Potential suppliers may be identified by searching the register of suppliers on Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). This website offers a 'Quick Quote' system to seek quotations from suppliers registered on the website.

If your Organisation does not use PCS, potential suppliers may be identified by other means e.g. using internet searches, trade publications or phone directories.

If you are unable to identify three suppliers, you should then commence a Route 2 Procurement Exercise.  If you need further information or guidance on this you should contact your local procurement team or Centre of  Expertise.

You should try to not restrict your selection to existing suppliers to your Organisation, but include new suppliers for each procurement exercise This will:

• facilitate competition
• encourage innovation
• ensure best value in future service delivery
• help suppliers, who have not previously bid for Scottish public sector work, to gain access to opportunities and gain experience working for the Scottish Public Sector.

If only one supplier can undertake the work required, you should contact your local procurement team, senior management or your Centre of Expertise for advice.  One possible option they may propose is to seek approval for a Non-Competitive Action (NCA)  from your local procurement team or senior management. You should then follow the remainder of this process. For commercial reasons, you should not inform the supplier that they are the only supplier involved in the process.

Note: A Non-Competitive Action is an exceptional procedure and should:

• be strictly limited to certain situations
• be approved from your Organisation’s senior management to proceed with this process
• be documented and retained for audit purposes.