A flexible way to harness the power of procurement in Scotland
Paisley-based Scotland Excel, established in 2008, is the Centre of Procurement Expertise for the local government sector in Scotland, working with all 32 local authorities.
It is a non-profit-making organisation funded by the councils with a remit to work collaboratively with them and its associate members, from the wider public and third sectors, to secure the best value for money and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public sector procurement in Scotland.
One particularly effective route to achieving this best practice is Scotland Excel's Flexible Procurement Service, set up five years ago, that uses a model which allows organisations to source procurement expertise as and when they need it.
For example, the Flexible Procurement Service team can provide expert consultancy services or manage projects and provide tendering on their behalf.
As Shelly Kilgour, Scotland Excel's Category Manager for the Flexible Procurement Service explains, her team supports the essential services across various aspects of an organisation's business.
'The key word is 'flexible' and this allows us to step in if an organisation finds itself needing support because of a staff shortage at a particular time or if they need a 'quick fix' due to time constraints,' she says.
'Whether they require short-term or long-term support, we can offer that,' Mrs Kilgour continues. 'We take the pressure off. We can help them bridge a gap while they get people on board. Every business owner will experience times when they need support and the public sector is no different.
'The Flexible Procurement Service was established in 2020 at a time when the world changed because of Covid and now, when transparency is so important and all of the organisations we work with have an obligation to the public purse, offering value for money and adopting the most cost-effective procurement practices are crucial.'
Working with Scotland Excel's 32 councils and 172 associate members, the Flexible Procurement Service has delivered procurement work covering a range of areas including social care case management, legal services, outdoor event management, local planning and town investment consultancy, national IT systems and data platforms, as well as engineering, estates management and construction works.
The team uses each client's standing orders and templates, making sure every procurement aligns fully with their internal processes and legislative requirements which, as Mrs Kilgour explains, maintains consistency and quality and means when clients undertake future procurement exercises, they can easily replicate the process.
As the Flexible Procurement Service marks its fifth anniversary, and after awarding its 135th contract – bringing the total value of contracts it has handled to £39 million – Mrs Kilgour reflects on the fact that it has been involved in 200 projects for 26 Scottish organisations, ranging from councils and housing associations to leisure trusts, arm's-length external organisations (ALEOs), and universities.
'We have delivered successful projects across a diverse range of category areas, including information and technology, construction, facility management, and environmental maintenance among others,' she points out.
'We are versatile and remain committed to expanding our offerings based on the evolving needs of our clients. Over the past five years, our team has grown and evolved, continually expanding our capacity and reach to better serve our clients,' she adds.
'We have established strong, lasting relationships and to date, we have nine repeat clients, including our very first flexible client.'
Repeat users of the Flexible Procurement Service include Crown Estate Scotland, assisted by the team on 45 projects, and Dumfries and Galloway Council which worked with the team on 18 projects between 2022 and 2024. The team has also worked closely with Dundee City Council on 61 projects which the council described as 'invaluable to the sustainability of service delivery.'
Recent projects have seen the team delivering two urgent direct awards from national frameworks and tendering for a Microsoft licencing agreement, securing a 3% saving against the client's budget. Fifteen contracts have been awarded in the first three months of 2025 alone.
'When you consider that we are still a relatively new service and quite a small service – just a team of seven right now – I think it's fair to say that we've made a big impact,' she says. 'And we are growing and evolving as those we work with grow and evolve. We have amassed a range of experience allowing us to support our clients and streamline their processes.
'Our unique point of difference over procurement consultancy support, which can come with a hefty price tag for organisations, is that our team becomes embedded within the organisation we are working with – when you come to us, we are a full service and your project gets all the support that comes with that, not just one point of contact. Our clients tell us how reassuring that is – and this model also ensures value for money, compliance, transparency, and real value for money for the taxpayer.
'It's well-documented how difficult the environment is for public sector organisations at the moment, so everyone is looking for ways to operate more efficiently. For example, some housing associations may not be in a position to justify having a dedicated procurement team – that's where we can step in.'
Looking ahead, Mrs Kilgour expects the Flexible Procurement Service to develop more partnerships with housing associations. 'We see potential in that space and are looking to expand our team,' she says. 'We are a respected and reliable procurement resource with a proven track record.
'That we can step in at any point in the procurement cycle also gives peace of mind to organisations that their procurement contracts are delivered on time, and essential services are in place.'
www.home.scotland-excel.org.uk
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