Cheshire East Council is to hold a series of free workshops to help business people learn how to win public sector contracts.
The procurement training events are being provided by the council’s arms-length Skills and Growth Company and are targeted at local businesses in Cheshire East.
The aim is to show small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) how to ‘get started’ in the bid process and how to produce a tender for both local and central government work.
The workshops are suitable for businesses new to the tendering process as well as those looking to improve how they tender.
The latest procurement workshops, which aim to cover the whole process from start to finish, are:
– Let’s get started – on Tuesday 27th February
– The ‘invitation to tender’ process – on Tuesday 6th March
The first workshop is an introduction to the tendering process, which will show how the framework for public sector tendering operates, how to navigate it and how to prepare for tendering opportunities.
The second workshop will explain the best-practice procedures and structures that you should put in place in your organisation to make sure your bids are as professional as possible and also how working in consortia can provide further opportunities.
Cllr Paul Bates, Cheshire East cabinet member for finance and communications, said: “We are keen to support local firms and work to ensure as many of our quality services as possible are provided locally, while continuing to deliver value for money for the people of Cheshire East.”
Cheshire East Council spends in the region of £260m annually on contracts, supplies and services with third parties.
If you book a place on the workshops, you will be booked on to both sessions. These will take place at: Riverside, Mountbatten Way, Congleton, CW12 1DY.
Each event starts with refreshments and breakfast at 7.45am for a prompt 8am start. The sessions finish at 11am.
Places are strictly limited and businesses are advised to attend both events in order to get the most benefit and understand the whole process.
To book your place, visit: www.skillsandgrowth.co.uk/events
Alternatively, please email: business@skillsandgrowth.co.uk
