The Scottish Executive is embarking on the second phase of one of the UK's most ambitious eprocurement programmes to improve buying processes and value for public sector bodies.

The eProcurement Scotl@nd service (ePS) is a seven-year programme that will eventually cover the bulk of Scotland's public sector procurement spend.

So far eight buying organisations have gone live with the service, with a further three in the preparation stages.

'There is still a long way to go to maximise the benefits,' said a Scottish Executive spokesman.

'Each organisation continues to roll out access to more users, to engage more suppliers and to make the desired changes to business processes.'

Some 162 suppliers are actively using the service, with a further 602 in the adoption process. As of the beginning of May, almost 1,000 users were registered to use ePS.

With the basic service already working, the next stage has now begun.

'The second phase is designed to consolidate the service with all the existing users and to encourage many more organisations to join,' the spokesman said. It will result in a much more streamlined system with emphasis placed on customer and supplier adoption processes.

There will also be facilities put in place to allow organisations to conduct electronic tendering and auctions, something that is of particular interest to the NHS in Scotland.

'eTendering has been in pilot within NHS Tayside, Scottish Healthcare Supplies and SE,' the spokesman said. 'Roll out of the new system, part of the core ePS service, to all customers is currently scheduled and it is hoped to complete a successful eTender during Q3, 2003.'

ePS is being deployed by a consortium of companies led by Cap Gemini Ernst and Young. The main technology is provided by Elcom.