More than 7,000 contracts advertised on new Government website

There are now more than 7,000 Government contracts advertised on a new business portal which aims to remove the barriers faced by many small businesses trying to access public sector contracts.

More than 10,000 suppliers have also registered on the Supply2.gov.uk site, the first Government-supported service of its kind in the UK to give businesses the opportunity to access lower-value public sector contracts, typically under £100,000 in value, from central and local Government.

The supply2.gov.uk portal allows UK public sector organisations to publicise their lower-value contracts free of charge. And businesses will be able to view such contracts in a single place, reducing the time taken to source opportunities. Contract information in a business' chosen location will also be available free of charge.

Speaking at the opening of the B2B London event at Earls Court this week, DTI Minister Jim Fitzpatrick MP said:

"This new portal is a major step forward in the Government's commitment to support small business. It ensures that, for the first time, small businesses can access thousands of Government contracts in one place. It also enables businesses to register their details to ensure their expertise is seen by hundreds of public sector procurers."