Amazon Business has been awarded as provider on our digital marketplace for the second iteration of the framework.
Following an open tender, Digital Marketplace – Products 001142 - commenced on 24 January 2023 with Amazon Business appointed as a sole contracted provider up to 2026. Amazon’s digital marketplace will provide UK businesses, small and large, with the opportunity to access public sector adhoc spend up to a total maximum framework value of £500m.
The framework is designed to support public sector customers that have a requirement for procuring day-to-day products that fall below procurement tendering threshold, but require transparent and controllable expenditure. Amazon’s digital procurement solution will provide greater visibility of adhoc transactions, as well as the opportunity to manage spending compliantly with local providers.
Amazon Business is a global procurement solution used by more than five million businesses worldwide, which gives access to hundreds of thousands of sellers across categories including office, IT, cleaning equipment and supplies.
Customers using this framework will continue to contribute to the public purse through the framework fee where a percentage of spend is returned to member organisations through YPOs agreement.
Amazon is partnered with up to 85,000 SMEs in the UK, with small businesses accounting for more than half of everything Amazon sell in their online stores. These small businesses selling on Amazon have created over 250,000 jobs nationally.
Criteria for the contract award was based on the performance and security of a bidder’s digital marketplace, policies, procedures, sustainability, continuous improvement, innovation and cost.
These criteria were designed in line with YPO’s customers key national and regional priorities, which include; increasing opportunities for regional suppliers, decarbonisation, supporting job creation, increasing equality, diversity, health and well-being, alongside achieving the best value for money in the public sector.
During tender, Amazon Business best demonstrated and provided evidence for SME engagement, initiatives to achieve environmental targets and investment in positive environmental practices within the wider supply chain. The bid from Amazon Business also demonstrated competitive pricing, ensuring that delivery costs are minimised for public sector customers.
YPO’s Managing Director, Simon Hill, said: “We’re pleased to have awarded this framework to Amazon Business following a robust tendering process. It excellently demonstrated commitments to SME engagement, the environment, and value for money, all of which are priorities for YPO and our customers.
Given the framework is now in its second iteration, customers will continue to be able to access this innovative digital marketplace in a compliant way, which provides a streamlined way for our public sector customers to purchase the products that they need.”
Amazon Business’ Head of Public Sector for UK and Ireland, Evan Hatfield, said: “Amazon Business is absolutely delighted to have been awarded this new Digital Marketplace Framework. It will enable us to work with public sector organisations across the UK to modernise, streamline and enhance their day-to-day procurement needs, while having visibility of progress towards strategic goals such as sustainable and local sourcing.
Through Amazon Business, customers will be able to control their purchasing in a more direct way and spend in ways that can support the UK and local economies, as well as continually improve environmental sustainability. We look forward to working with customers right across the UK to help to make a real difference to their organisations and unlock savings across many spend categories.”
Find out more about the framework.