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Making the Case for Small Business
SME Survey Launched Where we ask UK Small Businesses the Challenges they Face in Working with the Public Sector
To better understand the views of SMEs operating in the public sector tech market, techUK has launched a comprehensive survey to capture their experience. This report will build on the views of 171 SMEs from last year’s SME Survey, and will inform a set of clear recommendations which we will use to campaign Government to help dynamic British based SMEs to scale and grow.
Last year’s survey confirmed that the Government is on the right track, but that more needs to be done. There is overwhelming support for the Government's new target to award 33% of procurement spend, both directly and indirectly, to SMEs, with 90% of respondents supporting the new target.
Real progress has been achieved in making it easier for SMEs to do business with Government. However, there is still some way to go. In a recent techUK survey, we asked nearly 1,500 civil servants about their views on the benefits offered by broadening the supply base. Only one fifth (21%) of respondents agree or strongly agree there is appetite in their department to procure a higher percentage of technology services from SMEs – the same proportion as in 2015. Even more worryingly, 36% said they do not need access to a wide range of suppliers, up from 17% in 2015.
Naureen Khan, Director Public Services commented:
“Government has long recognised the need to open up its supply base so that it can access the very best and most innovative technology. There are now more opportunities than ever before for small and growing firms to access the Government's billion pound public sector procurement market. I would urge all of our SME members to complete our survey so that techUK can campaign on their behalf to help them scale and grow”.
