Selling to the Public Sector

The Public Sector spends a huge amount each year on goods and services and is always looking for new suppliers. However small the business, there are always opportunities to be a supplier to this market whether through a direct contract or by becoming a sub contractor. Even if you are already a supplier to one part of the public sector, it is worth looking for opportunities in other areas.

The public sector in the UK includes:

• central government departments and agencies
• the NHS and local trusts
• the Ministry of Defence
• local authorities such as county and district councils
• universities
• colleges

What are the benefits of Selling to the Public Sector?

Public Organisations are good customers. They have to be fair, open and transparent in the way they choose suppliers and in any dealings with them. They have to pay within 30 days or any other agreed period per sector, of receiving a valid invoice.

All public sector organisations buying goods and services must obtain best value for money. This means that they will accept the bid that offers the optimum price and quality to meet the user’s requirements, not just the lowest price.

There is a commitment to helping small and medium size businesses compete for government contracts to obtain better value for money for the public sector. Small firms offer:

• greater competition
• lower costs
• new ideas
• flexibility
• specialisation
• quality of service

For details on supplying goods or services to Lincolnshire County Council, click here.

Local supply opportunities can be found on the Pro-contract website. Registration is free and your company profile will be immediately available for opportunities managed by over 30,000 buyers from over 400 private, public sector and 3rd sector organisations. Following successful registration, as part of your company profile you can stipulate your preferred opportunity areas of interest along with geographical locations to which you can supply your goods & services. Overnight, your interests will be matched against the latest published opportunities and you will be notified by email. The email will contain links to review, and if you wish, express your interest in each of the opportunities.

Transparency in government procurement and contracting for all new central government contracts worth over £10,000 are now available online. You can access these free of charge on Contracts Finder, a service on the Gov.uk website. Use Contracts Finder to access documents published under the governments transparency commitment. The website includes a flexible e-mail alert facility, which will highlight when appropriate opportunities are published. 

Other routes in

Subcontracting Opportunities - Many of the highest value contracts go to large companies but small companies can play a part in these contracts as sub contractors or by forming a consortium with other smaller companies.

Approved Supplier Lists - Many public sector organisations hold lists of potential suppliers for certain types of work. The nature of these lists varies between organisations, but all lists should be regularly reviewed to include new suppliers and ensure existing suppliers still provide good value for money.