an estimate used to help buyers determine the end-to-end cost of providing a service, manufacturing, or procuring a product. More information can be found through the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) (CIPS, n.d.).

29 Category A - National Contracts are established centrally (Scottish Government, 2024b).

30 Category B - Sector Specific Contracts are established within each sector (local authorities, the health service, universities and colleges, and the Scottish Government and its agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies) (Scottish Government, 2024b).

31 Category C - General Contracts for commodities and services which are neither classified as A (National Contracts) or B (Sector Specific Contracts) and which will be conducted as the remit of a single organisation (Scottish Government, 2024b).

32 Due to rounding, some totals may not add up to the sum of separate figures.

33 Non-cash savings are those which cannot be quantified in a specific monetary value. This might include “maximising efficiency and collaboration”, “improving access to public sector contracts for SMEs”, or “embedding sustainable procurement at the heart of the reform agenda” (Scottish Government, 2024d).

34 An invoice is considered paid on time when the contracting body pays within a specified period not exceeding 30 days from the receipt of a valid invoice as defined by the sub-contract requirements.

35 Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, asp 12, s. 15(5)