Winning Public Sector Contracts Sakthi Suriyaprakasam Head of Collaboration & ICT, NCVO

Winning Public Sector
Contracts
Sakthi Suriyaprakasam
Head of Collaboration & ICT, NCVO
•Public sector contracts – the
tendering process
•Collaboration to tender for (&
deliver) contracts
Tendering process:
• Pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ)
– Policies
– Financial standing
– Technical part - how will you deliver the
service/your expertise
• Simply to determine if you are suitable
Tendering (cont.)
• Some authorities have a template that’s
duplicated across all depts., or they have
some guidance on the commissioning
framework for the sector BUT many don’t
• Not all questions will be relevant
• Have a practice run at filling in a tender
• Have policies ready
Tendering (cont.)
• Go through to Invitation To Tender (ITT) if you qualify
through the PQQ
• Marked on evaluation criteria (published)
• Price not always but often the most important factor
• Include Full Cost Recovery?
• ITT will ask you demonstrate:
–
–
–
–
how you will deliver
what targets will be achieved
how you address quality and
how you will work with others
Considerations
• Is this right for you?
• Is the contract appropriate and are you in
agreement with it? (available at the ITT stage)
• Contractual issues like level of indemnity need to
be carefully considered
• Payment terms – do you need funding up-front?
• Demonstrate against evaluation criteria weighted
Collaboration to tender for public
services
• Perception that practice lags behind policy
• Procurement not always collaboration-friendly
• Commissioning orgs have responsibility to
stimulate and support the provider market
(IdeA’s NTPSC lists 8 principles of good
commissioning)
• 2006 Public Contract Regulations make
provision for Consortium bids
Issues for the voluntary sector
•
•
•
•
Time to create a collaboration & write a joint bid
Resources needed & expended
Structure for delivery/Lead
Do all partners need to fill in PQQ or just the
lead?
• Feeling `forced’ into collaboration within a short
timescale
• Lack of access to procurement processes and
key people
Considerations
• Collaboration takes time and resources
• Scope out potential partners and begin
conversations about joint tendering
• Know the local commissioning and procurement
strategy/framework and whether it is
collaboration-friendly
• Find out if there is a particular collaboration
model favoured by commissioners
Considerations (cont.)
• Structure – keep it simple, as long as it is fit for
purpose
• Show how you have worked together before,
and what value/ additionality the partnership
brings
• The cost of collaboration is seldom reflected in
bids and could price your tender out of the
market – be aware of the cost and how this will
impact on your capacity
• Pre-bid agreement
For Infrastructure organisations…
• Role to increase understanding between
commissioners and service providers
• Influence the commissioning and
procurement process (e.g. Stockport)
• Support the public sector to `stimulate and
support the provider market’
• Support with Pre-tender events
Resources
• Before signing on the dotted line - NCVO Sustainable Funding
Project publication http://www.ncvovol.org.uk/publications/publication.asp?id=3187
• NCVO Public Services Delivery Network - http://www.ncvovol.org.uk/sfp/index.asp?id=2390
• NAVCA Procurement Unit http://www.navca.org.uk/news/lcpu.htm
• Bassac – Collaboration Benefits www.bassac.org.uk
• Hact – ‘Collaborate’ resources www.hact.org.uk
• ACEVO Procurement support https://www.acevo.org.uk/index.cfm/display_page/Sucessful_Pr
ocurement2
• Office of the Third Sector – Working in a Consortium
www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector.aspx
• Charity Commission www.charitycommission.gov
NCVO
Collaboration
Team
Email: collaborate@ncvo-vol.org.uk
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/collaborate
Tel: 020 7520 2440