In May 2013, the Prime Minister’s advisor on enterprise and small business, Lord Young, recommended developing a set of “single market” principles to be applied by all public bodies in their procurement.

A consultation on the high level standards which all public bodies should be looking to achieve has been published today.

This consultation describes the single market principles which suppliers should expect when doing business with the public sector. These principles should simplify and standardise the advertising, bidding and payment of public contracts, and should remove the complexity, cost and inconsistency when trying to sell to more than one public sector body. They would apply to businesses as direct contractors with government and as sub-contractors or partners in a procurement supply chain.

Adoption of these principles will require commitment and cooperation from procurers and suppliers alike.

Click here to see press release

Click here to see consultation

Responses should be sent to [email protected] by 17 October.