Finding, submitting and winning public sector contracts

1. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Selling to the Public Sector 28 th April 2010

8. Who are the public sector Barriers to tendering Advantages of working for the public sector Why the public sector like SME’s Finding out about contracts Where to find opportunities (Olympic Overview) Writing your tender What clients will expect from you Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Agenda

11. Cash flow can be a problem for SMEs, who don’t usually have substantial financial resources to fall back on and find it difficult to wait for payment until the end of a long contract period. When bidding for work, see if staged or interim payments can be made, based on work done or part-goods supplied. Sometimes, an SME (particularly in the voluntary sector) may be able to negotiate an advance payment , before the work starts. These or other variations on contract terms may be worth discussing with potential buyers. The contract cannot be completed until the supplier and the public sector organisation agree terms. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Overcoming cash flow barriers

12. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Which parts of the public sector are of interest to my company? What are the specific challenges facing my company in tendering for public sector work? In what specific ways can my company meet these challenges? What are the barriers that may prevent my company from tendering for public sector work? In what specific ways can my company overcome these barriers? What steps can I take to make direct contact with potential buyers? What is the added value my company offers that I can tell buyers about? Challenges and barriers - Action plan

13. You may have considered these or similar advantages: The public sector is largely recession-proof : public bodies don’t normally go out of business Public bodies are usually good payers , with robust, reliable payment arrangements The public sector is broadening its supplier base to include more SMEs Exciting projects are often on offer, eg at the cutting edge of technology in defence contracts, or in projects that help the environment There is greater legal security , since the public sector is subject to public procurement Legislation Projects can include an element of social responsibility and a chance to help the community Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Advantages of working for the public sector

14. Business Link fo Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset SMEs may offer better value for money than larger suppliers: Better value for money Bringing in more suppliers will often bring greater competition to the market place, so reducing the costs of procurement from all suppliers SMEs have lower administrative overheads and management costs than larger firms. Depending on the nature of the procurement, this can result in lower prices. Why the public sector like SME’s

15. Business Link fo Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Better quality of service SMEs have short management chains and approval routes, so they can respond quickly to changing requirements. SMEs may also be highly focused on particular markets making them particularly responsive to changes in those markets Being a large customer of a small business means your business is important to the SME. This can result in a better, and often more personal, level of service and in a better relationship with the supplier The SME may also be more willing and able to tailor a product or service to meet specific customer needs than a large firm that sells an established offering Many SMEs, including social enterprises, supply higher quality specialist products or services than larger suppliers, either because larger suppliers are discouraged by the limited demand, or because the SME has skills, originality and commitment in that field that are greater than those found in their large company competitors. Why the public sector like SME’s Cont.

17. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Devon https://www.devontenders.gov.uk Cornwall https://www.tendersincornwall.co.uk/default.aspx South West One http://www.southwestone.co.uk Southwest http://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk Police https://www.bluelight.gov.uk NHS http://www.supply2health.nhs.uk/default.aspx Sell2Plymouth http://www.sell2plymouth.co.uk Exeter http://www.exeterbuysellprosper.co.uk Public Sector http://www.supply2.gov.uk/ Public & private procurement http://www.tenderalerts.co.uk/ or http://www.publictenders.net Training / Consultancy http://www.bravosolution.com Finding out about contracts Cont: E-Portals – Public Sector

18. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Southwest One – To register email [email_address] with a short summary of the business and who you have worked with in the past.

19. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Dorset Police Opportunities Start Date Contract Title End Date 01/09/2010 PUBLIC RELATIONS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE DORSET SAFETY CAMERA PARTNERSHIP (TENDER T10-100... 30/08/2013 04/11/2010 PROVISION OF AN INTEGRATED HR & FINANCE SYSTEM (TENDER No.T10-10053) 03/11/2017 Avon Fire & Rescue Service Opportunities Start Date Contract Title End Date 01/04/2011 Financial Services 31/03/2016

20. Plymouth LSP Plymouth Procurement Forum Partnership Forums Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

22. Over the next few years the London 2012 Games will provide numerous business opportunities. The combined spend of the Olympic Development Authority (ODA) and London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) is estimated to be £7 billion, with 7,000 direct contracts and 75,000 opportunities in supply chains. Goods and services are required within a wide range of market sectors, including: Construction and engineering Manufacturing Tourism and leisure Catering and food Retail and merchandising Business services Interpreting and translation services Most of the opportunities for SMEs will probably come from the supply chains required by the bigger contracts. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset The London 2012 Games London 2012 h ttps://www.competefor.com/business

24. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset How do businesses win contracts? There is a three-stage process to successfully bidding for contracts: Stage 1: REGISTER a business profile and ensure that the minimum requirements are met – a profile will then be ‘published’ Stage 2: IDENTIFY the contract or sub-contract opportunities and get the tender information Stage 3: SUBMIT a successful tender

25. What are the Minimum Requirements? Quality Management Statement Equal Opportunities Policy (5 or more employees) Health & Safety Policy (5 or more employees) It also may help if the business has an Environmental Policy & Sustainable Development Policy Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

26. DEVON firm BridgeZone has won a sought-after contract to inspect and maintain the booms on the canal leading into the Olympic Park, ahead of the London 2012 games. BridgeZone Ltd, based at Swallow Court, beside junction 27 of the M5, near Tiverton, has become an official Olympic supplier. The waterway will be used to take construction materials into the East London site. Dave Rylatt, operations director at BridgeZone, said he was "chuffed to bits" to have won the high-profile contract. He said: "On the basis of our specialisation in engineering work associated with diving and rope access, we were matched with the work they already have and had to go through a competitive tendering process. "All in all, the process took about three months." Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

27. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Finding Opportunities - Action Plan Which routes are best for my business to find opportunities? What are my relevant CPV codes? ( Common Procurement Vocabulary ) Which NUTS codes are particularly relevant to me? ( geographical location ) What information do I need to carry out an effective Portal search? What are the procurement portals of most interest to me? Which local public sector websites have I registered (or will I register) with? Which websites can I register with that will help me find opportunities outside the UK?

29. Name : Being vague about contact details doesn’t show a willingness to develop a business relationship. It’s better to give your full name, eg ‘David Jones’. Job title : The completed PQQ should come from a senior manager or executive within the organisation, representing the importance given to the opportunity, eg ‘Managing Director’ as opposed to an administrator. Email : A common error made by many SMEs is to use a ‘freebie’ email address. It’s far more professional for a company to use a ‘company-specific’ email address extension, eg ‘david.jones@premierebuild.co.uk’. In terms of the overall form this may be one field in many. However, it’s sometimes small details like this that can make the difference between getting through the PQQ stage and not. Improving your responses Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

31. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset As a minimum, if you’ve more than five employees, you’ll be expected to have met your legal requirement to have a written Health and Safety Policy in place . Where relevant, a public authority may also want to see evidence of your commitment to: Quality Equal opportunities Environmental / Sustainability Some public authorities require proof that you have employers’ and public liability insurance in place. Others will allow you to provide proof that cover is arranged and can be put in place quickly if your bid is successful. A letter from a commercial broker or current underwriter explaining this will normally be sufficient. Policies and insurance

32. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset What supporting documents do I need for tender responses? Do I have all the policies which I need to have in place when tendering for public sector work? Do I have the insurance cover required for public sector work or the ability to put the cover in place quickly if I win a contract? Is my company's accounts information readily available? What accreditation does my company have that I can use in a tender response? What specialisms or unique selling points can I focus on in a tender? What other companies might I work with in a consortium or sub-contracting role? Tendering - Action plan