ACCESS GRANTED: PARTICIPATION BY SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES IN PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES OF INFRASTRUCTURE MONOPOLIES AND STATE-OWNED COMPANIES
Ensuring stable demand for the products and services of small- and medium-sized businesses is one of the key drivers for the Russian economy. The government has recently adopted a wide range of documents and measures that aim to facilitate access for small- and medium-sized businesses to government procurements. Starting in July 2015, it will become mandatory for state-owned companies to allocate quotas on orders for the goods and services of small- and medium-sized businesses. According to the business community and also according to the results of on-the-ground spot checks carried out by the Leaders Club, one of the success factors is the establishment of a single electronic trading platform. How should it function? How should the interests of all parties – both government customers and small- and medium-sized businesses – be respected? What barriers in general prevent small- and medium-sized businesses from getting wider access to orders by state-owned companies?
