The North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) has estimated that the North East public sector spends £3.5 billion annually, £1.6 billion of which goes to businesses that are based in the region. This report aims to investigate the impact of current public procurement practices on the North East economy in four key areas: 1. the economic impact on the North East region of public procurement spending decisions; 2. the extent to which national and regional frameworks impact on public procurement, regional suppliers and the local economy; 3. the differences of procurement practices in three sectors: Construction; Social Care and Professional Services; and, 4. the identification of examples of best practice in procurement practice: e.g. supplier engagement; framework agreements; and collaborative working
