Tendering presentation delivered on 08/09/2010 at the Future Inn Plymouth.

1. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

2. Presenter Martin Ellis Business Adviser Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

3. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

5. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset . . . . . . . . . Solving the problem Join The Dots

6. The public sector , sometimes referred to as the state sector is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national , regional or local/municipal . From Wikipedia, Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Who Are The Public Sector?

9. The Coalition Commitment to growing the SME market share BIS agreed SME growth targets by 15% throughout the supply chain. All departments will aim to pay 80% of invoices within five days Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

10. Why the public sector like SME’s Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

11. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Open and Fair process Regular Income and stable terms & conditions Increased Credibility (Government £ = attracts money) Why SME’s like working for the public sector

12. PQQ Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset A Whole New Language!!!! VFM MEAT CPV NUTS ITT OJEU PFI/PPP

13. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset CPV CODE SPREADSHEET

15. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Typical Thresholds Example Goods and Services Works Requirement 0 - £1000 0 - £1000 No competition required £1000 - £2500 £1000 - £5000 Minimum of 2 quotations £2.5k - £10k £5000 - £10k Minimum of 3 Written £10k - £50k £10k - £50k Minimum of 3 sealed Quotations based on a written specification and evaluation criteria £50k to EC threshold £50k to EC threshold Minimum of 4 tenders Above EC threshold Above EC threshold Minimum of 5 tenders Advertise in OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union)

16. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Lower Value Contracts – What to do Decide which organisations fit your business Register on portal if available Call the procurement office Build a relationship Make sure business is fit to supply A good place to start

17. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Sell2Plymouth.co.uk is a partnership between Plymouth’s public sector buyers, our local business support agencies and both the Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses. Following a successful registration your details and Business Registration Questionaire (BRQ) answers will be available to 3 public sector bodies: Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Plymouth

18. Tender Portals: OJEC www.ojec.com Supply to Gov www.supply2.gov.uk Tenders In Cornwall www.tendersincornwall.co.uk Sell 2 Plymouth www.sell2plymouth.co.uk Devon Tenders www.devontenders.gov.uk Exeter Buy Sell Prosper www.exeterbuysellprosper.co.uk South West One www.southwestone.co.uk Sell 2 Wales www.sell2wales.co.uk CompeteFor www.competefor.com Public Tenders www.publictenders.net Southwest www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk Police www.bluelight.gov.uk NHS www.supply2health.nhs.uk/ Training / Consultancy www.bravosolution.com Public and private procurement www.tenderalerts.co.uk/ Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Finding Opportunities

19. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Identify the right tender opportunity Make your decision as you would for any other sales lead TIME QUALITY COMMITMENT

20. For a large number of Low Value Procedures complex tender processes will not represent VFM and other methods may be used. These include use of Procurement Cards which are similar to credit cards, or obtaining a number of quotes, (typically three), prior to placing an order. The value at which different procedures apply will vary between organisations and depending on market conditions, but all procedures are subject to the legal requirement for adequate publicity of contract opportunities. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset The public procurement process

21. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset The Process: Stage 1 Legislative compliance Publication of contract value Procurement process Expression of interest Pre-Qualification Questionnaire

22. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Invitation to Tender: Stage 2 Documentation and information requirements Submission Deadlines Request for additional information

23. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Winning: Stage 3 Award of Contract Announcement Cooling Off, Notify/debrief unsuccessful tenders

24. Once you are shortlisted you will often have very little time to send your documents to the buyer. Creating a file of essentials before the all important day arrives will ensure you don’t get caught short. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset PQQ & Tender Checklist – Are Your Ducks in a Row?

29. Every week proposal are rejected for an opportunity because their Health and Safety policy wasn’t signed or because they had ‘only just’ exceeded their word limit. But the even more annoying thing is that many of these issues could have been avoided if someone else had checked the proposal before it landed on the buyer’s desk. So here’s a helpful list for your colleague when asking them to proof read your bid. Get them to check: Grammar Spelling Font sizes Amount of words Lengthily sentences Presentation style Consistency The finished article i.e. binding, pagination, etc . Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Check, Recheck and Chick Again

30. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Investigate your sector and only bid for work that you are sure you can do. Make sure you know, early on in the procedure, what format you will have to use to fill in the buyer's documents. You should also know what timescales you are working to and whether interviews will be likely. Plan and cost the full extent of delivering the contract to ensure that you have taken full account of overheads and resource implications. Always provide the information you are asked for and make sure you accurately answer all the questions. If you cannot do so, check whether your bid will be acceptable before you send it back. If you are not sure of anything, ask the buyer in good time. Plan your bid around the timetable the buyer gives you to make sure you can meet all deadlines. If your bid is unclear and the buyer asks you to explain something, you must give your explanation by the original deadline, unless they tell you otherwise. How to increase your chances of winning Public Sector Contracts

31. Remember that at the Invitation to Tender stage you are being evaluated on how well you would be able to deliver the goods or services required, in line with the criteria given. You will want your response to be better than that proposed by your competitors. Remember, your bid will be evaluated only on the information you provide as part of the tender process. Be patient, as the procedure from the first advert to awarding the contract can take months. Delivering the contract is one of the best ways of ensuring that you keep the contract as it helps build your reputation for contract delivery. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset How to increase your chances of winning Public Sector Contracts Cont.

35. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset Finally Remember, there are huge opportunities for SMEs to sell to this marketplace; local government alone spends £27 billion per annum on bought-in goods and services. With ongoing requirements across all industry sectors, opportunities really can be quite diverse, so it is important to monitor the marketplace to ensure you do not miss that one opportunity which may prove vital to your business. Understand the market and your potential customers Knowing your market and gaining an insight into the procurement procedures public bodies are required to follow will better position your company to take advantage of potential opportunities. So, do some research, build strong relations and network with prospective customers by attending conferences and Meet the Buyer events.

36. Monitor the market for potential opportunities Tender portals offering contract alert services will inevitably save you time and effort. The public sector is vast, and with a focus on value for money and increasing efficiency, there could potentially be an increase in the number of smaller contracts advertised. Due to their lower values, they could prove to be a more viable focus for your business. Moreover, working with the public sector indirectly as a subcontractor can also be a great way to increase reputation and gain valuable experience, and may be a faster route to securing public sector revenue. Be selective! The timescales set for expressing your interest can be short; however, it is important to spend time carefully evaluating opportunities which may appear relevant. Read what is being asked of you and then read it again to ensure you understand all the requirements. Do not spend valuable time and resources preparing a bid if you are unsure that you can deliver. Public bodies are aware of the real benefits working with SMEs can offer them. Government spend is crucial to the future competitiveness of the economy and accelerating our recovery from the recession. Procuring using processes that are open, fair and transparent not only allows the public sector to achieve cost savings through obtaining value for money, but also ensures the market is opened up to competition, presenting real opportunities for many businesses to help the entire public sector drive its efficiency agenda and assist in delivering cost savings. Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

37. Tel: 0845 600 9966 www.businesslink.gov.uk/southwest Business Link for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset

38. Value for Money (VfM) is the term used to assess whether or not an organisation has obtained the maximum benefit from the goods and services it acquires and/ or provides, within the resources available to it. It not only measures the cost of goods and services, but also takes account of the mix of quality, cost, resource use, fitness for purpose, timeliness and convenience to judge whether or not, when taken together, they constitute good value. Achieving VfM may be described in terms of the 'three Es' - economy, efficiency and effectiveness: Most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). Price Quality Aesthetic and functional features Efficiency After-sales service Technical assistance Date of delivery Environmental performance Lifecycle cost, etc.