‘MEET THE BUYER’ – PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNIES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Stockport Council’s 7th ‘Meet the Buyer’ event takes place on Thursday 13^th March 2014,  giving Stockport-based companies the chance to promote, via pre-allocated appointments, their goods and services to buyers acting on behalf of some of the borough’s leading businesses and largest public sector organisations.

Meet the Buyer matches the goods and services offered by businesses with the current buying requirements of participating purchasing teams, to ensure supplier businesses meet with those companies actively seeking the service they offer, making the ‘pitching’ process more efficient.

To request an appointment at Meet the Buyer it is necessary to pre-book. Interested businesses need to complete and return a booking form by Monday 10^th February. 

There are 12 Purchasing Teams participating including MAN Diesel, Equity Housing, Stockport College, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, and Stockport Homes.

New companies participating are CDL who develop software solutions for the insurance sector, and Carillion who are attending on behalf of the new Stockport Strategic Property Partnership which is responsible for managing the Council’s property portfolio.

Goods and services required are wide ranging and include marketing and printing services, cleaning, caterers, training providers, building surveyors, commercial painters, grounds/building maintenance and waste removal.

Councillor Iain Roberts, Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said:

“Supporting business is key to our support for the local economy. Stockport’s Meet the Buyer is an excellent opportunity for local small and medium sized businesses to get past the gatekeeper and talk directly to those in a position to buy their products or services. Feedback from the 2013 event was extremely positive with 84% of attendees saying they felt in a better position to tender for contracts.”

Andy Duckworth, Procurement Manager at Equity Housing, added:

“We first participated in Meet the Buyer last year. It gave us a fantastic opportunity to meet and talk to a wide range of local companies. We hadn’t previously been aware of the breadth of local suppliers in Stockport and we’re looking forward to being involved again and meeting even more businesses at the 2014 event.”

For more information on Meet the Buyer and how you can request appointments visit www.stockport.gov.uk/meetthebuyer or email econdev@stockport.gov.uk