To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of SMEs accessing Public Sector contracts via the digital platform of Bloom Services; and if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of those services with those provided by Crown Commercial Services.
Answered on
3 March 2022
The Government wants suppliers of all sizes, including SMEs, to be able to compete for and win government business and we have reduced many of the barriers and bureaucracy in public sector procurement.
We have made no assessment of Bloom Services. However, suppliers are free to use whichever service is most appropriate for them in order to access public contracts.
Contracts Finder covers current and future public sector contracts above £10,000 in central government and £25,000 in the wider public sector. It also includes information on contracts awarded, and whether the contract has been won by small or medium sized businesses or voluntary bodies. It is free to use, and accessible from smartphones and tablets. It is the responsibility of all departments to publish accurate contract notices and award notices on Contracts Finder.