Andrew Wilson, Associate Director at B2B North, delivery partner of the Durham Business Opportunities Programme (DBOP) Construction ‘Routes to Contract Success’ Programme blogs giving his top five tips for signing up.
The Durham Business Opportunities Programme (DBOP) Construction ‘Routes to Contract Success’ is a two-year business support programme to help companies based in County Durham who are involved in the building and construction sectors win more contracts.
So far, we have supported 72 different Durham-based SMEs attend training sessions organised in collaboration with large employers with significant purchasing requirements across the construction sectors. Organisations such as Believe Housing, Durham Council, Esh Group and Northumbria Water. Other organisations we are working with include Home Group and the NHS (for their buildings/facilities requirements).
To date, 348 hours of training and 1-2-1 bid writing support have been delivered to Durham SMEs to help them discover new business opportunities, compete and win new contracts with major customers not just in the North East but throughout the UK.
Procurement and bidding subjects covered by guest organisations include:
- Spend Thresholds
- Categories
- Pipeline of Opportunities
- Example Tender Questions
- Tendering Process
- Evaluation
- Tender Tips
- Responsible Procurement
If you are a business in Durham who works in (or supplies into) the construction and building industry, our aim is simple: to help you find and win new work and contracts.
If this is not enough motivation to get involved, take a look at our top 5 reasons why you should sign up to DBOP: Routes to Contract Success…
5 Reasons to sign up to Routes to Contract Success
- IT’S FREE!
Free workshops for you and your staff to help you find new contracts and give you support to improve your business all for no charge at all! Unlimited places at any of our workshops are available free of charge to any eligible SME based in Durham. How could you turn that down?
- Workshops cover all aspects of bidding and tendering, including upcoming supplier opportunities
This includes the importance of social value, supplier compliance, professional tendering and bid writing skills, finding new opportunities and knowing how to “follow the money” to identify your position in a supply chain and provide/communicate value to your customers and wider stakeholders.
- Be the first to hear about upcoming opportunities with some of the county’s biggest buyers at our supplier engagement events
Network with some of the biggest companies and public sector employers in the region, ask questions and receive direct advice on how their procurement works and what exactly they are looking for from their suppliers and find out what you need to do to get a place on their frameworks by submitting a successful tender.
- Gain subsidised, professional level bid writing support which will help you win new orders
Best quality preparation and writing of tenders can make the difference between winning or losing major contracts. Decision making for significant contracts is never based solely on price. Quality, sustainability and health & safety are all examples of other factors which are carefully evaluated by customers before awarding works to the successful bidder. Our personal approach puts us alongside your business to develop, write and present the best possible tenders. We have already won several contracts for companies we are supporting in Durham.
- Direct advice from one of the region’s leading bid writers
During the last 7 years, Garry Stone from B2B North has helped local businesses secure over £381m in business, including a wide range of contract and subcontract opportunities for local trades, transforming family-led businesses through lucrative ‘framework’ contracts, and helping more established businesses onto major works and region-wide programmes. Garry and his experienced team are providing the training, bid-writing support and 1-2-1 coaching, working closely with Business Durham – the Council’s business support, development and investment team.
