Actions to Assist Small and Medium Enterprises

The Government is taking forward a number of measures to open up the way we do business and to make sure that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are in the best possible position to compete for Government business. As part of this initiative, Department for International Development (DFID) has developed 3 specific, targeted actions to increase DFID business with SMEs:
 
1. Review the DFID procurement Prequalification Questionnaire (PQQ)  and Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation to make them more SME friendly and reduce unnecessary barriers to participation by 31 May 2011. DFID will also test the use of the ‘open’ procedure for a competition advertised in the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) and feed into the findings being captured across Government on selection criteria in public procurement.

2. Increase the level of engagement and communication with SMEs to improve our understanding of their current concerns and potential ways to further open up DFID business to SMEs.

3. Improve management information on DFID’s current and potential SME supply base by:

• Gathering and analysing enhanced data using the DFID Supplier Portal.
• Obtaining feedback from SME meetings.

Once complete, DFID will identify actions to improve SME participation by 31 October 2011.

The "Action Plan for SMEs" provides full details of the Actions and how delivery will be measured. Further background information on the Government wide initiative for SMEs can be found on the Cabinet Office website.

Whilst the focus of this initiative is on improving opportunities for UK SMEs, we also recognise that the involvement of Developing Country SMEs is an integral part of DFID’s work in Development. The principles of this important initiative will therefore be applied to all SMEs, taking into account the specific needs of the procurement.