Supplier Event Knowsley Council & Crown Commercial Services Steve McKeown Tel: 0151 443 2240 Steve.McKeown@knowsley.gov.uk Economic Growth & Competitiveness Manager

Supplier Event Knowsley Council & Crown Commercial Services Emma Graham Customer Delivery Manager Crown Commercial Services

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Crown Commercial Service Procurement Event Wednesday 4th February 2015

Overview of Crown Commercial Service We are an executive agency within the Cabinet Office, providing commercial and procurement services to the public sector. We are responsible for increasing savings for the taxpayer by leveraging government’s buying power and centralising buying requirements for common goods and services.

Our customers include: Central Government Departments Local Authorities Health Sector Education Sector Not for Profit Organisations

Offering procurement solutions across common categories of goods and services: Communications services Energy Print Research (including science and technology) Construction Fleet Professional Services (including temporary staff) Technology Travel eCommerce Office Solutions (including stationery and printers) Property and Facilities Management

Tendering for opportunities CCS must follow a formal process to advertise any new requirements for goods and services, or if existing agreements need renewing CCS advertise tender opportunities in the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) and suppliers need to respond to a contract notice to become a supplier on one of our agreements Once an agreement has been awarded, additional suppliers cannot be added

Where to find tendering opportunities Contracts Finder Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) CCS procurement pipeline page

Other opportunities – Government eMarketplace Online open marketplace for low value, less complex products and services Customers can submit an electronic request for quotation for their requirements Also an online catalogue linked to our frameworks This route enables you to promote your capability to supply certain goods and services on a national or regional basis without needing to go through a tender process It is a potential route to supply the public sector – there are no guarantees of business It won’t make you a Crown Commercial Service supplier

Small Medium Enterprises We work with SMEs every time they are the best value for money We are on track to deliver our aspiration of awarding 25% of Central Government procurement to SMEs, directly or via the supply chain We breakdown our requirements to help SMEs bid on a portion of the goods and services In the new Procurement Regulations, Pre Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) have been abolished for low value procurements, which previously ruled out SMEs straight away, with a single standardised questionnaire for high value procurements We introduced the Mystery Shopper Service in 2011, to spot-check procurement processes to ensure compliance to procurement regulations

Advice for SMEs Choose the right opportunity Aim for opportunities under £100,000 where PQQs have been abolished Bear in mind that bigger businesses have larger resources and can go after more business at the same time If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback so that you know how to improve in the future

Advice for SMEs (cont.) What to include in your bid We want to hear about your innovative solutions and how things can be done differently Demonstrate that you can save the public sector money and provide at a better quality Ensure that you answer all questions properly so that you don’t eliminate yourself

Current opportunities

QUESTIONS?

Supplier Event Knowsley Council & Crown Commercial Services Rachel Clarke Services Co-ordinator Innovas

Tender/PQQ Hints & Tips Innovas Consulting Solutions Ltd rachel.clarke@innovas.co.uk t: 01606 551122 m: 07760 885 799 w: www.innovas.co.uk

Some Examples of what the Public Sector Purchase Construction Printing Stationery Catering Services Ice Cream Vans Funeral Services Care Services Youth Work Services Removal Services IT Support/Services Websites Facilities Management HR Services Training Courses Accountancy Services Legal Services Pensions Vehicle Maintenance Cleaners Consultancy Environmental Services Graphic Design

Jargon Buster PIN - Prior Information Notice – advanced warning of a contract being tendered EOI - Expression of interest – sending email or clicking a box within the portal to say that you would like to apply RFQ - Request for Quotation – smaller than a PQQ – this is generally used for low value items PQQ – Pre-qualification Questionnaire – first stage of restricted tendering – this will include pricing ITT - Invitation To Tender – this is the second stage of restricted tendering – methodology (How you will run the project / contract) Contract Award Notice – information about who won the contract

Tender Portal Tips

Registering on websites You need to register with the key websites and fill out their profile details Most of these websites send out emails when they have a contract opportunity which matches your profile Be careful on your key words as simply putting consultant or designer is too broad and will generate too many ‘junk’ opportunities For each website they will ask for details on the main person – who gets the emails One option is to set up your own email which forwards internally eg tenders@innovas.co.uk. This is set to forward internally to everyone relevant Make a log of all your usernames and passwords as it is easy to forget!

Getting Prepared PQQ phase

Purpose of the PQQ This is a quick way for tenders to sift through who is most likely to be suitable to tender for their project It focuses on: Compliance Financial Stability Credibility Risk reduction It requires extensive policies to be in place – build a library! It often requires audited accounts – 3 years You will need full insurances in place – often including professional indemnity You may need other compliance memberships eg CHAS - The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme – OR - Constructionline

Some of the Key Policies & Information required Health & Safety Name competent manager Risk assessments Training Accident reporting Environmental & Sustainability Data Protection Quality Procedures and Accreditations: ISO standards – Prince2 Procedures Complaints Procedures Business Continuity Plan Membership of Trade Bodies Equal Opportunities – Equality & Diversity Employment of Apprentices/Community Engagement References Example of similar previous contracts: name of customer + full details of the contracts Insurances: Public Indemnity Employer’s Indemnity Professional Indemnity

Tips to remember CRITICALLY … Read carefully the PQQ and ALL the questions Answer them exactly as they ask and give them all the information Watch out for double negatives! If you don’t tick all the boxes – you will not get through even if they are not relevant to you Identify the language used in the tender and mirror it back in your response Identify and use your key messages / themes through the question and rest of bid Abbreviations – do not use Technical information – assume the marker is not a technical expert in your field Look at how you can stand out from the crowd even at this stage!!! Packaging and Presentation Simple to read Professional in presentation CRITICALLY … Give yourself enough time to prepare properly Submit on time in the way they require and with the number of copies they ask for

Preparing for your Tender Read the entire document thoroughly first Identify all the questions you will have to answer Look at the resources you will need and how you can showcase them Check out the evaluation criteria eg: Expertise – past experience: 15% Methodology: 25% Team: 20% Price: 40% Check the timetable for tendering Look at the implementation timetable to make sure you can meet it! Decide who will lead on writing the bid – and who is needed to write sections and / or supply information Set an internal timetable giving time for reviews before submission

Writing your Tender Think about the presentation of the document you will submit - standard sections might include: Executive Summary Introduction: a short introduction which sells your capability on one page Building on your track record: a summary of similar projects to prove you have the existing expertise Issues & Context: Shows you understand the Tender requirements and any implications Our Approach: This can also be Our Solution or Our Offer. This is the core of the tender Our Team: Name the key individuals and give a pen picture of each Costs and Timings: The details of your quotation and any timings related to delivery or implementation Risk Analysis and mitigation plans Case studies

Writing your Tender Use diagrams to illustrate your approach Avoid jargon Use their words Watch word counts if given!

Remember People DO believe that what they see is what they will get! Ensure your USP stands out Ensure you have met their specification in full Above else …. Don’t be late!!!

Tender/PQQ Hints & Tips Innovas Consulting Solutions Ltd rachel.clarke@innovas.co.uk t: 01606 551122 m: 07760 885 799 w: www.innovas.co.uk

Supplier Event Knowsley Council & Crown Commercial Services Liam Power Tel: 0151 443 4169 liam.power@knowsley.gov.uk Procurement Manager