Is it really
happening?
Public sector organisations worldwide
are starting to do this on line because it makes
BIG business sense to them as purchasers. The
drive for increased public sector efficiency
(Gershon set a 2.5% target) means that buyers
are looking for greater efficiency in every part
of the process. Doing it on-line really fits
the bill - for example, by making contract
advertisement more effective, by reducing paperwork
and by speeding communication. See our Case Studies
section for some examples.
See the Case
Studies section of this site for some examples.
Is it for me?
The customer is king - and
if the customer is doing it, then suppliers need
to get on the case. But what about small companies
looking at local public sector sales prospects?
Once e-tendering takes off, it will be applied
across the patch - and some of the best
opportunities relate to high frequency local
supply. For example, supply of perishable foodstuffs
to such as schools and NHS facilities is already
high on the list.
Do I stand a chance?
Fairness and openness are obligatory
considerations for all public sector tendering … and
it is widely recognised that Web-based advertising
and tendering should make the process more accessible
and better supported by the purchaser. Furthermore,
the latest government guidelines will make it
obligatory for customers to set out their Assessment
Criteria, and their procurement process in the
tendering documentation.
What
are the benefits for me as a supplier?
First -
The essential justification comes from the customers
- as the saying goes, ‘You’ve got
to be in it to win it’!
Second -
You will benefit from on-line access to adverts
and the use of email communication for updated
documentation and tender queries with purchasing
officers.
Third -
The bonus payback may be downstream, when e-tendering
data leads on to
electronic
methods of handling contract call offs, purchases
against Framework
Agreements and the related
invoicing processes. Our case
studies indicate
that Local Authorities are already identifying
benefits for all parties in the form of smarter
billing, consolidated invoicing and faster
payments. (How about being paid in a week!)
What ICT skills do I need?
In days gone by you needed to understand
special software and probably a bunch of passwords
and other mumbo jumbo. Things have definitely
changed for the good – which is why the
public sector is starting to procure on-line.
You simply need to know how to use a web browser
and email.
You will make the most
of e-tendering if you can use standard office
software,
especially word processing for writing tender
responses and a spreadsheet for compiling your
prices. All those skills can be accessed quickly
through commonly available courses such as ECDL (the
European Computer Driving Licence) or IC3 which
can be found at nearly any college or local
learning centre or from learndirect.
What ICT
equipment do I need?
Presumably this is the trap … you
need lots of equipment, special phone lines?
Wrong! That was definitely the case a few years
ago but nowadays all public sector systems are
based on accessing the Web and using email. So
therefore you need
- A broadband
connection (which should cost less than £20 per month) – broadband
because you don’t want to waste your
time waiting for the information to arrive
on the
screen
- A standard
personal computer with the regular office
software (word processing,
email,
an
internet browser and an anti-virus package) linked to
the broadband. This can be one of your
current
office computers – but if you need a
new one, it could cost as little as £400.
- A
firewall, which will
protect you from any unhelpful stuff
and not
so nice
people who are out there on the Internet.
If you’re not sure about
all that, the My-IT
Internet for Small businesses guide contains some straightforward information.
You
can also
get
free advice from
the eBusiness Unlimited initiative run by your
local Business Link with Yorkshire Forward.
How does e-tendering work?
So you’re
sure now that this is not rocket science (it
just needs regular office computer skills) and
it’s not going to break the bank (it’s
certainly not expensive compared with the gains).
So let’s forget the technology!
The important
thing is to understand how e-tendering works
and to pick up on anything that differs from
the traditional ways of winning business.
The following section covers ‘How
the Public Sector buys’ and you should also take a
look at the web sites in the ‘Finding
Contracts’ section
of this guide.
