Toolkit: Supplying into the public procurement market

Public Procurement is transforming in England and Wales. Legislation that came into force February 2025 has the potential to enrich our local communities in Wales through re-directing the £85 million currently spent by the Welsh Public Sector on food.

At present only 6% of fresh produce procured by the public sector is of Welsh origin. There are opportunities for Welsh producers and suppliers to secure a greater share of these public contracts. Entering public procurement supply chains comes with challenges as well as opportunities, especially for small businesses. These resources are designed to help.

This Toolkit consists of two sections, and there are also two episodes of a podcast for you to listen to below:

GROWERS TOOLBOX

This toolbox contains a range of resources to support prospective and current small-scale vegetable and fruit growers to explore the potential to supply the public procurement market; our schools, hospitals, care homes and public catering facilities.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT RESOURCES

These resources highlight the opportunities for SMEs including small growers and social business that can come from larger and longer-term public contracts, the challenges, and what you need to understand about the field of public procurement to make the most of the opportunity.

This is a Welsh Government’s Backing Local Firms project, led by DTA Wales in partnership with Social Farms & Gardens and Robert Owen Community Banking.