Winning public sector contracts can seem daunting, particularly if you’ve never tendered before. But for businesses across Greater Lincolnshire, it could open the door to new customers, long term contracts and sustainable growth.
Every year, the UK public sector spends hundreds of billions of pounds buying everything from professional services and manufacturing to construction, technology, catering and consultancy. In fact, Crown Commercial Service alone awarded more than £3.5 billion directly to small and medium sized businesses in 2023 to 2024, with almost three quarters of suppliers on its commercial agreements now classed as SMEs.
The opportunity is there, but many businesses simply don’t know where to begin.
To help, Stuart Watkins, Business Development Manager for the Government Commercial Agency (GCA), has produced a practical guide designed specifically for SMEs. Rather than focusing on procurement jargon, it explains where to find opportunities, how government buying works and the practical steps businesses can take to become more competitive when bidding for contracts.
The guide covers everything from finding tender opportunities and understanding procurement frameworks to demonstrating social value and identifying subcontracting opportunities. Whether you’re completely new to public sector procurement or looking to improve your success rate, it provides a useful starting point.
A Suppliers Guide: Engaging with the Public Sector
Of course, reading a guide is only part of the journey. Understanding how to position your business, build relationships with buyers and prepare strong submissions often comes with practical support and experience.
That’s exactly what Business Lincolnshire’s Supplier Engagement Accelerator has been designed to provide.
The programme helps businesses across Greater Lincolnshire build the knowledge, confidence and connections needed to access public sector opportunities. Through practical workshops, supplier engagement events and expert guidance, you’ll gain a better understanding of how procurement works, what buyers are looking for and how to put your business in the strongest possible position.
With procurement workshops and Supplier Engagement Accelerator activity taking place throughout August, now is the perfect time to start preparing your business for future opportunities. Download the Government Commercial Agency SME Guide, then
explore the Supplier Engagement Accelerator and take the next step towards becoming procurement ready: https://www.businesslincolnshire.com/grow-my-business/supplier-engagement-accelerator/