HM Revenue and Customs have released a new action plan designed – not the same as committed – to significantly opening up the public sector marketplace to small businesses. The actions outlined in the document (PDF link here) range from increasing the amount of information available and holding ‘product surgeries’, to piloting new procurement methods and increasing SME access to sub-contracting opportunities.
Some of the action points could be more aptly described as goodwill gestures to SMEs, with lots of vague and non-committal phrases, such as ‘to review’, ‘to consider’ and ‘building on’.
Here are some of the promises HMRC are making to SMEs:
- The first point on the plan due to be actioned this month is the development of the current HMRC website in order to provide a specific, easy to access area for SMEs with relevant and up to date information.
- A central contact for all SME enquiries.
- Plans to work with the 12 largest prime HMRC suppliers to ensure they identify and engage with their own SME supply chains, including 3/4th level suppliers and agree actions with them to increase the value of their spend.
- Build on the work done on the recent open procedure procurement for Debt Collection Services and introduce workshops to provide support and advice on the new procedures.
On closer inspection some of these points appear as nothing more than a government reaction to the latest unwanted mandate. Could the new action plan be seen as a further watering down of the 25% budget for SMEs, which has already been downgraded from a ‘commitment’ to an ‘aspiration’?
Photo by Tom & Katrien – CC
