The key objectives of Scotland Excel are to:

• Reduce cost and increase the quality of service from suppliers through collaborative procurement initiatives. Scotland Excel will act as the delivery agency for local government and partner organisations for category ‘B’ (sectoral) commodities. It will also play a role in the category ‘A’ (national) commodities and category ‘C’ (local) commodities, acting as the main point of contact for national initiatives and supporting the development of council procurement initiatives and facilitating cluster initiatives at local level.
• Facilitate more effective dialogue between procurement professionals and partner services departments by creating a customer-orientated organisation.
• Increase the level of expertise and capacity in local authority procurement by developing a comprehensive coaching, mentoring, training and development framework, aimed at all relevant staff in all functions.
• Deliver business benefits within the supply chain community by fostering innovation and effective partnerships with key suppliers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), trade associations, and other public and private bodies, at all levels.
• Develop an approach that is scalable for all Scottish local authorities.
• Manage the transition to the Centre of Expertise, in line with the McClelland recommendations and timescales.

Several workstreams are currently under way to gather and analyse information to meet these objectives and Scotland Excel is working with local authorities to deliver a Centre of Procurement Expertise in line with the McClelland vision, staffed appropriately and fit to best meet procurement expectations and needs for the 21st century.