Barnsley Council (BMBC) is developing a range of e-business opportunities for its suppliers, recognising that different options will suit different markets – for example, purchasing for housing is very different from computer equipment or professional services. The principles are however the same – that e-enablement should be cost effective both for the purchaser and for suppliers, irrespective of their size.

Assistant Executive Director Alan White, who is responsible for procurement at BMBC, is looking for win-win scenarios to get electronic business accepted as simple, safe and advantageous. Alan emphasises that ‘there have to be obvious gains on both sides – for example, with electronic invoicing we can ensure the supplier is paid quicker whilst making our own savings on the data entry side.’

Our Barnsley case study looks at early wins in electronic invoicing and procurement cards. Alan also reflects on the future benefits if councils adopt the same OGC standards across the region.

Our first example, is the commitment made by our NHS Strategic Health Authority though its Supply Management Confederation to use local small and medium business as contractors for an further 1% of its external spend – which accounts for at least £15m per year of contracts in a wide range of everyday purchasing areas.

Take a look at this announcement and start to track opportunities through the NHS Purchasing & Supply Agency website: www.pasa.bravosolution.com/...

There is more evidence that things are on the move in the NHS in Yorkshire & Humber. The same NHS purchasing authority is progressing other elements of e-Procurement such as on-line ‘reverse’ auctions – ‘reverse’ because suppliers are bidding to sell things!

Just recently the SYSMC also held its first reverse e-auction, an innovative approach to purchasing using online technology, to procure PCs at best value for all the NHS organisations in South Yorkshire. In real terms this equated to an approximate saving of over £400,000, to find out more view the recent press release at: SYSMC Reverse E-Auction PDF

Wakefield Council, whose Purchasing Card development features as a My-IT Case Study, is leading the way in e-notification, with over 50% of all tender opportunities currently advertised online.

Wakefield is one of 13 Yorkshire & Humber councils working together to publish tender notifications through www.counciltenders.net. Suppliers have the opportunity not only to view the details online but also to respond electronically – though this is not as yet mandatory.

Each council has started at different levels and in different purchasing areas to get e-tendering up and running. For Wakefield this started out with tenders of over £75,000 in the facilities management and the education departments, but now covers all services. Meanwhile Leeds is already applying this approach to tenders as small as £10,000.

And 2006 will see a major development that will up the pace and further increase the benefits of this approach for suppliers across the region. The 22 Yorkshire & Humber councils are implementing a single contracts management system that will link into the e-notification and e-tendering process. As a supplier, if you’ve done it for one, you can do it with them all! Check out Counciltenders.net/... for news on the introduction of this system.