Bath-based IT services company IPL has been appointed to help develop a new system that makes it easier for small firms to bid for Government contracts.
The new version of Contracts Finder will support commercial reforms introduced under the Government’s flagship programme aiming to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Government wants to increase the diversity of its suppliers by cutting red tape and making it simpler and less time-consuming for companies to bid for public sector work.
IPL, itself an SME, will be building the new enhanced Contracts Finder system, which will be the single place for all public sector procurement opportunities worth more than £10,000.
It will provide access to all areas of common goods and services procurement, from IT and stationery through to furniture. The site will also provide a forward-looking pipeline, showing when new contracts are due to be procured, which will make it easier for companies to search for work in their sector and plan ahead when it comes to bidding.
Due to be launched later this year, the new Contracts Finder will link with a number of other Government IT systems and will be built using agile techniques and state-of-the-art secure cloud technology, which will enable the service to scale-up as usage grows.
IPL has been awarded the contract by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). A CSS spokesperson said: “The new Contracts Finder is part of our overarching technology strategy, joining up systems and platforms across the commercial landscape to improve efficiency, provide increased transparency into public sector spending and ultimately drive further savings for the taxpayer.” 
IPL chief executive Paul Jobbins, pictured, added: “We’re delighted to be helping the Government deliver better value to the taxpayer by making it easier for SMEs to bid for public sector work.
“As an SME, IPL understands the needs of these businesses when it comes to bidding for public sector work and the hurdles that need to be overcome. Contracts Finder removes many of the barriers to entry for smaller firms.
“Our deep systems integration and security expertise as well as our track record of delivering high-profile systems within very tight timescales means we’re the ideal delivery partner for the Government. Last year, for example, we used similar agile techniques and cloud technology to build UCAS’s award-winning Track system in a very short space of time.”
