Public bodies have to buy products and services in bulk and how much they pay for these products and services has a big impact on everybody. If they pay too much for them the general public are the ones that ultimately pick up the bill. As a result it is not stretch to say that public sector procurement and how it is carried out is important to everybody in the UK.
What Makes Public Sector Procurement So Difficult
Achieving the best price and being able to buy quickly in bulk is quite difficult when you’re buying for the public sector. The main reason for this is that there are a multitude of rules and regulations that have to be understood and adhered to. Those rules and regulations are designed to make sure the buying process is as transparent as possible. However, this makes it very time-consuming for the people doing the actual purchasing.
Luckily, some UK businesses have looked at this problem and worked out ways to make public sector procurement easier to carry out. They have done this, of course, primarily to generate business for themselves. However, it is a win-win situation because procurement is much easier than it used to be and can be done much more efficiently.
Public Sector Procurement Made Easy
Some of the High Street’s largest retailers now offer you the opportunity to purchase using the government procurement card scheme, also known as, the GPC scheme. The scheme allows you to purchase any product from participating retailers, be online or it physically in their shops, using the GPC card.
Many large High Street retailers offer substantial discounts to public sector procurement departments who participate in the GPC scheme. Keeping records of purchases is much easier when you use these retailers. They provide you with tailored transaction records, which provide much-needed transparency to the purchasing process. The data they provide meets the rules and regulations surrounding public sector procurement. Most GPC cards allow you to set spending limits and work in such a way that the retailer is paid within the timescales laid out by the government.
Argos for Business offers a full public sector procurementservice. Having worked in this sector for 10 years Argos fully understands the needs of the public sector and tailors their service accordingly.