Emergency procurement of goods (including PPE) and services related to the pandemic.

Public procurement during the pandemic was a global challenge putting procurement systems, suppliers, procurement staff and frontline health and social care staff worldwide under intense pressure. The inquiry should look at how the public procurement system functioned in Scotland, what went well and what didn't. This would enable important lessons to be learned for making supply chains more resilient in Scotland whilst maintaining transparency and public trust and confidence that a reasonable balance is being struck between a quick and effective emergency supply chain response and accountability to citizens for the use of taxpayers money.

Not only can the stress testing of the public procurement system that took place during the peak of the pandemic provide lessons for the wider public sector and non-emergency procurement but the procurement system needs to be fit for purpose to cope with future pandemics or other health emergencies