Identifying Tender Opportunities Jenny Lawson Emma Petre Enterprise Europe Network Bradford MDC
Dec 23, 2015
Outline of the Workshop
• Different types of contract opportunities
• Invitations to tender from “Official Journal”
• Other sources of tenders information• Supplier & Contract Management
System• Questions
Enterprise Europe Yorkshire
• Launched 2008 (replacing Euro Info Centres and Innovation Relay Centres)
• Offer information & advice on European rules & regulations and doing business in Europe (including innovation)
• Information service based here in Bradford
Contract Opportunities
• Public sector buys everything from baked beans to bridges!
• Services, supplies and works (construction)
• Two main kinds of contracts:– Those covered by the EU Directive on
public contracts (over certain values)– Those covered by other rules on best
value and fair treatment (below the values in the Directive)
Current EU Contract Values
• Full EU rules apply to contracts above:– £3.49m (works)– £90.3k / 139.8k (services / supplies)
• If above these values, most contracts must be advertised EU-wide in the Official Journal • Some exceptions for certain types of
service contracts• Note: it may be possible to bid for parts of
the larger contract (“lots”)• It’s also possible to submit bids in
consortia
Contract Opportunities in the Official Journal of the EU
• Often known as OJEU or OJ• Available online at http://ted.europa.eu• Tenders Electronic Daily (TED)• Updated 5 days a week (Tues-Sat)• Covers UK and all other EU countries• Average of 600 – 800 notices per day!
Other Sources of Tenders Information (1)
• Bad news: no one source to turn to!• .....but there are lots of ways to
identify tender opportunities:• Personal contacts (especially for very
low value contracts)• Meet the Buyer / Exhibitions• Approved lists
Other Sources of Tenders Information (2)
• Local and regional press– E.g. Bradford Council uses T&A (or
Yorkshire Post if wider coverage needed)
• Trade press / specialist press– Examples used by Bradford Council
include:• “Caterer & Hotelkeeper” (Culture, Tourism &
Sport Services)• “Arts Professional” (Marketing Services)• “Motor Transport” (Fleet Services)• “Regeneration & Renewal” (Regeneration &
Culture, Tourism & Sport Services)
Other Sources of Tenders Information (3)
• Contract information services• Offered by number of commercial
suppliers• Enterprise Europe Yorkshire’s Tenders
Information Service:– Daily searches (Monday – Friday) of the
OJEU and other local sources– Personalised search profile– Results sent by e-mail (or post if preferred)– Back-up help and assistance (e.g. enquiry
service, training, guides etc)
Other Sources of Tenders Information (4)
Websites:• Websites of the individual
organisations (often have a “Procurement” or “Doing Business with XX Council” section)
• http://www.supply2.gov.uk/• http://www.competefor.com
(Olympics)• http://scms.alito.co.uk
Supplier & Contract Management System (SCMS)
SCMS is a website designed to give suppliers & contractors information to be able to trade more easily with the Councils in the Yorkshire & Humber Region.
In addition it also gives direct access to a wide variety of procurement opportunities.
Bradford Council advertises all its contracts valued over £75,000 on the system.
Supplier & Contract Management System (SCMS) Continued…
Anyone can register with the system (and its free!), you will just need access to the internet. You can then specify which council’s you are interested in working with and which categories of work your organisation undertakes – if there are approved lists for these categories you can apply for them via the system.
You are able to search the system for tenders to apply for, view and download the tender documents and submit them back electronically via the system.
We have laptops and internet access available today so you can have a go at registering and searching for tenders with help from the staff present from the Councils here and the SCMS helpdesk.
Alternatively there is a helpdesk set up to specifically deal with questions and problems anyone is having with the system – they can talk you through registering and searching for tenders over the phone or respond to questions via emails – contact details on next slide
For further information
• Enterprise Europe Yorkshire:– [email protected] – Tel: 01274 434262
• SCMS Helpdesk: - 0113 247 4001- [email protected]