Designed to significantly open-up the public sector marketplace to small businesses, Whitehall Departments have developed a series of targeted actions that will make a fundamental difference to the way in which they procure goods and services.

All public sector organisations will find themselves under increased scrutiny to meet the 25% target.

All central government contracts worth over £10,000 are advertised on Contracts Finder and many now state that they are suitable for SMEs.  This is great news for small businesses who sometimes wonder if it is worth tendering for public sector contracts – the answer is increasingly becoming YES!  However, you must remember that they will still be looking for financial stability, experience, technical expertise and a sound management structure so make sure you read the evaluation criteria to ensure that each tender you go for is ‘right’ for you.

Great news for our gas servicing and repairs client!  They have made it through to the interview stage for the first time for a contract with Moorland Housing.

We supported them with the PQQ (pre-qualification) and ITT (invitation to tender) stages.

More great news for our publishing client!  They have made it through the PQQ (pre-qualification questionnaire) stage with the Arts Council.

We supported them with the PQQ.  Now getting ready for the ITT (invitation to tender).

Hayley Addison, Senior Commercial Policy Manager will be speaking at the SME Public Procurement Conference in London on 15 September about the work the DWP has been doing to increase SME engagement.

In a recent article, Hayley Addison talks about barriers that SMEs may have to the tendering process and how these may be broken down, by making tenders clear so that anyone can understand them.