How to identify the right public sector contracts for your business
As a woman entrepreneur with years of experience in business development, I understand the challenges of growing a service-based business. Public sector contracts present an exciting opportunity to expand your reach and secure sustainable income. However, many women business owners like yourself might think their businesses are too small to compete, or that the application process is too complex. Let me assure you—these are myths I'm eager to debunk.
What opportunities do the public sector offer?
Exploring Opportunities: The public sector offers a wide range of opportunities, including low-value contracts worth as little as £12,000 that are perfectly accessible to sole traders and small businesses like yours. In Scotland alone, 91% of advertised opportunities last year were classed as low-value opportunities (typically under £50,000 for goods and services).
Myth-Busting: Contrary to what you might have heard, contracts are not always awarded to the same large suppliers. In fact, last year 77% of contracts in Scotland were won by SMEs. New procurement regulations are specifically designed to ensure fairness and accessibility for businesses of all sizes.
"I initially saw the public sector as my competition. After a consultation with BDS – Business Development and Support Limited, I realised they could actually be my clients. Now 80% of my work comes from public sector contracts." – BDS Client, Business Consultant
How do I identify suitable contracts?
Finding contracts can be straightforward with dedicated procurement platforms such as:
Contracts Finder
Public Contracts Scotland
eTendersNI
Sell2Wales
Find a Tender
These sites make it easier than ever to search for contracts that align with your expertise. Remember, all notices must be published on a procurement portal.
Portal Tip: For Sell2Wales and Public Contracts Scotland, I highly recommend completing a Supplier Finder Profile. This allows buyers to discover and invite you directly to bid for relevant contracts.
Decoding Contract Notices: When you review a contract notice, focus on these key elements to quickly assess if it's right for you:
Contract value
Contract length
Key deliverables
Experience requirements
Essential requirements
Submission deadline
Choosing the Right Contract Types: Several contract types might suit your business. For example, a 'Dynamic Purchasing System' (which is essentially an approved supplier list that stays open for new applicants) can be an excellent starting point for small businesses entering the public sector market.
How do I know if I can bid for this contract?
Evaluating Essential Requirements: Before bidding, understand what criteria apply. Some contracts will have:
Minimum turnover requirements (often a percentage of the contract value)
Credit check requirements
Insurance requirements
No financial requirements at all
For smaller contracts, financial requirements can be minimal, making them accessible entry points.
Understanding Qualification Criteria: Many service-based business owners are surprised to learn they already meet qualification requirements. Typically, if you can demonstrate experience delivering similar services—even from before establishing your current business—you'll meet many qualification criteria.
Each contract varies, so I work with clients to assess specific requirements before investing time in bid writing, whether that's:
Insurance levels
Professional qualifications
Financial stability
Past experience.
Optimising Your Delivery Capacity: Consider how you'll deliver the work:
What size contracts can you manage independently?
Might you need to bring on additional support staff?
Could collaboration with other small businesses be your path to success?
Mastering Bid Writing: Writing compelling bids is a skill you can develop with practice. Your unique perspective as an experienced service provider is valuable—you just need to present it effectively. Working with BDS, you'll learn how to showcase your expertise in a way that resonates with public sector buyers.
The BDS approach to bid support
Handholding Rather Than Takeover: Unlike many bid writing services that simply complete applications for you, BDS takes a different approach. Our mentoring service means I work alongside you throughout the process, helping you understand each step so that ultimately, you'll be able to assess and apply for opportunities independently.
Our collaborative process:
Opportunity identification and evaluation
Assessment call to determine if it's right for your business
Exploration of each part of the opportunity
Draft development with thorough feedback
Final submission preparation
Evaluation call to learn and improve for future opportunities.
Next Steps for Your Business
Successfully entering the public sector market starts with finding the right opportunities, assessing your readiness, and accessing appropriate support. By following these steps, you can position your business for sustainable growth and increased visibility.
Ready to take your first step?
Download our free resources
Book a 30 minute virtual coffee to talk about your business and the types of opportunities that will help you to grow your business.
Contact BDS – Business Development and Support today to explore how we can help you navigate the procurement process and achieve your business growth goals.
How public sector contracts can transform your business in 2025
Are you a dedicated business consultant, coach, or trainer looking to grow your business and make a bigger impact? Public sector contracts offer an incredible opportunity to increase your income, gain credibility, and reach new clients in 2025. Despite common misconceptions, these contracts are not just for large businesses, they are accessible to sole traders and small businesses like yours. In this article, we'll explore how public sector contracts can help transform your business and how BDS – Business Development and Support can support you every step of the way.
Understanding the Public Sector Landscape in 2025
The way the public sector buy goods and services is evolving, and understanding these changes can put you ahead of the competition. Here are key developments you should know about:
New Procurement Regimes: The introduction of the Procurement Act in England and Wales aims to create more transparent and fair processes, ensuring that small businesses have a greater chance to win that tender.
Digital Transformation: Government departments and local authorities are increasingly adopting digital platforms, making it easier than ever for small businesses to find and apply for contracts. In England all opportunities valued above £12,000 must be advertised on Find a Tender. In Scotland all opportunities must be advertised on Public Contracts Scotland. In Wales opportunities are advertised on Sell2Wales and in Northern Ireland the eTendersNI portal is used.
Why Public Sector Contracts Are a Game-Changer
Winning a public sector contract can provide several benefits that align with your business goals:
Steady Revenue Streams: Public contracts can offer consistent and reliable income, helping you stabilise your business and plan for long-term growth.
Enhanced Credibility: Securing public contracts boosts your reputation and opens doors to new opportunities with both public and private clients.
Business Growth and Innovation: Working with the public sector can push you to refine your services and develop innovative solutions that make a meaningful impact.
Overcoming Common Misconceptions
Many female business owners hesitate to explore public sector contracts due to myths and misconceptions. Let’s debunk a few of them:
"I’m Too Small to Apply" - Small businesses and sole traders win contracts every day. The right strategy and support make all the difference. We've worked with clients ranging from sole traders who have just started their businesses to a family business that has been running for over 30 years.
"It’s Too Complicated" - It is a process, once you are familiar with this the sky is your limit. With expert guidance from BDS, the process can be simplified, helping you navigate it with confidence.
"Opportunities Are Limited" - In reality, there are diverse contracts across different sectors, and new procurement policies ensure fairer distribution. We’ve helped clients with bids ranging from £4,000 to multi million pound bids.
How to Get Started with Public Sector Contracts
Taking the first steps might feel overwhelming, but with a clear plan, you can position your business for success:
Identifying Opportunities: Learn how to find the right contracts using web-based portals signing up for tender alerts where you can.
Preparing Your Business: Implement internal processes to ensure you evaluate each opportunity to understand if it is right for you and your business, you can meet contract requirements and deadlines with ease.
Building a Winning Team: Whether it's just you or a small support network, understanding the procurement process and having the right resources will give you a competitive edge.
Success Stories to Inspire You
Many small business owners just like you have transformed their businesses through public sector contracts. From business consultants winning contracts with local authorities to support small businesses on their growth journey to trainers winning contracts with local colleges and universities to employability specialists securing government contracts to support the unemployed towards employment, the opportunities are vast. BDS has helped countless entrepreneurs break into this market, and you can be next.
Public sector contracts present an exciting opportunity to grow your business, increase your income, and establish yourself as an expert in your field. By dispelling myths and understanding the evolving procurement landscape, you can take the first steps toward success with confidence.
BDS is here to guide you through the process. Download our free guide outlining the first five steps to selling to the public sector or contact us today for personalised support in navigating the procurement journey.
Top 10 tips for finding public sector tenders
A lot of the business owners I speak to assume that finding public sector tenders is a complex process, not achievable for them. The truth is that with the right strategies, businesses can increase their chances of success. The public sector is being encouraged to use SME (businesses with less than 250 employees) suppliers and last year in Scotland 77% of contracts were won by SMEs. In this guide, I provide ten essential tips to help you navigate the public sector procurement effectively.
1. Understand the Process the Public Sector Use to Buy Goods and Services
It’s important to gain an understanding of how the public sector buy goods and services. Familiarise yourself with the tendering process, this includes how tenders are advertised, evaluated, and awarded. This knowledge will help you identify the right tender opportunities for you and your business.
2. Use Tendering Portals
Public sector organisations must advertise opportunities using key online tendering portals. The public sector must use set procurement portals. This makes it easier to search and apply for opportunities that match your business offerings. In England, the public sector must advertise all opportunities on Contracts Finder or Find a Tender, depending on the value of the opportunity. The Scottish public sector must advertise opportunities on the Public Contracts Scotland Portal, whilst the Welsh public sector must advertise all opportunities on the Sell2Wales portal.
3. Conduct Thorough Research
It is important that you carry out some research to identify the right tenders. It's unlikely that the first tender you see will be a good fit for you and your business. Take the time to research the specific requirements of each tender, including the contract value, any financial requirements, membership requirements, how the tender will be evaluated, and submission deadlines. Not every opportunity will be right for you and your business at the point you look, but by understanding what opportunities are out there helps you to know when you find the right opportunity. This research also helps you to develop a pipeline of opportunities to apply for in the future.
4. Network with Sector Buyers
Some buyers hold or attend Meet the Buyer and Supplier Engagement events. Attending these allows you to build relationships with key decision-makers and sector buyers. Networking can provide insights into upcoming tenders and the needs of public sector organisations, giving you a competitive edge in the tendering process.
5. Focus on Social Value/Community Benefits
Public sector tenders often emphasise social value/community benefits. Highlight how your business can add value to the community or environment, aligning with the social objectives of the tendering organisation. Many suppliers I talk to don’t know how to show this. Normally, after a quick chat, we establish as a small business they are already adding value to both their community and environment.
6. Tailor Your Tender Response
It is important to customise your tender response based on the specification and what your research has told you about the buyer. You must address all questions and criteria outlined in the tender specification, demonstrating how your goods or service meet or exceed the needs of the buyer.
7. Leverage Social Media
Use social media to stay informed about new tender opportunities and industry trends. Follow relevant government agencies and procurement bodies to receive updates on tender announcements and deadlines.
8. Engage a Bid Professional
Consider hiring a professional bid coach/mentor, like BDS, to hold your hand as you find the right opportunity, navigate the procurement portal and develop the best bid you can. Working with the right bid professional will help you to better understand the process and ultimately enhance the quality of your tender submissions. A skilled bid professional will help articulate your value proposition clearly and persuasively, increasing your chances of winning public contracts.
9. Monitor Contract Awards
Public sector bodies should publish the results of the tendering process. This is done through a published Contract Notice. Monitoring contract awards will help you to understand the competitive landscape. Analysing past awards can provide insights into your competitors, what opportunities are out there, and help you to build a pipeline of opportunities you can apply for in the future.
10. Seek Help
Use available resources and support services to assist with the tendering process. Some organisations offer workshops, training, coaching, and guidance to help businesses grow by selling to the public sector.
By following these ten tips, businesses can improve their chances of finding and winning public sector tenders. A strategic approach, combined with thorough research and effective networking, can lead to successful outcomes in the competitive world of public procurement.
Book a free virtual coffee to discuss the types of public sector opportunities that will help you to grow your business?
Busting the myths: The size of contracts won’t be achievable for me and my business
We’re fast approaching the end of the year. How are you progressing towards the goals you set at the beginning of this year? I know that some business owners I speak to are struggling to meet those goals. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration about selling to the public sector. Or they have not pursued it because they think its too complicated, their business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, their reasons go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another
Its difficult to find and win work
Its difficult for a small business owner to know where to start
I’m a new company and without a trading history the public sector won’t buy from me
Engaging with the buyer prior to procurement is anti-competitive.
This week we are going to debunk the myth
The size of contracts won’t be achievable for me (and my business)
The stats
On average the UK Government spends around £292 billion a year. More than a third of all public spending goes on procuring goods, works and services from external suppliers. This money generates over 50,000 business opportunities a year for many different industries.
The public sector wants to work with SMEs
Yes, you read that correctly. The public sector wants to work with SMEs. By 2022 the UK Government wants 33% of all public contracts to be awarded to SMEs. The following points demonstrate this:
30-day payment period – all invoices for contracted work must be processed by public bodies within 30 days of receiving them, ensuring all businesses get paid promptly. Lengthy payment periods can be an issue within the private sector, where larger businesses can dictate when they issue payment.
Buying has been made simpler by removing the pre-qualification questionnaire for low value contracts.
Contracts are required to be advertised in one place.
Use of Frameworks or DPS. In the world of procurement, a framework agreement is a form of procurement used to create an umbrella agreement with suppliers.
The framework sets out the terms and conditions under which goods, works or services can be purchased throughout the period of agreement. These will include terms such as price, quality, quantities and timescales.
The sweet spot to find these advertised is in Contracts Finder for England. In Scotland and Wales lower value (for goods and services normally those worth under £50,000) can be advertised invite only as a Quick Quote. For this you need to have a registered Supplier Finder Profile. You can download my guide.
Some examples
Below are some examples of smaller value contracts that I’ve found.
Business Plan Consultant: The value of this tender is between £6,000 to £8,000. The buying organisation are looking for support in preparing a business plan. This will be submitted as part of a grant funding project. The length of this contract is 4 and a half months.
Delivery of the effective use of social media and digital communications workshops to elected council members in England. This opportunity has been published by the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government. The value of the opportunity is up to £10,000. They buyers are looking for one or more suppliers and run one-off stand-alone development workshops on the effective use of social media.
Event Production and Management support published by Telford and Wrekin Council. The value is between £10,000 and £25,000. The contract will run from 8/11/21 to 31/3/22. This is Pride Event Support.
What are you waiting for?
If I’ve whetted your appetite and you’d like to discuss the type of opportunities available to your business why not book a virtual coffee? We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the Myths: I can't contact the buyer prior to the procurement
We’re fast approaching the end of the year. How are you progressing towards the goals you set at the beginning of this year? I know that some business owners I speak to are struggling to meet those goals. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration about selling to the public sector. Or they have not pursued it because they think its too complicated, their business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, their reasons go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another
Its difficult to find and win work
Its difficult for a small business owner to know where to start
I’m a new company and without a trading history the public sector won’t buy from me.
This week we are going to debunk the myth:
Engaging with the buyer prior to procurement is anti-competitive
This is similar to myth 4, that you cannot contact or engage with buyers during the procurement process.
The short answer to this is that you can and should engage with buyers, during the procurement and there is a process to follow.
Prior to procurement you can engage with the buyer.
Meet the Buyer
Events like Meet the Buyer are designed to meet buyers and engage with them. It is beneficial to engage with the buyer prior to any procurement.
Once you’ve developed a procurement strategy and understand who will buy your products – whether goods or services – you can start to identify possible buyers. You can then approach them directly or can identify opportunities to meet them.
There are different types of Meet the Buyer events that some buyers run.
Some are just general Meet the Buyer – it may be one buyer or a number of buyers. You can attend - recently virtually rather than in person – and speak to people within procurement departments of the organisation. You will be able to tell them about your products and find out about opportunities coming up.
There are also Meet the Buyer events for specific sectors – so maybe when there is a big construction project ready to be launched.
Finally, there are meet the buyer events for specific procurement. This may have staff from procurement plus staff from the team who will run the contract attending. Commonly these will be held before the tender is published. Occasionally they will be held after the tender has been published. At these events you will be told about the contract and be given the opportunity to ask questions.
I’ve attended more formal Meet the Buyer events for specific contracts that have been held over a half or whole day. These have taken the form of discussions where we have been split into groups to feedback on particular subjects.
Buyers may also issue requests for information. These can be to gauge the market but can also be used to form the contract. It is always worthwhile providing feedback to information requests.
Key to engaging with potential buyers is attending Meet the Buyer Events.Remember that you don’t know what buyers to engage with unless you are clear about what you are going to sell and who you are going to sell it to. Download our free guide which takes you through the points to consider when developing your own procurement strategy.
What are you waiting for?
Why not book a virtual coffee? We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the myths: I'm a new company. Without a trading history the public sector won't buy from me
We’re fast approaching the end of the year. How are you progressing towards the goals you set at the beginning of this year? I know that some business owners I speak to are struggling to meet those goals. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration about selling to the public sector. Or they have not pursued it because they think its too complicated, their business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, their reasons go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another
Its difficult to find and win work
Its difficult for a small business owner to know where to start.
This week we are going to debunk the myth
I’m a new company and without a trading history the public sector won’t buy from me.
The reality of this myth is that not every tender will be suitable for you as a new business but there are opportunities out there suitable for you.
An example
Let me tell you about one of my first clients I worked with was a social care company. They had identified and applied for a tender. They were really surprised to find out a few months later that they were successful.
They really were at the inception stage of their business. They employed no staff, knew to make their business a success they needed to expand to other areas. Plus the area they had won a tender didn’t work for them geographically.
Within 6 months we’d been successful on another 2 tenders closer to home. How did we do this:
We spent some time drawing up a procurement strategy. We made sure we understood what they were capable of delivering and where they were capable of delivering.
We were careful with the opportunities we chose. We made sure they aligned with our procurement strategy. The company were based in Glasgow. We chose opportunities that worked geographically for them.
We used their experience working for someone else to demonstrate they could manage this contract.
The opportunities we discounted we built into their pipeline. This meant we were prepared for when the contracts were renewed.
The How
Key to the success of the new businesses I’ve worked with is choosing the right opportunities for them and their business. Part of this is understanding the experience of you (and your staff). In some tenders you will be able to use experience gained working for someone else to prove you are capable of delivering the contract.
Then next part of that is when you identify an opportunity of making sure you understand what the requirements are.
What I mean by this is that some tender have minimum requirements to meet. This can include a minimum turnover requirement for example £30,000 per year. This may not be a requirement for new businesses. However, you need to make sure you read the contract notice and associated paperwork to understand what the requirements and if they meet them. If the requirements are not clear, then ask the buyer about them.
I’ve worked with people to win tenders with minimum turnover requirements who had not even been trading for one year. What we have done is ask the buyer what we as a new business need to produce for them.
What are you waiting for?
As you can see the public sector wants you as a supplier. There are opportunities there to help you grow your business.
You can download our free guide which takes you through the first steps to take in preparing to sell to the public sector. Or book a virtual coffee. We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the myths: its difficult for a small business to know where to start
Are you struggling to grow your business? I know some business owners I speak to are struggling to grow their business. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration to selling to the public sector. Why would you? It’s complicated, your business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, the reasons not to go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another.
Its difficult to find and win work.
This week we are going to debunk the myth:
It’s difficult for a small business owner to know where to start
The reality of this myth is that the public sector wants to buy to you.
Ok, its fine me telling you that but you want proof. Let me tell you the official line.
The government made changes to help SMEs bid for public sector contracts. These changes are outlined below.
Suppliers must be paid within 30 calendar days
The government requiring the entire public sector supply chain to pay suppliers within 30 calendar days. In reality, central Government departments will pay valid invoices within 5 working days. In Scotland the public sector pays 99% of valid invoices within 10 working days.
Payment terms for SMEs were accelerated further last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is because the government recognise the importance of cash flow for smaller businesses.
Even as a sub-contractor on a government contract you must still be paid within 30 calendar days. In some tenders you will be asked to complete a prompt payment certificate. This means you are committing to pay your suppliers within 30 calendar days.
Making buying simpler
The government is committed to making buying simpler for low value public sector contracts. This was achieved by removing the requirement for a pre-qualification questionnaire for low value contracts.
Requiring contracts in one place
Well, that headline above may be slightly misleading. Each nation of the UK has a dedicated portal.
In England all Central Government Department and its agencies are required to advertise contracts over £10,000. The portal Contracts Finder is used for this.
In addition, the wider public sector in England must advertise all opportunities valued over £25,000 on Contracts Finder.
In Scotland the Public Contracts Scotland Portal must be used to advertise all opportunities. For contracts under £50,000 (for goods and services) the Quick Quote facility can be used to invite suppliers to bid.
In Wales the portal Sell2Wales is used to publish notices. It also has the Quick Quote facility.
Public Sector spend with SMEs
The UK Government has previously committed to 1/3 of its spend going to SMEs by 2020. This was then extended to 2022. We’ve been unable to verify how much of their spend is currently with SMEs.
In Scotland:
Last year 76% of opportunities were awarded to SMEs
£542 million was spent with micro companies. These are companies with less than 10 employees.
What are you waiting for?
As you can see the public sector wants you as a supplier. There are opportunities there to help you grow your business.
You can download our free guide here which takes you through the first steps to take in preparing to sell to the public sector. Or book a virtual coffee here. We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the myths it's difficult to find and win work Part 2
Are you struggling to grow your business? I know some business owners I speak to are struggling to grow their business. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration to selling to the public sector. Why would you? It’s complicated, your business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, the reasons not to go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another
Its difficult to find and win work.
Ok I admit we only covered the first part of that last myth last week. So, this week I’ll cover the second part of it.
It is difficult to find and win work.
The reality of this myth is that completing a bid/tender is a process and there are ways to maximise your success.
How can I win work?
Choosing the right opportunities - I think the most important part of this is choosing the right opportunities. Key is understanding what you both can deliver and what you want to deliver. I always start by talking to clients about what they currently sell and where they currently sell to – both geographically and customer-wise. I’ve developed this download which takes you through elements which will help you to understand your current business.
So, by understanding what you can deliver means that you will know if an opportunity is right for you and your business.
You can download our guide which takes you through the areas to consider.
Develop a bid library. This is a library of commonly used information. This will include insurance certificates, accounts, memberships, CVs. It should also include testimonials, examples of projects carried out, etc.
A few weeks ago we busted the myths that you should not cut and paste answers from one tender to another. Keeping an updated library will mean that you should have information that will help you to answer commonly asked questions.
Develop a bid pipeline. If you are bidding on a semi-regular basis, putting together a pipeline for contract renewals and any important bids allows you to plan ahead and be prepared so that you are not blind-sided at the last minute.
The first steps to developing your pipeline is keeping a record of all opportunities you consider. Contract start and end dates, details of the contract.
Project plan the response to all tender/bid applications. Responding to bids and tenders is not always easy but it is a process.
If you submit a bid, ask for feedback. Whether successful or unsuccessful.
TOP TIPS
Evaluate possible opportunities to understand if they are right for you and your business.
Project plan your response to the Invitation. Do you have the time to respond to this?
Ask for feedback – make changes to your process if needed.
What are you waiting for?
Don’t forget to download our free guide which takes you through the first steps to take in preparing to sell to the public sector. Or book a Virtual coffee. We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the myths: It's difficult to find and win work. Part 1
Are you struggling to grow your business? I know some business owners I speak to are struggling to grow their business. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration to selling to the public sector. Why would you? It’s complicated, your business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, the reasons not to go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths. So far, we’ve busted the following myths:
Public sector only buys from bigger businesses
Lowest price will always win a contract
Contracts always go to the same suppliers
You cannot contact/engage with buyers during the procurement process
Public sector clients aren’t worth the effort
You can cut and paste your response from one tender to another.
This week we are going to debunk the myth:
Myth 7: It is difficult to find and win work.
The reality of this myth is that all public sector organisations (so local authorities, housing associations, central government organisations and smaller arm’s length publicly funded organisations) must public their contract notices.
Where can I find public tenders?
In England all contract worth over £10,000 must be published using the Contracts Finder portal.
In Scotland all opportunities must be published on the Public Contracts Scotland portal.
In Wales all opportunities must be published on the Sell2Wales portal.
In Northern Ireland all opportunities must be published on the eSourcing NI portal.
In addition to this all-high value contracts (this is usually contracts above £118,000) must be advertised on the Find a Tender portal.
On both the Sell2Wales and Public Contracts Scotland portal you can (and should) register. You must then:
Complete an alert profile. You will then receive regular emails which detail opportunities which meet the profile. You should regularly review these emails to make sure you do not miss any relevant opportunities.
Complete and publish your Supplier Finder Profile. Public bodies in Scotland and Wales use these profiles to select suppliers to bid for lower value contracts (these are called Quick Quotes). Lower value contracts are normally those worth less than £50,000. So, a sizable contracts for business owners like us.
In fact, last year on Public Contract Scotland, 78% of opportunities were advertised in this way.
If you are unsure how to complete your profile, download our guide which takes you through how to complete a compelling profile.
TOP TIPS
Register on the relevant portals.
Complete your business details to ensure you receive alerts and invites (if the portal allows this).
Review all alerts regularly – you don’t want to miss an opportunity that is sitting in your inbox.
If there is an opportunity that you are interested in but are unable to bid for just now, make sure you capture all relevant information. You may be able bid for the contract renewal in the future.
It really is as easy as that to find opportunities to grow your business. I don’t want to overwhelm you with information so I’ll continue this blog next week when we’ll examine “its difficult to win work”. Join us then.
What are you waiting for?
You can download our free guide which takes you through the first steps to take in preparing to sell to the public sector. Or book a virtual coffee. We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
6 ways to make your bid or tender the winning bid
In my experience there are six common errors in the tendering process. Once aware of them they are easy to avoid and by doing so make your bid a winning bid.
In my experience there are six common errors in the tendering process. Once aware of them they are easy to avoid and by doing so make your bid a winning bid.
1. Don't forget to follow the instructions
Buyers will provide you with instructions on how a tender should be completed. Some buyers are really helpful and will include a checklist of all documents to be completed and submitted as part of the process. However, others won’t. Sometimes the instructions will be contained in the documents you can download .
One of the first things you should do is make sure you have read and understood the instructions given. Within both the Public Contract Scotland and PCS tender systems there is a section for questions and answers or clarifications. If you have any queries about any of the instructions or lack of them use this system to ask the buyer (the public authority).
2. Don’t miss the deadline
For every tender a contract notice will be advertised on the Public Contract Scotland portal. Within the contract notice it will state the deadline the tender must be submitted by. Buyers will not accept tenders that are submitted late and the systems will not allow you to upload tenders when the deadline has passed. After this time tenders will not be accepted. This will normally be a minimum of 2 weeks but is more likely to be around 4 weeks or for more complex or complicated tenders 6 weeks.
I always make bidders aware of deadlines and will work to ensure they are submitted, at latest, the day before the deadline. This allows for any potential system issues.
There will also be a deadline to ask questions of the bidder. This is normally around a week before the tender submission deadline but may only be a couple of days. Within your bid project plan you should schedule in time to review these and address any concerns prior to submitting your bid.
3. Don't go overboard with the details
Whilst it is essential to ensure you answer all elements of the questions, you bidders (too slangy.. keep it professional) must also be careful to make sure you don’t give too much detail. Unless you are asked to include them do not include promotional brochures, leaflets or other materials because they will not be evaluated or considered.
You will often be given word limits and it’s essential to provide the information asked within these limits. These are also guide to how much information the buyer is expecting you to provide.
4. Don’t forget the terms and conditions
As part of the tender submission you will be asked to agree with the terms and conditions set by the buyer. The terms and conditions will be available as a document within the downloads. You must be sure that you are willing to enter into a contract and abide by these conditions.
5. Remember the final checks
Make sure that you provide all the information requested. Make sure it is in the correct section. If there is a naming schedules for documents you are attaching, ensure that you follow it. Run a spell check – there is nothing worse than obvious spelling errors! Finally if you are cutting and pasting, make sure the information is applicable to this tender.
6. It’s a mistake to miss out the supporting information
You need to attach all information requested. Typically this will be responses to method statements, financial accounts, etc. Also when responding if you say you do something provide examples of how you do this. If you don’t tell them then they can’t score it.
Following these tips will ensure you avoid the common pitfalls when submitting your next tender.
Working closely with you we can ensure compliance of your next tender or bid. Get in touch to discuss how we can help you.
Busting the myths: Once you have completed a tender, you can cut and paste the content into future bids
Are you struggling to grow your business? I know some business owners I speak to are struggling to grow their business. They are sick of chasing small contracts and struggling to secure higher value contracts. Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration to selling to the public sector. Why would you? It’s complicated, your business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, the reasons not to go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths, you can even go back and look at the myths I’ve already busted here.
The myth I am going to debunk this week is that once you have completed a tender, you can cut and paste the content into future tenders.
MYTH #6 is: once you have completed a tender you can cut and paste the content into future tenders.
The reality of this myth is whilst there is some common information within a tender overall each response should be unique to that tender. Unfortunately, every tender submission is not the same.
There is normally a section within a tender (Selection Questionnaire or Single Procurement Document). This is the part where you complete information about your company. Once you’ve made sure the information remains current and updated any parts that are out of date, the rest of the information can be transferred to the new tender. Information which be out of date is turnover - it be a new financial year meaning your turnover has increased from last year or you may have changed insurance provider. This is why it is important to check the information is still current and correct.
Within the technical/quality section of the tender it is important to think about what the buyer is looking for. This is the section in which you answer the questions the buyer has asked. It is important to remember that what is important to one buyer may not be important to another. Even when they are purchasing a similar product (goods or services).
Even when a question looks identical it could be the specification (what the buyer is looking for) differs from your last submission. For example, I worked with a client on two tenders. They were advertised a couple of months apart. Both tenders were advertised by colleges who were looking to purchase associate training services.
One of the questions asked, by both buyers, was about how we would deliver the service. The first college gave us 300 words to answer this question. The second gave us 1000 words to answer the same question.
Cutting and pasting the 300-word response to the question with a word limit of 1000 words would not be appropriate. It would be very unlikely that we would provide the information the buyer was looking for in only 300 words.
TOP TIPS
You need to think about what the buyer is looking for. Consider what they could benefit from that is not detailed in the contract notice.
Even when a question looks identical it could be the specification (what the buyer is looking for) differs from your previous submission.
There may be information within previous submissions that you can use in future submissions but never lift a response and paste it into a new opportunity. Review the tender documentation and THEN consider what you can offer in response.
What are you waiting for?
Last week in our blog we busted the myth that public sector clients aren’t worth the effort. You can find it here.
You can download our free guide here which takes you through the first steps to take in preparing to sell to the public sector. Or book a virtual coffee. We’ll talk to you about your business and the opportunities available to you and your business.
Busting the myths: Public sector clients aren't worth the effort
Are you struggling to grow your business? At the moment a lot of business owners I speak to are struggling to grow their businesses? Most business owners I speak to have not given much consideration to selling to the public sector. Why would you? It’s complicated, your business is too small, the cheapest supplier will always win, the reasons not to go on.
What if I told you, these were myths? That the public sector wants to buy from you! Join me over the next few weeks while I bust these myths, you can even go back and look at the myths I’ve already busted here.
The myth I am going to debunk this week is that public sector clients aren’t worth the effort.
MYTH #5: public sector clients are not worth the effort.
The reality of this myth is that on average the UK Government spends on average £292 billion a year. More than 1/3 of all public spending, on purchasing goods, works and services from external suppliers. This translates to around 50,000 new business opportunities a year for many different sectors.
Those unfamiliar with the formal tendering process can find it cumbersome. However, like anything new, it takes practice to become familiar and more efficient in tendering. You may still be sceptical and unsure if it is worth the effort. Below I’ll outline some reasons why I believe it is worth the effort and will help you to grow your business.
Suppliers must be paid within 30 calendar days. Yes you read that correctly but it gets better. The government require the ENTIRE public sector supply chain to pay suppliers within 30 calendar days. Some departments will pay valid invoices within 5 working day. In Scotland the public sector pays 99% of valid invoices within 10 working days.
Can you imagine that cash flow?
The government is committed to making buying from SMEs simpler. The requirement for the pre-qualifying questionnaire has been removed for low-value contracts in England. In Scotland a procedure called Quick Quotes can be used for low value contracts (in Scotland low value contracts are those worth less than £50,000 for goods and services).
Public sector clients have to adhere to strict guidelines around fairness and transparency. Nothing is hidden and all decisions must be made transparently. This means you should receive feedback if you have been unsuccessful with your submission.
Contracts must be open and accessible. This means that no matter what size your business is, if you meet the criteria and can deliver the contract, you have a fair chance of winning the work. This differs from private procurement.
TOP TIP
Public sector procurement may be perceived as cumbersome and can be time consuming. However, choosing the right opportunities for you and your business is crucial. Take time to consider how you want to grow your business over the next 1, 3 and 5 years. This will help inform what are the right opportunities for you going forward.
