Moved by
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
122: After Clause 80, insert the following new Clause—
“Regulated below-threshold contracts: duty to consider small and medium-sized enterprises
(1) Before inviting the submission of tenders in relation to the award of a regulated below-threshold contract, a contracting authority must—
(a) have regard to the fact that small and medium-sized enterprises may face particular barriers in competing for a contract, and
(b) consider whether such barriers can be removed or reduced.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in relation to the award of a contract in accordance with a framework.”
Member’s explanatory statement
This new Clause would require a contracting authority, before inviting the submission of tenders for a regulated below-threshold contract (other than under a framework), to have regard to the particular barriers to competing for a contract that small and medium-sized enterprises may have, and remove or reduce them where possible.