Swedish visit to Scotland Excel
Scotland Excel was delighted to play host recently to a small delegation of senior procurement professionals from councils across Sweden on a fact finding tour organised by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions. The purpose of the trip was to learn about public procurement in Scotland and, in particular, how Scotland Excel and Scottish local authorities manage issues such as sustainability, EU legislation and electronic tendering.
Scotland Excel put together a programme of presentations and discussions covering a wide range of topics including collaboration, data management, sustainability, learning and development, and improvement initiatives. Julie Welsh, Head of Strategic Procurement at Renfrewshire Council, also presented a perspective from the point of view of our local authority members.
The day was very well received by the Swedish procurement managers. They were particularly impressed by the level of collaboration that exists in Scotland, and that local authorities are working together to raise procurement standards. Scotland Excel staff were also able to benefit from learning about public procurement practices in Sweden.