PUBLIC SECTOR
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Procurement Policy Notes, for example, set out government procurement policies covering areas such as prompt payment and carbon reduction.
procurement routes and suppliers that understand regulatory and operational challenges,” says Kevin. “For providers that can deliver measurable outcomes, framework participation offers access to substantial opportunities, repeat business and the ability to establish a strong reputation within sectors such as housing, local government, healthcare and education.” Richard agrees that long-term contracts, recurring revenue streams, strong customer retention and opportunities for expansion make the sector highly attractive. “The partners who thrive will be those that understand procurement is not simply about gaining access,” he says. “It is about consistently delivering outcomes that matter to the public sector organisations they serve.” Steve says the scale of the opportunity varies depending on the products and services a supplier provides. “Again, securing a place on a framework is an enabler rather than a guarantee of business,” he adds. “The opportunity may be significant, but suppliers still need to identify the right opportunities, engage with public sector customers and demonstrate the value they can deliver.” Jo agrees that getting accepted onto a framework is only the beginning. “You still have to go and win the work,” she says. “For specialist resellers, public sector business can be particularly attractive because it gives them an opportunity to turn deep expertise in a particular technology or sector into longer-term customer relationships. For MSPs, there is also the potential to build recurring services around those relationships. In both cases, businesses need the sales, service and support structures in place to look after those customers properly. “If partners can prove they are reliable and deliver good results, a public sector contract can develop into a long-term relationship and a valuable source of recurring business.” n
“These requirements can effectively act as gateways to competing for certain government
contracts. Suppliers therefore need to understand what applies to them, assess whether they already meet the relevant criteria and, where they do not, identify what they need to put in place before bidding. “The important thing is to prepare early. Understanding the requirements of the individual framework and wider government procurement policy puts resellers in a much stronger position when an opportunity arises.” Jo says the first step is working out which route and agreement is relevant to your business. “There are more than 100 commercial agreements available through government procurement, covering a wide range of goods and services, so resellers need to spend time understanding where they fit,” she says. “From there, you need to be able to prove that you can deliver what you’re promising. That means having the right technical skills, security standards and processes in place, but also being able to point to customers you’ve helped and results you’ve delivered. “Smaller MSPs shouldn’t count themselves out. One of the biggest challenges across the channel is finding and retaining skilled people, particularly outside London. Smaller providers simply cannot hire a specialist for every area of the business.” Opportunity knocks For resellers that gain access to the public sector, the opportunities are significant. “Public sector organisations value long-term partnerships, predictable
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The important thing is to prepare early. Understanding
the requirements of the individual framework and wider government procurement policy puts resellers in a much stronger position when an opportunity arises.
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