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Posted: Wed 28th Oct 2026
8 min read
Sign-ups to the procurement support programme pass 1,700, with micro and small businesses landing deals in construction, facilities management and food and drink.
Delivered by Enterprise Nation and Newable with support from JPMorganChase, Supply Connect launched in October 2025 to widen access to public supply chains following the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, through detailed one-to-one business support.
Businesses have secured contracts ranging from five-figure local authority projects through to six-figure, multi-year service agreements with public sector suppliers.
Construction, facilities management, and food and drink remain the sectors attracting the most interest, reflecting the three national procurement frameworks the programme was designed to help businesses access.
Other businesses have made important contacts with a view to securing sustainable contracts over the longer term.
The results arrive as the wider procurement market is finally beginning to move.
The British Chambers of Commerce and Tussell’s SME Procurement Tracker 2026 found that direct public sector spending with SMEs reached £45.2 billion in 2025, equivalent to 21% of direct spending and its highest share in six years. This is up from £43.9 billion in 2024 and £32.3 billion in 2020.
SMEs now account for 77% of suppliers invoicing the public sector, representing 137,191 businesses.
However, spending remains unevenly spread: SMEs take 33% of direct spend in education, training and recruitment, but just 3% in defence and aerospace.
Central government departments also averaged 8.4 percentage points below their newly set SME spending targets.
Ministers have committed to directing more than £7.4 billion a year to small businesses by 2028 through departmental targets published in March 2026.
The scale of the opportunity is significant, particularly as small businesses come under pressure elsewhere.
Enterprise Nation’s Small Business Barometer for Q2 2026 highlighted continued pressure on business owners’ incomes, falling confidence and a record-low appetite for external funding.
One year on, the diversity of businesses using Supply Connect is unchanged.
Of those registered, 38% are female-owned, and 41% are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Micro businesses account for 80% of registrations, with small businesses making up the remaining 20%.
Alex Williams, founder of Tiger Cleaning, a commercial and residential cleaning company operating across London and the south east, joined Supply Connect with ambition but limited experience of public sector procurement.
“I admit I was pretty clueless,” he said. “As SME owners, we don’t really understand where to go, what to do, how to answer questions, what sites to register with.”
With support from a dedicated Supply Connect adviser, Tiger Cleaning worked through the accreditation process, achieving the demanding ISO 9001:2015 certification and Constructionline Gold status.
The business also began attending Meet the Buyer events organised through the programme.
It subsequently won four significant tenders, with contract values ranging from five to six figures. These included a two-year cleaning contract with a leading UK construction company, covering six 30-storey residential tower blocks.
Jayne, founder of Deeside-based Be Social Consultancy, won contracts as a direct result of working with Supply Connect. She was awarded two contracts on the Business Support Consultancy Panel to deliver marketing support and webinars to SMEs across Wales.
“Supply Connect has given me the knowledge and the confidence to apply for these big tenders,” she said.
London-based Raminder Samra, founder of women’s health start-up Period Harmony, said the programme had helped her progress conversations with Suma, one of the UK’s largest wholefood wholesalers, with a view to working together in the long term.
She said:
“For a growing brand, access to buyers of this scale can make a significant difference to our prospects.
"Working with the Supply Connect team has been invaluable to both my confidence as a founder and the growth of Period Harmony.”
London-based Sofia Cardoso co-founded gourmet condiment firm CHIMMY’S in 2024 with her husband, Michelin-starred chef Diego Cardoso. She said support from Supply Connect helped her finally engage with buyers at Brakes, one of the UK’s leading food wholesalers.
“For at least 18 months, I had been trying to get in touch with someone at Brakes, and Supply Connect gave me the opportunity to finally meet with the right person,” Sofia said.
Talia Gaye and Lucy Martin co-founded London-based gut and skin wellness brand Alchemy in 2021 following Talia’s experience of chronic gut issues and Lucy’s experience with hormonal acne.
Their signature product, Skin + Gut, contains prebiotics and digestive enzymes to support overall health.
The pair have so far attended a Meet the Buyer event as they start to build the right contacts and prepare for contracts.
Talia said:
“Working with Supply Connect has been a super valuable source of support for us as we continue to grow Alchemy.
"The Meet the Buyer event gave us the opportunity to speak directly with buyers, get real feedback on the brand and our product and better understand what retailers and distributors are looking for.
"We came away feeling much clearer and more confident about how we position Alchemy for future wholesale opportunities.”
Maggie Berry OBE, SME procurement lead at Enterprise Nation, said:
“£3.5 million of contracts in our first year is the number that matters. It proves these businesses were never short of capability, only of access, guidance and a route to buyers.”
Malcolm Cohen, managing director of advice at Newable, said:
“A year in, the pipeline has moved from interest to income. Our advisers are now working with businesses that have won work, are bidding for more and are hiring to deliver it.”
Stephanie Mestrallet, head of UK philanthropy at JPMorganChase, added:
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and at JPMorganChase, we’re committed to helping them grow and access new opportunities.
"Supply Connect is helping widen access to public and private sector contracts, giving more businesses the chance to compete, grow and contribute to a more inclusive economy.”
Supply Connect is open to businesses interested in public sector contracting and will run until March 2027.
The free programme, delivered by Enterprise Nation and Newable with support from JPMorganChase, offers a supplier-readiness diagnostic, sector-specific training, one-to-one advice, Meet the Buyer events and an SME Supply Chain Forum for procurement professionals.
