CompeteFor is a procurement short-listing tool that provides public and private sector buying organisations purchasing efficiencies and transparency of supply chain opportunities. CompeteFor began as a brokerage service for London 2012 to ensure that small businesses were able to access and apply for opportunities arising from the substantial investments made in the Games. It is now being used by over 700 public and private sector buyers to support and enhance their procurement processes by increasing the openness and transparency of supply chain activity. Any private sector buyer within the supply chain of London 2012, Crossrail, the GLA family and other public bodies using CompeteFor can advertise opportunities and shortlist suppliers, utilising a pool of 125,000 pre-registered providers. Opportunities can be targeted geographically and contracts awarded through CompeteFor can then be used to stimulate subsequent sub-contracting opportunities. Buyers are able to access valuable reporting information beyond their direct suppliers including the size, location and diversity of businesses benefiting from their procurement spend. The use of CompeteFor also enables a reduction in staff administration and costs associated with advertising contract opportunities. The system can be easily used by non-procurement specialists, thus allowing central procurement teams to encourage best practise and monitor departmental spend. For many buyers, CompeteFor fulfils their corporate social responsibility obligations. To date, nearly 7,000 contracts have been advertised on CompeteFor, with 67% going to small and medium sized businesses. This includes 13% which have been won by businesses with less than ten employees. Haringey Council will soon adopt CompeteFor to enhance procurement efficiencies and support its CSR responsibilities. According to Michael Wood, Head of Corporate Procurement, there are several financial and social benefits.
Matthew Flood, Purchasing Liaison & Pricing Controller at ARAMARK, says "CompeteFor has helped save time and resource in our supplier selection. We are able to access a number of new suppliers we previously hadn't worked with. This ultimately means cost and performance efficiencies while ensuring that our procurement process is fair and transparent." The City of London alerts CompeteFor users to contract opportunities by placing a notice on CompeteFor and referring suppliers back to the London Tenders Portal (www.londontenders.org). For more information about how your organisation can use CompeteFor, download a guide for buyers or contact the CompeteFor Buyer Engagement Team on 0845 270 7081.