Procurement Enablers and Training

Procurement Enablers

Transport Scotland recognises that the achievement of successful strategic objectives is dependent upon the effective implementation of key enablers. Aligned with the principles outlined in the Scottish Government's first Public Procurement Strategy, the following enablers have been identified to support Transport Scotland’s procurement objectives:

Procurement Capability

Cultivating and nurturing staff in the procurement profession is a key consideration in Transport Scotland. Transport Scotland employs a wide variety of professionals with specialisms ranging over a number of disciplines including engineering, environmental, law, accountancy, and other technical disciplines. The skills of staff cover numerous competencies such as planning, project management, procurement, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, policy making and staff management. Transport Scotland is therefore well positioned to achieve the highest standards of innovation, professionalism, and teamwork across all areas of the business.

The Scottish Government’s PCIP was most recently undertaken in 2019, with the next assessment cycle taking place in June 2024. This programme is designed to evaluate the performance of public sector organisations’ procurement activity and the previous assessment confirmed that Transport Scotland’s procurement capability was in the highest performance band, with a score of 92%.

Supplier Development

The vitality of its supply chains is integral to the prosperity of Transport Scotland. By offering support and fostering growth opportunities for suppliers, Transport Scotland aim to empower them to prosper. This not only enhances operational success, but also translates into positive outcomes for communities, society at large, and the overarching goals of their organisations. Transport Scotland engage with its suppliers to inform them of opportunities and listen to their concerns.

Transport Scotland is an active participant of the Supplier Development Programme’s Meet the Buyer Events which are designed to help suppliers and SMEs understand what buyers are looking for.

Engagement

Transport Scotland engages with external stakeholders, such as statutory bodies and the public to inform its procurements. Transport Scotland advertise procurement opportunities on the Public Contracts Scotland portal and share information on its website and through press releases.

Transport Scotland shares procurement advice on its intranet to assist procurement staff and project managers throughout the procurement process. Regular procurement training sessions are provided by Transport Scotland and staff are also encouraged to use the Scottish Government’s Procurement Journey as a reference tool to enhance their understanding of procurement procedures. Additionally, supplier performance feedback mechanisms are implemented to safeguard the quality of the projects and supplier satisfaction.

Collaboration

Fostering collaboration is integral to realising shared objectives and securing success within communities and across organisations. The enhancement of collaboration and engagement within the framework of the Corporate Procurement Strategy is paramount. Transport Scotland’s collaboration involves regular meetings with both internal and external stakeholders. These include the Scottish Government’s Scottish Procurement Policy Directorate, the Procurement Collaborative Group, the Procurement Cluster Group, the Construction Leadership Forum, the Association for Consultancy and Engineering Scotland, as well as the Civil Engineering Contractors Association.

By undertaking meaningful collaboration about its procurement processes, Transport Scotland aim to establish uniform approaches where feasible and encourage the continual development and exchange best practice. This commitment to strengthened collaboration is the key to its strategy, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and the cultivation of a culture that encourages innovation and excellence in procurement practices.

Procurement Training

Procurement training is crucial to ensuring that staff have the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to achieve the desired outcomes. It is essential that Transport Scotland’s capability and skills are fit for purpose in both the short and long term. Transport Scotland fully supports continuous professional development for staff to ensure it is well positioned to achieve the highest standards of innovation, professionalism, and teamwork across all areas of the business. It also operates a graduate recruitment and training programme, as well as offering opportunities for modern apprenticeships.

Transport Scotland’s procurement training strategy plays a key role in supporting the overall procurement aims to deliver value for money and sustainable procurement. The procurement training strategy is intended to identify the actions and resources needed to achieve this vision. This results in an annual procurement training programme which takes account of changes in legislation and any identified skills gaps. An important aspect of the procurement training strategy is the alignment of training and development opportunities with the Scottish Government’s Skills for Success and Scotland’s National Procurement Competency Framework.

DPA is only granted to staff that have demonstrated the necessary skills and have undertaken appropriate training in procurement. In addition, those with DPA are encouraged to complete the Scotland’s National Procurement Competency Framework and include procurement training in their Personal Leaning Plan, to ensure that Transport Scotland retains a high level of procurement competence.