A free online
public procurement course designed to help smaller firms bid for
the £220 billion of public sector contracts awarded each year was
today launched jointly by Small Business Minister Lord Davies and
the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne.
The course, ‘Winning the Contract’, shows participants how to
identify business opportunities to supply goods and services to
the public sector, explains the public procurement process, and
demonstrates how to submit tenders. It has helpful hints and tips
to guide and inform businesses on the bidding process, and where
to find public sector contract opportunities.
Trade, Investment and Small Business Minister Lord Davies said:
“Small and medium-sized businesses already sell their goods and
services to the public sector, but many more could do so. Opening
up public sector procurement to a wider range of suppliers
provides new opportunities for small businesses as the UK economy
heads towards growth.”
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Bryne, MP said:
"Small and medium-sized businesses are the engine-room
of our economy. We want them to harness the spending power of
government to grow their businesses and create jobs. This new free
course will help those businesses to compete effectively for
government contracts, locking in the recovery and strengthening
businesses throughout the country."
Winning the Contract is a nationally available online training
course which all businesses, regardless of size and sector, can
access free of charge. It is part of a series of joint initiatives
by the Office of Government Commerce and Department for Business,
Innovation and Skills aimed at making the procurement market
clearer and simpler.
Notes to Editors
1. Businesses can register to access the ‘Winning the Contract’
course by clicking through to learndirect on the Business Link
website at
www.businesslink.gov.uk/procurement . The course, developed
by Government and hosted by learndirect, takes a maximum of 3 to 4
hours and can be taken section by section as time allows.
2. The e-learning tool was originally launched in 2007 and
previously cost £49.99. Following an evaluation early last year,
the course has been radically refreshed and built upon to
comprehensively cover all aspects of the procurement process.
Government has removed the fee to ensure accessibility for all businesses.
3. The Glover Review was launched in the Budget 2008, to look at
the barriers faced by SMEs when competing for public sector
contracts. The report made 12 recommendations aimed at making the
procurement process more transparent, simple and strategic.
Government accepted all 12 recommendations and implementation work
began immediately through the OGC/BIS Access for All programme.
See Accelerating the SME Economic Engine http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/glover_review_index.htm.
4. The Access for All programme is part of a wider programme to
harness the power of public procurement in support of growth
through three specific agendas of supporting small and
medium-sized enterprises; encouraging apprenticeships, training
and youth employment; and reducing carbon emissions. For more
information see the Policy Through Procurement action plan on the
OGC website www.ogc.gov.uk.
5. There are an estimated 4.8 million small and medium
enterprises in the UK (these make up 99.9 per cent of all
businesses, contribute 60 percent of private sector employment,
and 50 per cent of turnover).
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is
building a dynamic and competitive UK economy by: creating the
conditions for business success; promoting innovation, enterprise
and science; and giving everyone the skills and opportunities to
succeed. To achieve this it will foster world-class universities
and promote an open global economy. BIS - Investing in our future.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk