Working on private and public sector tenders can be a profitable option for small businesses offering products and services. There is a common misconception that only large corporates can bid for public contracts and supply chain opportunities. However, there are many opportunities in different sectors for SMEs.
LCCI's Procurement Hub helps businesses to navigate the procurement process. You can find an overview of the procurement process, search for new opportunities and get practical advice to help your business create winning submissions.
We offer comprehensive guidance on every aspect of the bidding process, from bid management to bid writing and business and bid analysis. We are proud to partner with trusted LCCI Member Experts who provide invaluable insights and tools to help you succeed. With our guidance, you will have the confidence to write winning bids and secure the contracts you need to grow your business.
LCCI has a dedicated programme of events to provide businesses with access to procurement opportunities and information about successful bidding.
Streamlining the procurement process is crucial for businesses looking to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and improve supplier relationships. By automating and simplifying procurement, businesses can reduce errors, save time, and gain valuable insights into spending patterns to make more informed decisions.
A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) is a list of questions that a contractor is required to answer when applying for a contract. PQQ’s give companies an efficient way to shortlist suppliers. Once applications have been submitted and PQQ’s are filled in, suppliers will then be scored on a scale based on their answers.
Successful bidding requires visibility of contracts. There's a range of free and paid-for services that are available to help you find contract opportunities. Click the link below to see some of the largest free-to-use contract search engines as well as special member offers for paid services.
A procurement strategy outlines the objectives, policies, and procedures for procuring goods and services while ensuring value for money, quality, and timely delivery. By developing a procurement strategy, businesses can identify opportunities for cost savings, improve supplier relationships, mitigate risks, and increase efficiency.
A "tender-ready" audit is an assessment of a company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as its financial and operational capabilities, that is intended to help the company prepare for participation in a public procurement process. The audit typically involves a review of the company's financial records, contracts, operations, and policies, and may also include on-site inspections and interviews with company officials. The goal of the audit is to identify any issues or deficiencies that may impact the company's ability to successfully bid on and execute a contract, and to provide recommendations for addressing those issues.
A procurement consortium is a collective of businesses or organisations that procure jointly in order to maximise their resources and expertise. The member organisations in a consortium may retain their individual identities and operate autonomously, or they may merge their operations and resources for the duration of the project. A consortium can be temporary or permanent, and formal or informal in its organisation. The agreements that govern consortia can take the form of a joint venture or partnership.
SMEs are at the heart of the UK economy. When it comes to supporting supply chains, small businesses can play a significant role. To meet the procurement criteria of large-scale supply chains, small businesses must become supply chain ready. We have put together our top tips to support SMEs in the bidding process.
There are steps you can take to ensure your tender proposal highlights your capabilities and increase your chances of success. Follow these three steps to get ahead:
LCCI issued the Ethnic Diversity in Business report in May 2022. The paper focused on ethnic diversity in business and what is needed to remove the barriers impeding minority-led business success. The report looks at the correlation between demographics of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds and subsequent success in business and highlights the problems that ethnic minorities face accessing finance and procurement opportunities. Since this report was published, there has been a campaign for the recommendations of this report to be implemented.
