North East councils launch new procurement platform

This October, eleven North East local authorities will join Sunderland City Council on Open, a streamlined public procurement platform developed by the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) to ‘improve transparency and accessibility’ for local suppliers.

Following a successful pilot with NEPO and Sunderland City Council, the platform will facilitate the tendering process for all participating councils, supporting over 7,000 registered suppliers since its inception.

Designed to simplify procurement for public sector projects, Open enhances supplier engagement and aims to increase accessibility for regional businesses, voluntary community and social enterprises, marking a ‘unified approach to public procurement’ across the North East.

Adam Smith, head of digital and e-procurement at NEPO, said: “We are thrilled to announce that as a result of the successful pilot, from October all local authorities across the North East will be implementing Open.

“This milestone marks a huge step forward in streamlining procurement processes, increasing transparency, and driving greater efficiency across the region.

“This is just the beginning of our journey, and we have exciting ambitions and plans to continue improving and further developing Open to meet the ever-changing demands of public sector procurement head-on.”

NEPO has devised a 12-month implementation plan to ensure a smooth transition, aiming to integrate Open across 12 local authorities and make over 6,000 competitive opportunities available annually.

Glenda Malone, senior manager - procurement from Sunderland City Council, added: “We are thrilled to be the first local authority to adopt Open.

“Our commitment to improving and modernising service delivery is paramount, and the initial feedback from our procurement team has been very encouraging.

“We anticipate that this platform will greatly benefit our suppliers and contribute to the growth of the regional economy.”

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