How to successfully pitch for business: Back to Basics

Helen Marini

Baxter Marini Ltd

Who is the Public Sector?

• 25 government departments

• 500 local authorities in England and Wales

• 303 NHS trusts

• 42 Police services

• 39 Ambulance services

• Other services: London Underground, museums and galleries, British Library etc

• 334 UK universities

• 3500 secondary schools

• 24000 primary schools

• Publicly-funded bodies: BBC, Development Agencies, Crown Agents etc

• £100billion + purchasing power!

SMEs?

• An SME has fewer than 250 employees

• A large business has 250+ employees

• 7,000 large businesses in UK

• 3.7 million SMEs

• Large businesses used to win 90%+ public sector contracts

• But changes are taking place

What SMEs have to offer

• Innovation

• Flexibility

• Niche markets

• What else?

The Government’s position

• Keen to encourage SMEs

• E-procurement

• Lots of information

• SBS• OGC• DTI• Business Links• “The Benefits of eProcurement” workshop

The Tendering Process

• Openness, transparency, justifiability….

• Demonstrate why one company won the bid

• EU legislation

• Different entry ‘thresholds’

• Opportunities for all

Tender Thresholdse.g Hertfordshire County Council

Thresholds vary for each District and Borough Council – details on the stands

Spend/tender limits Procedure

£0 - £10,000 at least 2 written quotes

£10,000 - £144,371 full tender

over £144,371 EU/OJEU

The Problems

• The processes are viewed as complex, costly and time-consuming

• Decision-making processes take longer in the public sector than in commercial organisations

• SMEs frequently fail to meet basic requirements

• Any more?

The Solutions

• Read ALL the documentation thoroughly – twice!

• Do EXACTLY what is requested

• If in doubt – ASK

• Develop a strategy

Develop a strategy - 1

• Get on the Bid List

• If there is a formal Approved Supplier list, there is a formal process for getting on it!

• For informal supplier selection:

• Phone up and ask• Send an information pack• Send an e-mail with a hyperlink to your website• Networking events

Develop a strategy - 2

• Identify your strengths, USPs, the most suitable contracts

• Talk to the local procurement officers – start developing a relationship

• Get hold of the local Community or Strategic Plan

• Use case studies

• Obtain information about the services you want to deliver

Develop a strategy - 3

• Keep in touch

• Use statistics

• Check out the competition

• Make sure your IT capacity is strong

• Be innovative

• Consider partnership working

Qualifying documents

• 3 years’ accounts

• Legal entity evidence

• Public liability insurance

• Employer’s liability insurance

• Health and Safety Policy

• Environmental policy

• Technical qualifications

• Quality Management

• Equality Opportunities policy

• Proof of a performance bond

• References

The bid

• The tender team

• The timetable

• What you will do

• Financial issues – pricing, payment

• Ensure you can deliver

• Be robust

• Offer “variant” bids

The Presentation

• Know your bid inside out

• Make sure there are no inconsistencies

• Practise and ask for feedback

• Take a colleague

• Be professional

• Hand out a copy of your presentation, professionally presented

• Answer all questions

The result

• If you win – congratulations!

• Ask for feedback

• If you don’t win – congratulations!

• Ask for feedback