New PPE contract live to help the public sector source essential items

Twenty Scottish businesses including five micro companies, have secured a place on a national PPE contract, that’s expected to be worth £60m over four years.

Scotland Excel’s supply and delivery of personal protective equipment framework, has recently gone live to help councils and other public bodies source PPE, workwear and pandemic recovery items.

A total of 44 suppliers have joined the fourth-generation framework, and each have the opportunity to secure a share of the business. Of the 20 Scottish suppliers – five are micro and 14 are SME.

Hugh Carr, Head of Strategic Procurement at Scotland Excel, said: “I welcome the launch of this new contract that will support councils and other public organisations in sourcing a range of items that are a vital part of local services being safely delivered.

“As we learned during the Covid-19 pandemic response, PPE is absolutely vital to ensure the safety of public sector employees and also any local people they are working with. The framework will help our local authority members, and other public bodies to effectively source essential items ranging from face masks and gloves, to protective work wear and high viz items.

“It’s good news that of the 44 suppliers who have secured a place on this framework – 20 are Scottish, and many of those are small and micro companies who now have a chance to secure business through the framework.”

The framework has twelve months fixed pricing and the majority of suppliers (40) pay the Real Living Wage.