More than 7,000 contracts advertised on new Government website

More than 7,000 Government contracts are now being advertised on a new business portal which aims at removing the barriers faced by many small businesses to access public sector contracts.

More than 10,000 suppliers have also registered on the www.Supply2.gov.uk site, the first Government-supported service of its kind in the UK to give businesses the opportunity to access lower-value public sector contracts, typically under £100,000 in value, from central and local Government.

The supply2.gov.uk portal allows UK public sector organisations to publicise their lower-value contracts free of charge. And, for the first time, businesses will be able to view such contracts in a single place, reducing the time taken to source opportunities. Contract information in a business' chosen location will be available free of charge - a significant benefit, particularly for small firms.

DTI Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP said: "This new portal is a major step forward in the Government's commitment to support small business. It ensures that, for the first time, small businesses can access thousands of Government contracts in one place. It also enables businesses to register their details to ensure their expertise is seen by hundreds of public sector procurers."

Teresa Graham, member of the Small Business Council (SBC) and the Better Regulation Commission (BRC), said:

"This is a wonderful step forward in the Government's agenda to remove the barriers faced by small businesses when trying to find out about opportunities to work with Government. It will provide businesses with a shop window to the lower-value contract market place. Online guidance will also help them to compete for the work."

The new portal was developed from a report authored by the Better Regulation Taskforce and the Small Business Council.

A series of regional roadshows will be held throughout the year to offer help and tips for small businesses on using the portal.

Useful links

Supplier Route to Government http://www.supply2.gov.uk
Small Business Service http://www.sbs.gov.uk
Office of Government Commerce http://www.ogc.gov.uk
Business Link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk