§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the tender process will be finalised for the web portal for public sector contracts being set up in partnership by the Office of Government Commerce and the Department of Trade and Industry's Small Business Service. [HL810]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleThe tender process for the appointment of a service provider for the web portal for lower value public sector contract opportunities (currently proposed to be calledwww.supplyinggovernment.gov.uk) is currently scheduled to conclude in the award of a contract on or around the 4 July 2005.
The intention is that the service will be launched operationally by early October 2005.
§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
In respect of the 9.6 million contracts issued annually by Government, how many, in each of the past five years, were (a) valued at less than £100,000 and (b) granted to small and medium-sized enterprises. [HL811]
§ Lord Sainsbury of TurvilleFigures on contracts valued at less than £100,000 are not collected centrally.
162WAThe Government do not yet collect comprehensive or detailed data on the division between contracts awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large businesses. More informal survey work indicates that in recent years the majority of contracts (by number, but not by value) have been awarded to SMEs. It was announced in the 2004 Pre-Budget Report that the Small Business Service would be working with departments, including the Office of Government Commerce, to review the pattern of existing government procurement from SMEs, reporting on progress by Budget 05; and would collate and publish this information on an annual basis. This will enable departments to improve the effectiveness of their procurement systems.