Public Sector Procurement
Coming soon to this page: Report into Fair Trade spend by Scottish public sector bodies: Financial Year 2019/2020 – please check back soon.
The public sector in Scotland spends billions of pounds on procuring goods and services each year. As Fair Trade campaigners, we want this public procurement to be an expression of Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation status. There are already many great examples in Scotland of ethical procurement in the public sector supporting Fair Trade producers and suppliers.
However, we also recognise that public procurement officials deserve clearer guidance on how it is possible to use ethical requirements when carrying out public purchasing while remaining within the law. We also recognise that many of our campaigners need a clearer understanding of the procurement process.
Guidance on Statutory Requirements – Fair and Ethical Trading – Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014
Contracting authorities with significant spend are required to prepare a procurement strategy that includes a statement of their general policy on the procurement of fairly and ethically traded goods and services (section 15(5)(b)(v) of the Act). More information can be found within this Scottish Government Statutory Guidance document, under sub-section 2.5.10.
Guide for contracting authorities on embedding Fair Trade Principles into procurement practices
This detailed guidance is for public bodies covering the purchase of products and services where there may be concerns about human rights, working conditions and exploitation. It covers:
- Policy and legal context
- Assessment of risk/opportunity
- Pre-contract notification
- Supplier selection
- Exclusion grounds
- Selection criteria
- Specification development
- Labels
- Award
- Abnormally low bids
- Contract Management
Public sector organisations creating fair and ethical procurement practices and results
Ethical Procurement Case Study- University of Edinburgh – Graduation Gowns
