Easier methods for tech procurement are here, but are we ready?
3 minute read
Jennifer Clewley
August 21st, 2025
New digital marketplaces are making procurement easier for the public sector. On paper, these are a game-changer. But are we culturally ready to make the most out of digital procurement tools?
Centralised digital procurement platforms could be a real opportunity to level the playing field for tech providers. SMEs will have more opportunities to provide the public sector with potentially higher-quality services at a more reasonable price. By simplifying access and standardising processes, the platform could lower the traditional barriers that have made it difficult for smaller, more innovative suppliers to win public sector contracts.
It’s not just good news for those businesses, it’s good for the economy (and therefore public sector organisations) too. More diversity in suppliers, better innovation in services, and healthier competition could come from this increase in digital procurement, making this change cyclically beneficial.
Buyer capability and readiness
We know that this approach to procurement would change the game. But are public sector buyers culturally ready to shift current processes? Procurement teams are often stretched thin, with limited capacity to explore new suppliers or assess added value beyond price.
If buyers aren’t ready, there’s a risk that the platform becomes just another route to the same outcomes. If buyers default to known vendors or prioritise the cheapest bid, we miss the opportunity for change.
Peer feedback and affirmations
One of the more interesting ideas in the rise of digital procurement is the potential for service reviews. Imagine being able to see transparent, peer-reviewed feedback on how well a supplier delivered against expectations, including the social value promises many businesses are promising alongside their service offerings.
Done right, this could hold suppliers accountable. Though this is where a cultural shift for buyers comes in, they need to take the time to document and review to gain the full benefit of this feature.
Make a positive impact: deliver social value opportunities
The shift from MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) to MAT (Most Advantageous Tender) means public sector procurement now emphasises social, economic, and environmental value, not just price.
Digital marketplaces let buyers apply social value criteria directly to digital, data, and technology contracts, using tailored government award criteria. This approach encourages proportional requirements and simpler documents, making procurement accessible for SMEs. Templates and guidance help evaluate bids based on specific, measurable social value commitments.
Marketplaces provide tools to track social value delivery, report KPIs, and hold suppliers accountable for commitments, supporting SMEs that generate positive impacts.
The launch of new digital procurement methods offers an opportunity to give SMEs a fairer shot, and to ensure public spending delivers not just savings, but real social impact. But technology alone isn’t enough. If buyers embrace the opportunity to explore new suppliers, that’s where change will really happen.
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About the author
Jennifer Clewley, ESG Manager
Jen Clewley has worked in our Cloud and AI Solutions team since 2021 and specialises in Sustainability. She is responsible for delivering initiatives that help to reduce the carbon emissions of IT services and also leading on our social value programme delivering a positive impact in the communities in which we work. Jen has a wealth of experience from local government and the private sector to help organisations work towards sustainable and responsible IT services. She is outcome driven, delivering projects with strong stakeholder engagement to overcome challenges, while improving and enhancing services delivered by our customers.