Understanding the Procurement Act
2026-03-19 12:00 - 13:30 UTC
Are you an SME looking to understand the changes to public procurement and contracting brought about by the Procurement Act 2023?
Want to know what you need to be aware of when contracting with public sector under the new rules? Well, this event organised by Deloitte will address all of it.
Why attend? You’ll gain valuable insights and guidance on the Procurement Act 2023, helping you to navigate the evolving landscape of public sector procurement.

Understand the background and aims of the Procurement Act 2023 and the key changes it introduces.
Discover the implications of these changes for you as an SME and how they affect how you engage with public procurement processes.
Learn about the new approaches to transparency and how public sector opportunities will be advertised, helping you identify relevant contracts more effectively.
Get insights into the future landscape of public procurement, including themes for SMEs emerging from the 2025 government consultation.

Who should attend? This webinar is aimed at SMEs that provide goods or services to the public sector and are:

interested in understanding the new Procurement Act 2023 and its impact to public procurement
processes that they need to engage with
looking to adapt their strategies or processes to align with the new regulations
keen to continue identifying and understanding public sector contracts under the updated rules
seeking to enhance their knowledge about how public procurement opportunities are published

Don’t miss this opportunity to better understand how to work with public procurement rules and processes.

Using Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) – How to Find and Bid for Opportunities
2026-03-24 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-04-15 14:00 - 15:30, 2026-06-10 10:30 - 12:00
Public Contracts Scotland is the national public sector tender portal for Scotland. It lists contract opportunities for all public sector bodies and has a “Quick Quote” function for lower value contracts. This webinar will help you to ensure that you’re not only comfortable using the PCS website but also know how to generate business from it.
This event is suitable for Level 1 (Beginners). This workshop is the first step to tendering for new or inexperienced bidders.
During this course, you will learn:

What is Public Contracts Scotland (PCS)?
How do I set myself up on PCS?
What functions do I need to use on PCS?
What is PCS-Tender (PCS-T)?
What is a Quick Quote?
How does e-invoicing work?

Understanding Your Role in Contract Management – Critical Success Factors
2026-03-26 13:30 - 15:00, 2026-06-24 14:00 - 15:30
So, you’ve been awarded onto a contract, now what?
You now need to manage the contract in partnership with the buyer to deliver on everything you promised in the bid. This training will explain how to successfully deliver on your contract, what to do if things go wrong, and how to win again when it is retendered.
Overview of what you will learn:

What is the Contract Management life cycle?
Critical success factors of maintaining a good relationship with the buyer.
How to make data driven decisions.
How to manage risk.
How to manage the change over the life of the contract.

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have. As well as have the chance to hear what other SME businesses in Scotland have to say.
This event is suitable for Level 3 (Advanced) if you have a very good understanding of public sector procurement (completed Level 1 and 2 or have equivalent experience) & you have bid for a public sector contract on more than one occasion.

Expanding to sell into the wider UK market
2026-03-31 13:30 - 15:00
Do you want to grow your business by exploring new public sector markets?
Wider opportunities are not always as easy to find, so you need to commit time and resources into investigating them. Businesses may be surprised to learn that the procurement rules in Scotland and the rest of the UK are currently largely the same. So how can businesses based within Scotland find and win public sector contracts within the rest of the UK.
At this training one of SDP’s expert trainers will show you where to find opportunities in new public sector markets, including searching the Find-a-Tender Service portal.
Advances in technology is making it easier for businesses of all sizes to work in other locations, our trainer will give an overview of what considerations your business needs to take into account before you start to expand.
Overview of what you will learn:

How to find new opportunities in the rest of the UK.
How to set up a business development strategy.
What considerations your business need to think about when working further a field
How to adapt to new opportunities
Common mistakes businesses make and how to avoid them

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask the questions you have and how to navigate expansion of your business through public sector contracts.
This event is suitable for Level 3 (Advanced) if you have a very good understanding of public sector procurement (completed Level 1 and 2 or have equivalent experience) & you have bid for a public sector contract on more than one occasion.

CCS Construction Works & Associated Services 3 Framework
2026-04-02 14:00 - 15:30
The Crown Commercial Service Construction Works & Associated Services 3 (CWAS3) framework, is a major procurement opportunity that is estimated to deliver £80 billion of construction and infrastructure projects across the UK over eight years, with tailored lots for Scotland.
During this online webinar we will watch our expert walk you through the bidding process, using the CCS CWAS3 framework tender documents for this Construction Works & Associated Services opportunity. We will demo how to register/ login to Find a Tender Services (FTS), how to find the contract notice and express interest. We then follow the CCS buyer’s instructions verbatim, to access the tender documents and open all envelopes within Public Contracts Scotland-Tender (PCS-T). We will spend time on questions that perhaps tripped bidders up in the past. We also demo the Q&A functionality and how to upload evidence and response documents. Essentially the aim is for you as a bidder, to watch our expert going through the tendering process as a supplier, in real-time, to ensure that you know what your next step will be.
This webinar will include:

Introductions and house keeping from SDP
How to register and login to Find a Tender Services (FTS) & Public Contracts Scotland-Tender (PCS-T
How to search and find this CCS CWAS3 framework opportunity for Construction Works & Associated Services
Access the buyer attachments and instructions
Upload any supporting docs required for this CWAS3 framework opportunity

Working with the Public Sector - All You Need to Know
2026-04-07 10:30 - 12:00
How well do you know the public sector? This introductory module is recommended for anyone new to bidding. It provides a comprehensive overview of the public sector marketplace in Scotland and beyond and introduces the concept of tendering and procurement.
This event is suitable for Level 1 (Beginner) workshop is a first step to tendering for new or inexperienced bidders. No previous knowledge or experience is required to attend this workshop.

During this course, you will learn:

What is the public sector?
Routes into the public sector
Finding opportunities
Creating a pipeline of work
Pre-engagement activities

At the end of the webinar, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask our expert trainer any questions you may have.

Market Engagement with Police Scotland
2026-04-08 13:30 - 15:00
Police Scotland invites suppliers to participate in a live market engagement webinar focused on the introduction of road traffic diversionary courses in Scotland.
This is intended to be a suite of courses offered to drivers who have committed minor road traffic offences, as an alternative to prosecution and in line with courses offered through NDORS (National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme).
Legislative changes are required before these courses can be introduced, and the necessary legislation is expected to be laid before Parliament in Summer 2026.
It is anticipated that:

The opportunity will involve in the region of 200,000 courses per annum
Courses will be available online and in person, across all areas of Scotland
It is Police Scotland’s intention to progress a tender for this requirement once the new legislation is in place.

During the webinar, Police Scotland will outline the opportunity in more detail and invite questions and feedback from suppliers. This input will help inform the scope of the upcoming procurement exercise.
This webinar will include:

Introductions and housekeeping from SDP
Presentation delivered by Police Scotland colleagues
Sandie Shaw – Procurement Specialist
Insp Craig Beaver – Road Policing Management Support
Live Q&A giving you the opportunity to gain a full understanding of this new opportunity and the expectations.

Getting Your Business Tender Ready - The Checklist
2026-04-21 10:30 - 12:00
In Scotland, public sector procurement is governed by rules set out by the Scottish Government. Therefore, there is certain information, policies, and processes which must be in place before your business can begin to bid for public sector contracts.
This webinar aims to help Scottish SMEs and social enterprises become tender ready. One of our expert trainers will talk you through a “bidding checklist” of all the key information, processes and policies that your business must have in place prior to bidding.
During this course, you will learn:

The information and policies you need to have in place for public sector procurement.
An understanding of the public sector procurement market and how to enter it.
How to create a bid/no bid strategy.
How to improve your chances of winning a public sector contract.

At the end of the webinar, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask our expert trainer any questions you may have.

P4H Scotland 2026
2026-04-28 09:00 - 16:00 | Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, 25 Roseburn Street, Edinburgh, EH12 5PJ
P4H Scotland – the Procurement Event for Health 2026 ‒ connects buyers and suppliers from across Scotland’s healthcare procurement community – worth more than £3.6bn annually.
P4H Scotland is a unique event that enables all stakeholders to learn about the latest developments shaping the future of Scotland’s healthcare procurement – featuring skills development, networking, collaboration and product showcase opportunities for public sector buyers and private sector organisations alike.
Attending as a supplier gives you the chance to:
• Connect directly with NHS and public sector buyers
• Build visibility and brand awareness
• Develop new and existing relationships
• Stay informed on digital transformation, sustainability, AI and innovation in healthcare procurement

Planning Your Bid – Time and Resources
2026-05-12 10:30 - 12:00
The biggest learning curve in tendering is understanding the time, energy, and resources that go into creating a winning bid.
The more planning you do before writing your bid, the easier you’ll find it when you begin your response. This training will walk you through the steps of how to plan and manage your bid. From capture planning to forming a bid team (this doesn’t necessarily need to be a full team; it could be one person if they have the right skills) to making key decisions.
One of SDP’s expert trainers will also show an example of a Bid Time Plan and how to complete it.
Overview of what you will learn:

What work can be done pre-tender to make the process of creating the bid less stressful
How to make objective decisions while managing a bid
How to create a bid time plan

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have. As well as the chance to hear what other SME businesses in Scotland have to say.

Passing the Selection Stage – The Single Procurement Document (SPD)
2026-05-19 10:30 - 12:00
The Single Procurement Document (SPD) is a set of questions, that cannot be altered, which helps buyers identify if your business is suitably qualified to carry out the contract you are bidding for.
Most buyers use the SPD for the tendering process, as it ensures that the process stays consistent. It can reduce your workload when bidding on an opportunity as your answers can be saved and reused again and again along as they remain relevant.
Previously known as European Single Procurement Document (ESPD), the SPD is a regular part of bidding for public sector contracts.
Completing the SPD can be daunting for everyone, even if you have done so in the past. It is a long electronic document that splits questions into different subsections and parts. During this training event, you will be given examples of the standard questions asked in the SPD by one of SDP’s expert trainers, who has also completed numerous Single Procurement Documents and will teach you an expert method on how to answer all questions robustly and correctly.
You will learn:

What is the Single Procurement Document (SPD)?
When will you need to complete the SPD?
Standard Questions
Mitigating any issues in your SPD
Checking your submission

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any questions your business may have about the SPD, as well as give you the chance to hear what other SME businesses in Scotland have to say.
This event is suitable for Level 2 (Intermediate) for people who know about bidding but need to develop specific knowledge and skills.

How to Write Outstanding Tenders - The Invitation to Tender (ITT) Stage
2026-05-28 10:30 - 12:00
Understanding what a buyer is looking for and creating a response to show how you are the best candidate for the job can be tricky.
At this training, you will learn what skills are needed for your business to write a good tender response and stand out from your competitors. One of SDP’s expert trainers will also explain how to analyse the tender documents and how to find hidden clues in the tender documents to help you develop a well-round response.
Overview of what you will learn:

What work can be done pre-tender to make the process of creating a bid less stressful?
How can use Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) and Public Contracts Scotland-Tender (PCS-T) to submit tenders?
What work needs to go into preparing for the ITT before the tender documents are released.
Which skills do you need to have in your bid team to write winning bids?
What good looks like in a bid response

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have. As well as have the chance to hear what other SME businesses in Scotland have to say.
This event is suitable for Level 2 (Intermediate), for people who know about bidding but need to develop specific knowledge and skills.

Scotland’s National Meet the Buyer 2026
2026-06-02 10:00 - 15:00 | DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Glasgow Central, 36 Cambridge Street, Glasgow, G2 3HN
Join us for Meet the Buyer 2026, Scotland’s largest free procurement event!
Now in its 17th year, Scotland’s National Meet the Buyer event will take place on Tuesday 2 June 2026, from 10am to 3pm. This free event is hosted by the Supplier Development Programme, and partnered by Scottish Government.
Come along to meet procurement teams, buyers and supply chain partners. Meet the Buyer is the place to discuss projects and tender opportunities, on a local and national scale, across Scotland and the UK.
This free to visit event gives you access to buyers and decision makers, from organisations across the public and private sectors. You’ll have the chance to introduce your company, talk to key buyer contacts, and discover opportunities in their pipelines.
Whether you are a micro, small or medium sized supplier, Meet the Buyer National can help you get into public sector supply chains. You will meet buyers connected to public sector projects, who are looking for suppliers that enrich local economies and support Community Wealth Building.

Understanding and Bidding - Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)
2026-06-03 14:00 - 15:30
Frameworks and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) are fast becoming a popular way for buyers to manage common purchases. Frameworks and DPS’s can also be a lucrative source of business for suppliers but it is vital you understand the agreement before getting on a Framework.
At this training, you will get an understanding of what a framework is, the common features of a framework and why buyers use frameworks. One of SDP’s expert trainers will also talk you through the two main methods of winning business on a framework i.e. Direct Award and Call Off Contract.
Overview of what you will learn:

What is a Framework?
How to get on a Framework
How to win business off a Framework
What is a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS)?

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have. As well as the chance to hear what other SME businesses on Scotland have to say.
This event is suitable for Level 2 (Intermediate) for people who know about bidding but need to develop specific knowledge and skills.

Improving Your Bid Score - Increase Your Tender Win Rate
2026-06-11 14:30 - 16:00
Getting the highest possible score in your bid is essential to winning a contract, but it can be difficult to know exactly what the buyer is looking for.
Every supplier putting in a bid will tell the buyer they can do what it wants them to do. To improve your bid score and win bids, you need to go beyond the basic requirements and explain how your business can add value to the contract. At this training, SDP’s expert trainer will give you top tips on how you can sell the benefits of your business and why these benefits should matter to the buyer.
What happens if you haven’t scored as high as you thought you were going to? This session also covers the importance of asking for feedback on all your bids, how to ask for feedback, and what to do if the buyer isn’t forthcoming with feedback.
Overview of what you will learn:

How to understand and find ‘Hot Button’ issues.
How to sell benefits, not features.
How to use the evaluation and award criteria to elevate your bid.
How to manage your bid effectively
How to learn from your previous bids.

At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have. As well as have the chance to hear what other SME businesses in Scotland have to say.
This event is suitable for Level 2 (Intermediate), for people who know about bidding but need to develop specific knowledge and skills.

Responding to Tender Policy Requirements - Power of Procurement
2026-06-16 10:30 - 12:00
Public sector procurement in Scotland is guided by several policy requirements that were put in place so that organisations, operations, and procurement exercises achieve specific, desirable outcomes. So, what does that mean for suppliers?
During this training, you will get an overview of the most common policy requirements including Sustainability, Community Benefits, Fair Work Practices, Community Wealth Building and Net Zero targets. These topics are extremely important to buyers; so much so that the public sector expects businesses of all sizes to demonstrate how they are meeting these policy requirements in tender documents.
Please note: Even though a buyer may not specifically ask suppliers to provide evidence of how the business is meeting policy requirements, it is still expected to be included within a bid.
Policies can be daunting, but help is at hand for Scottish SMEs, supported businesses and third sector organisations through the Supplier Development Programme.
Join this webinar to become ‘tender ready’ and find out how you can provide the most up-to-date policies on your bids. You will also get advice on how to record and evidence what your business is doing to meet these requirements. By successfully providing evidence on how you are implementing policy requirements, you can improve how high your bid scores go and also stand out from competitors to buyers.
You will learn:

How to put the theory of the public sector’s common policy requirements into practical terms.
What sustainability is, as well as examples of what sustainability could mean for your business.
What Community Benefits are, and ideas for and examples of Community Benefits you could implement into your business.
What Net Zero is and how you can work towards meeting your Net Zero targets.
What Fair Work First is, what it involves, and tools available to help you implement the five aspects of Fair Work into your business such as the Living Wage and other practical steps.
How to record and evidence these key common policies into your bids.

You won’t just come away from this training course with good ideas: you will learn how to turn those ideas into a workable plan of action your business can use to get ‘tender ready’ for your next bid.
At the end of the session, there will be an interactive Q&A session where you will have the opportunity to ask SDP’s expert trainers any questions you may have and hear what other SME businesses in Scotland are asking, too.
This event is suitable for Level 2 (Intermediate), for businesses which understand bidding concepts but need to develop and refine specific knowledge and skills.

Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) Innovation Notices and Guidance
2026-06-17 14:00 - 15:30
Scotland has a vision of becoming one of the most innovative small nations in the world over the next decade. This is key to our efforts to transform the economy, improve our Public Services and drive lasting improvement in Scotland’s economic performance.
Public procurement can play an important part enabling innovation in our public services. Scottish Government policy note SPPN 03/2023 (Supporting innovation through procurement) makes provision for new functionality on Public Contracts Scotland to improve our procurement processes and reporting for the purposes innovation. Staff from SPPN will provide an over view of the functionality and guidance relating to the Policy Note.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Scottish Government experts, as we discuss this recently added functionality to Public Contracts Scotland (PCS), which is the portal used by all Scottish Public Sector buyers to alert the market of ‘relevant calls for competition’. These new notice types are designed to help Scottish public sector to procure innovation more efficiently.
This short call by Scottish Government staff outlines those changes to PCS and guidance. Feel free to come along to the call and learn about the developments.

Meet the Buyer North 2026
2026-09-03 10:00 - 15:00 | Aberdeen Music Hall, Union Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1QS
Join us for Meet the Buyer North 2026, the largest FREE procurement event in the North of Scotland!
Now in its 9th year, the Supplier Development Programme is set to host Meet the Buyer North 2026 at The Music Hall, in Aberdeen, on 3 September 2026. Come along to meet procurement teams, buyers and supply chain partners with upcoming projects and opportunities in the North of Scotland.
Why should your business attend Meet the Buyer North?

Find out about upcoming contract and supply chain opportunities
Meet face to face with public sector buyers from across Scotland, including local authorities and government agencies
Engage 1-to-1 with key primary contractors
Stay up to date with the latest in procurement
Raise your profile as a business

This event is designed to support micro, small and medium sized businesses in the North of Scotland, including the Highlands and Islands, to engage with business opportunities in the public sector. However, businesses of all sizes are welcome to attend Meet the Buyer North.
