Welcome

Tendering for Success is a one-day seminar designed to improve your knowledge of the public sector procurement process. It will provide details on the tendering process and how SMEs can maximise the potential to be gained from public sector contract opportunities through Supply2.gov.uk

At the start of 2006, there were 4.5 million business enterprises in the UK – 600,000 more than in 1997 – employing an estimated 22.4 million people, with an estimated turnover of £2,600 billion.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) together accounted for more than half of employment (58.9 per cent) and more than half of turnover (59.1 per cent). Almost all of these enterprises (99.3 per cent) were classified as small companies with 0 to 49 employees.*

*Source: Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) administered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2006.

Supply2.gov.uk – an open market where any business, no matter what size or type, can participate

Supply2.gov.uk is the only official government lower-value contract opportunity portal. Created by the Government, it is specifically designed to give small businesses access to lower-value government contract opportunities (typically below £100,000).

Launched in June 2006, the portal has already advertised in excess of 69,500 contracts to SMEs throughout Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Buyers and suppliers are brought together for the first time, allowing the portal to achieve its aim of being ‘the first portal of call for lower-value business opportunities’.

As a result of this success, the portal is recognised by both business and government as a useful and effective tool, providing a route to help small businesses thrive and grow.

Who are BERR?

On 17 July 2007, Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Competitiveness, announced the renaming of the Small Business Service as the Enterprise Directorate. The new name reflects the emphasis placed by the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) on enterprise and growth. The Enterprise Directorate continues to be the expert policy unit on small business issues throughout government.

BERR has lead responsibility for small business and enterprise policy. The Department works across Whitehall, the Regional Development Agencies and key delivery partners to ensure that government - national, regional and local - understands and responds to the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Government's aim is to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business.

Mr Timms welcomed the news that the Supply2.gov.uk service is proving to be a valuable business tool to companies across the country. He said: "Ensuring all businesses have straightforward access to public sector procurement opportunities is very important. Supply2.gov.uk achieves this and benefits both suppliers and buyers. Companies get the chance to tender for solid contracts and government gets access to a diverse and creative range of suppliers."

BERR's Enterprise Directorate retains specialist expertise in policies which both strengthen the enterprise environment for small businesses and enable more people and communities to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities. The Enterprise Directorate's policy work is supported by a strong research, statistics and analytical function and it maintains international links, especially with other EU Member States and the United States.