First minister Alex Salmond said the bill would make it easier for SMEs and the third sector to access public contract opportunities and comes on the same day that the Cabinet Office in westminster announced a shake-up of their tendering and procurement process.
It is also expected to generate new training and employment opportunities, he said. The Bill will require public bodies to consider how procurement activity can improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of local communities.
“The Procurement Reform Bill has the potential to make a difference to many lives,” Salmond said. “It will provide new powers to tackle companies that do not comply with their legal obligations, including blacklisting and employment law.”
The Scottish government issued a report last month, claiming that a lack of data on procurement outcomes in public sector contracts across the EU was hampering reform.
The Bill will now proceed through the Scottish legislative process.
