Supply Chain
Increasing Market Share: Selling to the Public Sector
Investsefton Tendering support, contracts portals and free tender alerts
There are many advantages for businesses in selling to public agencies, such as Councils and the NHS. They are less likely to suffer from market fluctuations, they value their suppliers, and they pay on time, to contract.
Public organisations actively encourage bids from small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Small firms can be more flexible, and willing to tailor their goods and services to suit customer needs. They also have shorter management chains, and can be good sources of innovation in the supply chain.
“Especially conspicuous across a wide range of markets is theability and willingness of small firms to ‘go the extra mile’, in termsof commitment and service delivery.” (Small Business Service)
Supplying the public sector can raise a business’ profile with existing and prospective customers, and provide a foothold into new markets, particularly during a recession. However, SMEs may hesitate to bid for work, due to misconceptions about the complexity of the tendering process, or a lack of information on the opportunities available.
Tendering
Whether you are new to tendering or have tendered in the past, Investsefton can assist you with free guidance and resources to help you to tender.
- Workshops on the do’s and don’ts of tendering, and jargon busting
- Guide to Doing Business with Merseyside Councils
- Free tender alerts, and ways of identifying business opportunities
- Case studies on companies who have tendered successfully
Sourcing Suppliers
If you are a Sefton-based business or are considering a location in the borough, InvestSefton can provide you with free assistance, in mapping your supply base, and identifying new suppliers amongst Sefton’s 7,500 businesses.
For more information please contact:
Julie Swarbrick
Business Support Specialist
0151 934 3441 Mobile: 07772710411
Email: julie.swarbrick@investsefton.com
Useful links
Guide to Tendering for Public Sector Contracts