Mansfield District Council has announced that a new procurement portal has gone live, making it easier for local companies to win council contracts.
The portal project is one of a plethora of projects that the council have planned to expand their procurement activities and boost the local economy over the next year. This comes after a change in the council’s procurement strategy in 2019 to focus on allowing local companies to deliver goods, services and contracts where it is possible for them to do so.
As defined by the council, local spend is classed as being inside Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, however there is a particular focus on the Mansfield District.
Mansfield District Council’s procurement needs are delivered by Nottingham City Council’s procurement service, and their figures have shown that 38% of the council’s spend in 2021/22 was spent locally. This includes £4.3 million that was spent in the Mansfield District
The new portal will allow council officers to easily identify local companies that are able to provide services up to a value of £50,000, with that being the limit of contracts that have to be provided only by local suppliers. This figure is planned to be increased to £100,000 in the next year.
Meet the Buyer events are planned for coming year to promote opportunities for procurement, as well as integrating enhanced analysis of the procurement policies to judge effectiveness.
Cllr Craig Whitby, Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Finance, said:
“We are fully committed to the council’s new procurement objectives and it is great news that we are able to support and serve our local economy.
“We look forward to being able to see these objectives expanded and developed in the coming year.”
The council are encouraging local businesses to look into how they could use their own supply chain to support the local and regional economy.
