Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government implementation model for project bank accounts (PBAs) facilitates wider uptake alongside which there is a range of stakeholder engagement measures and events to encourage “other public bodies” to use them. Four such bodies have advised they each have one project for which a contract containing a PBA will be awarded in 2018. Their combined value is currently estimated at £22m. Others are considering the option of applying a PBA to projects due on site in 2019 estimated at £175m.

To date, no public bodies to which Scottish Government’s project bank account (PBA) policy applies have yet completed the award of a contract containing a PBA.

To date, no public bodies to which Scottish Government’s project bank account (PBA) policy applies have yet completed the award of a contract containing a PBA. Eleven such contracts with a current estimated total value of £354m will be awarded with a PBA over the next 16 months, the first of which is expected shortly.

The Scottish Government has developed the Procurement Journey, a web-based collection of tools/processes to support it and the public sector community in Scotland including central government, local authorities, National Health bodies, Universities and Colleges. This includes a dedicated section on contract and supplier management. This can be found at: https://www.procurementjourney.scot/route-3/route-3-contract-supplier-management-managing-improving-performance

In addition the Scottish Government works with United Kingdom Cabinet Office to support the strategic management of key suppliers who operate across the UK.

The Scottish Government have contracted with a large number of suppliers over the past 10 years and a large number of contracts have expired since

2007-8. The current list of suppliers providing services/goods to the core Scottish Government where we are implementing a strategic approach are:

CGI

IBM

Sopra Steria

Remploy Employment Services

The Shaw Trust

Momentum Scotland

The Wise Group

StartScotland

PeoplePlus

Falkirk Council

Warmworks

Spikes Cavell

Leidos

Millstream

Bravo Solution UK

We also strategically manage a wide range of collaborative contracts that are available to be used across the Scottish Public Sector, i.e. Scottish Government, Executive Agencies, NDPBs, Local Authorities, NHS bodies, Universities and Colleges.

The list of suppliers can be found in our collaborative contracts directory: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Government/Procurement/directory

In addition the Scottish Government works with the United Kingdom Cabinet Office to support the strategic management of key suppliers who operate across the UK.

While the Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce project bank accounts for all public projects, my answer to question S5W-14025 on 6 February 2018 stated that we will review the thresholds for works contracts in the light of prevailing practice. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

To date, no public bodies to which Scottish Government’s project bank account (PBA) policy applies have yet completed the award of a contract containing a PBA.

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The requested performance data under the of the SME Holding Fund is not yet published as it is subject to a verification process under the European Regional Development Fund Regulations.

A report for the European Commission on the implementation of the SME Holding Fund will be prepared during April, primarily for the Joint Programme Monitoring Committee (the body which provides advice to Scottish Government on the use of EU funding in Scotland).

The report will cover the period to 31 December 2017. It will cover, inter alia, total amount invested with a breakdown of funding sources (private and public), total amount invested by Delivery Agent (microfinance, debt, equity), total number of companies receiving investment support, private sector leverage, number of jobs created and give a LUPS, H&I spend breakdown.

A copy of the report will be provided to the Scottish Parliamentary Information Service and I would be happy to share it with the member at that time.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires a public body with significant procurement expenditure to prepare an annual procurement report as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each financial year.

These reports will form the basis of an annual report on procurement activity in Scotland to be published by Scottish Ministers. Financial year 2017-2018 will be the first full year subject to annual procurement reports under the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

Public bodies need to be given sufficient time to prepare and publish their individual annual procurement reports before the Scottish Government carries out a high-level analysis of these reports in preparation for the Scottish Ministers annual report on procurement activity in Scotland.