Update on Wednesday 1 May: We didn’t win Innovation of the Year but we’re honoured to have been finalists. The overall winner of that category was the Bank of England: congratulations, team!

Thursday 25 April 2019

We’re happy to say that Sandwell Council’s Business Growth Team has been shortlisted in the prestigious national GO Awards.

The UK annual awards, which celebrate excellence in public sector procurement, will bring together more than 500 delegates from the UK public procurement community.

The Business Growth Team (that’s us, behind Think Sandwell) has been shortlisted for an Innovation of the Year Award. This is a new category for 2019 which ‘celebrates procurement approaches that have made a genuine difference within the delivery of public services, by developing the procurement function in an innovative manner’.

Our finalist position recognises Sandwell Council’s inovative work in helping SMEs to collaborate on tenders and contracts. We have been helping businesses to form cluster groups, supporting them to collaborate in tendering and winning work on landmark regeneration projects, such as HS2, expansions to the Metro line, and hospitals.

The awards ceremony is being held on Tuesday 30 April at Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole, following a day of education and networking at Procurex 2019. During the conference, influential government support organisations will have come together to share examples of best practice, efficiencies and innovation in UK public sector sourcing.

Sandwell Council’s Business Growth Team has already been nationally acknowledged for this work. We were shortlisted in two categories in the recent Celebrating Construction Awards and won two awards from the Federation of Small Businesses for procurement and SME-friendliness.

We are now delighted that our approach to engaging with the business community has been given a national spotlight once again, and recognised by experts in local government as well as our procurement peers in the public sector.

For ideas on how Sandwell Council’s Business Growth Team could help you and your business to prosper, take a look at our business services landing page.