The Lanarkshire Meet the Real Buyer event will take place in Airdrie Town Hall on Wednesday 20 November, jointly hosted by South and North Lanarkshire Councils and supported by the Supplier Development Programme.

Lanarkshire’s largest free procurement event has been designed to allow suppliers to meet face-to-face with buyers and decision-makers from both local authorities. 

Attendees will have access to a variety of stands, with buyers from council services such as:

• IT, Finance and Corporate
• Construction and Professional Services
• Social Care and Education
• Cleaning and Catering
• Waste, Environmental and Grounds
• Roads and Fleet
• Leisure and Culture

Procurement teams from a variety of other public and private sector organisations, as well as business support organisations, including Business Gateway Lanarkshire, Hub South West, Laing O’Rourke, Scotland Excel, Scottish Procurement Alliance, and the Supplier Development Programme will also have stands on the day. 

Councillor Robert Brown, Chair of Community and Enterprise Resources at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “Awareness of opportunities, knowledge of how to take advantage of them and quality of contacts and relationships, have always been aspects that are vital to those in the supply business.

“To that end, ‘Meet the Real Buyer’ offers a unique opportunity for those in business across Lanarkshire to meet face-to-face with the people who design and advertise local public sector contracts, as well as to connect with dedicated business support to help them bid better.

“I would urge as many local suppliers as possible to sign up and take advantage of this event.”

Tickets for Meet the Real Buyer, which runs from 10 am - 2 pm on 20 November, are free, but those interested in attending, are asked to register in advance.