AUTHORITIES BUYING CONSORTIUM (abc) ORGANISATION PROFILE

abc – the Authorities Buying Consortium – is Scotland's largest local government purchasing agency. It operates under a Joint Committee of 18 elected members from the original 12 Member Councils and is serviced by Renfrewshire Council. Membership has expanded since its establishment to include over 150 organisations across Scotland in the public and charity/voluntary sectors.

The collective approach to purchasing reduces costs through the sharing of resources and the benefits of large-scale contracts deliver value for money to abc members through robust competitive tendering processes. Consortium services include contract management, project procurement management, consultancy, Helpline service and full Catalogue support.

The Authorities Buying Consortium (abc) is the largest non-profit-making purchasing agency in Scotland, serving the buying needs of the public sector, charities and voluntary organisations. The abc approach to purchasing is acknowledged to be one of the most cost-effective models in supply chain management. Customers gain from low contracted pricing across a broad product range, and suppliers can benefit from reduced administration costs in the tender process.