Public bodies host ‘meet the buyer’ event

BUYERS from public bodies all over Tayside will gather in Dundee next week to meet businesses keen to bid for work.

The free “meet the buyer” event will give potential new suppliers the opportunity to talk informally about upcoming contracts, find out about tendering and the criteria for buying goods and services.

A wide range of goods and services is bought in by public bodies including personal care, building works, transport and catering. Lynne Short, convener of the city council’s city development committee, said: “Procurement in local government is always evolving with contract opportunities being advertised daily.”

Buying personnel from organisations including Dundee City, Angus, Fife and Perth and Kinross councils, NHS Tayside and universities will be at the Invercarse Hotel on Tuesday from 10am-2pm.

As well as informal discussions that do not need to be booked, there will also be short information sessions delivered throughout the day covering issues such as support with the procurement process and understanding the public contracts Scotland website.

Major construction contractors including Robertson Construction, Hadden Group and Balfour Beatty Construction, who are undertaking public sector contracts, will also be at the event.