The rewards of public sector tendering are plentiful with over £236 Billion spent in the year 2009/2010.
2500 Contract Notices are published each week and 25% are awarded to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Unfortunately many businesses do not take full advantage of these opportunities because they are unclear about the process and how to answer the many intimidating questions.
Achieving accreditations and ISO certification is a great way to demonstrate your commitment and capabilities but it only forms part of the tendering process.
Register for Tender Alerts
It is mandatory that public sector contracts above £173,934 are publicly released. However, many contracts far below this value are put through the same channels.
There are many services that distribute tender notices at varying costs.
Pre – Qualification Questionnaire [PQQ]
If you then decide to apply for a contract the next step will be the PQQ. This can be a daunting document and you may wish to seek advice on how to answer the questions to ensure you represent your company well.
The PQQ gives the awarding authority an opportunity to filter applicants into a short list and, at this stage, accreditations play a vital role!
Invitation To Tender [ITT]
If you successfully reach a short list you may be invited to tender. At this stage the authority is more concerned with the “what, where, when and how” of your service delivery.
This is a good time to seek advice and guidance if you are unsure how to respond.
Tender Award
After successfully completing the process you will be awarded the contract and it’s time to deliver. Don’t miss the opportunity!
Thank you to Tender Assist for their input into this article. Tender assist can help your business tender for public sector contracts.
Contact 01438 861931 or visit www.tenderassist.co.uk for details.
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