Procurement is the process of acquiring goods, services or works. The process spans the whole life cycle of whatever is being purchased:
- from identification of needs and formation of a sourcing strategy;
- to options and supplier appraisals; and
- through to the end of the contract or the useful life of an asset.
Scottish Procurement is responsible for developing and advising on a range of procurement activity, including implementing policy and setting up contracts and framework agreements for itself and the wider public sector in Scotland.
Illustration of procurement landscape
The figure below shows the inter-relationship between the different public procurement organisations and their respective responsibilities.
The sectoral centres of procurement expertise are represented by:
| Scotland Excel : responsible for Category B commodities in Local Authorities. It aims to raise procurement standards across local authorities and related organisations through a collaborative approach. |
| NHS National Procurement : responsible for Category B commodities and their distribution in Health. It aims to deliver best value supply chain services which support improvements in the health and well-being of all the people in Scotland. |
| APUC (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges) : responsible for Category B commodities within Scotland's colleges and universities. It aims to maximise the contribution that advanced procurement makes to Scotland's investment in teaching and research. |
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Police Authority are part of the central government procurement family.