Scottish public procurement rules

From 18 April last year, new rules took effect for all public procurements in Scotland, following the implementation of a trio of EU Directives into Scots law and the introduction of new rules governing below EU threshold procurement. The new rules are intended to simplify and improve public sector procurement in Scotland.

Timings

1600 - Registration
1630 - Seminar start
1800 - Drinks

Topics

In this seminar, our panel will consider the impact of some of the main changes to the rules from a remedies perspective. In particular, we will focus on:

• use of contract award procedures for complex contracts (e.g. major infrastructure, construction and IT projects) 
• shortlisting and the use of the ESPD (Scotland)
• approach to framework agreements and call-off contracts
• sustainable procurement and community benefits
• challenges to above and below threshold contracts
• effectiveness of the remedies system (time for a specialist procurement tribunal?)

We will consider whether - one year on - the new rules are achieving their objectives. We will also consider the experiences of both authorities and companies and other organisations bidding for public sector contracts.

Speakers

Chaired by CMS Partner, Graeme Young, our panel of speakers will include Mark Richards (Scottish Government), Peter Sellar (Axiom Advocates), Helen Fyfe (CMS) and, to offer a comparative view from the Netherlands, Maartje Speksnijder (CMS Netherlands).