Public Procurement and Property

Reserving contracts for supported businesses – SPPN 1/2025

May 29, 2025 by Emma Hall No Comments | Category Procurement news, supported businesses

In April 2025, the Scottish Government published updated Guidance for Public Sector Buyers for the Purchase of Goods and Services from Supported Businesses, providing practical advice for buyers on establishing if goods and/or services being procured can be provided by supported businesses, and on restricting competition to supported businesses.

Today, the Scottish Government has published a new Scottish Procurement Policy Note (SPPN), SPPN 1/2025, which replaces SPPN 4/2017 and provides updated advice on reserving contracts for supported businesses.

The SPPN includes information on identifying supported businesses, monitoring and reporting, and actions required to ensure organisations remain compliant with legislation. The SPPN also provides details of the Scottish Government’s Requirements Reserved for Supported Businesses Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) which provides Scottish public sector and third sector bodies with a route to market for a range of goods and services provided by supported businesses.

Alistair Kerr, Director & Chair of BASE Scotland Network said: “BASE Scotland welcomes publication of the updated Scottish Government SPPN. Scotland’s supported businesses play an important part in Scotland’s social & economic ambitions. Many of the supported businesses have histories dating back over 150 years of providing support for people who society had left behind. They have developed into modern work environments offering employment opportunities for disabled people as part of a blended workforce, with an ambition to contribute to Scotland’s economic success. Public procurement has a vital role to play in this ambition and ultimately change peoples’ lives for the better”.

For further information on public procurement in Scotland please visit www.gov.scot/procurement

Please email enquiries to scottishprocurement@gov.scot

Follow us online:

Tags: policy note, Scottish Procurement Policy Note, SPPN, SPPN 1/2025

Comments