The event included workshops on how to fill out tender documents, details about Medway Council's online tendering process and expert advice on how to answer the questions, giving local businesses an insight into improving their opportunities to win work with the council. Medway Council gave a presentation on the significant capital spend programme in the medium term across all its services.

Andy Scotter, VolkerHighways contracts manager, said: "We have been providing highways services and carrying out highways improvement schemes in Medway for the last seven years, and we've built a strong relationship with the council and customers. Within our company we also have a wealth of experience and expertise working in the public sector across London and the South East, so this was a great opportunity for us to share some of this knowledge with smaller businesses who are trying to get more of a foothold in the sector."

Exploring collaboration opportunities

Andy Scotter was accompanied by Phil Moore, head of highways at Medway Council and Bob Pizzey, proposals manager at VolkerHighways. Together they explored collaborative working opportunities with local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from engineering, surveying and fleet management to apprenticeships, fire systems and ex-armed services recruitment. Several follow-up meetings have led to local SMEs joining VolkerWessels UK procurement to support service delivery across all of its projects across the UK.

Councillor Alan Jarrett, deputy leader of Medway Council, said: "It was great to see such a big turnout to the second ‘Meet the Buyer' event with local SMEs well represented. I had lots of positive conversations with suppliers pleased at the open and innovative approach we are taking. I believe Medway Council is starting to position itself at the forefront of public sector procurement."

Highways term maintenance contractor

VolkerHighways is the highways term contractor for Medway council, covering all aspects of highway maintenance, carriageway resurfacing, capital projects, structural repairs, day to day reactive maintenance repairs, small works, drainage works and cyclic gully emptying, road marking and winter maintenance.