This guide seeks to explain the complex processes by which the government buys, in the UK and Europe, and some of the thinking that lies behind them.
Public sector buying differs substantially from commercial buying, but once you understand the principles that the public sector procurement system is based upon, selling to it isn’t more difficult, just different. This guide shows you where the formal procurement rules can be bent (but not broken) and where the process can be harnessed to gain competitive advantage.
Content
Introduction
What this guide does and how it works
Cabinet Office and the Office of Government Commerce
The buying environment
The Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)
Fundamental Principles of public sector buying
How the procurement and evaluation processes work
The political scene
Introduction to political analysis
Identifying the targets and influence
Approaching influential people and making it happen
Market intelligence
Discovering and harnessing market intelligence
Qualifying the opportunity
Sixfold position analysis tool and how to use it
Responding to the Selection Questionnaire
Purpose of the SQ and the standard SQ contents
Strategies for dealing with and getting past the SQ stage
Responding to the ITT
Key to responding
Competitive environment
Presentation stage
What’s actually happening at this stage?
Timing, outline agenda, preparing to convince the evaluators
Presentation traps
Win when you lose
Strategies if you think you might lose
If you are the winner
Conclusions
Lessons learned
Top traps to avoid and top tips for winning
