East Devon backing local traders

East Devon District Council is keen to work wherever possible with local businesses for the supply of goods and services. So the council is pleased to be taking part in a ‘Meet the local buyer’ event on Monday 16 November 2015, at The Assembly Hall, Town Hall, Torquay TQ1 3DR, from 10am to 4pm.

The Devon and Cornwall Procurement Partnership is hosting the event, which is for businesses in the South West peninsula that are looking to supply goods and services to councils and other public organisations.

This event, which is free to attend, will provide a unique opportunity for local business owners and traders to meet and talk with the people responsible for procurement of goods and services for public sector organisations.

These bodies are sensitive to the economic pressures being felt by all businesses and are keen to purchase locally and make ‘doing business with the public sector’ as easy as possible.

Seminars
To ensure that the time taken to attend is productive for businesses, there will be a series of short seminars (bookable in advance) focusing on topical issues aimed at helping to explain how to do business across the public sector and how to access opportunities to bid for public sector work.

Topics include: The Public Contract Regulations 2015 and their impact on suppliers; construction procurement and how to do business with the council. There will also be opportunities to learn how to access opportunities to bid for public sector contracts and how to register on the Supplying the South West procurement portal – all with support from Devon based procurement officers.

For further information and to register for this event please e-mail:  goinglocal-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

Commenting on this event, Councillor Graham Godbeer, East Devon District Council’s Procurement Champion, said:

“This event is a great opportunity for local businesses to come and talk to us and find out how they might be able to do business with us and other public bodies across Devon.  East Devon District Council is committed to providing increased opportunities for local businesses, as are all public sector organisations across Devon. Not only does this help business growth, it also encourages inward investment – meaning more money, healthier businesses and more jobs.”