Beyond the Bottom Line

Beyond the Bottom Line

Public procurement is one of the UK’s most powerful levers for national renewal, yet for many on the frontline, the system feels like it’s running in ‘Safe Mode’.

Every year, billions of pounds are channeled through public contracts with clear policy ambitions: to drive local growth, foster SME innovation, and build resilient communities. However, our recent "Reality Check" Sector Diagnostic confirms a profound disconnect between these high-level aspirations and daily operational reality.

Troubleshooting the Diagnostic Results

The "Reality Check" (conducted between November 2025 and January 2026) surfaced an uncomfortable truth: strategic policy is frequently being hollowed out by operational necessity.

During this roundtable, we will dive deep into the specific findings that define this "Safe Mode" state:

• 64% of procurement teams report being stuck in "Transactional" or "Firefighting" modes, battling compliance and contract expiry pressures.
• 52.6% of buyers report that Social Value factors are routinely "trumped" by budget considerations when it matters most.
• Nearly half of buyers say they have "zero time" to undertake early market engagement.
• 50% of intermediaries identify a critical skills gap as the #1 barrier to more SME-inclusive procurement practices, whereas 0% of buyers believe skills are the top issue.

Getting public procurement out of ‘Safe Mode’

This isn't just a data presentation; it is a collaborative troubleshooting session. We want to hear your experiences of the issues - and more importantly how you have overcome them, and what it would take to help others go on the same journey.

Join our Peer Network to reflect on these findings and help us co-design a roadmap for upgrading the public sector's procurement operating system.