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NEPO Supplier Partnership Programme: Our Workshops

We reflect on a successful partnership with procurement organisation NEPO, where we have delivered a series of bid writing training courses for local businesses.

In late 2023, we successfully tendered for a contract for North East purchasing organisation NEPO to deliver a wide variety of bid writing and introduction to tendering workshops, sessions and masterclasses. Our Training Services Manager Stephen Murray and Managing Director Matthew Walker have designed and delivered courses aimed at suppliers with all levels of expertise – from first-time bidders to those tendering for larger contracts.

Results across the first year included:

As we enter our second year as NEPO’s trusted partner, we reflect on how we have supported local organisations to build confidence in bidding for public sector contracts, and how we will support them to navigate changes in the wider world of procurement.

Bid writing courses – what’s on offer

Since 2023, we have delivered over 50 training sessions to approximately 350 local, North East suppliers and prospective bidders. The sessions cover a broad range of topics, as outlined below:

Introduction to public sector tendering

Our introductory session is for organisations who are completely new to public sector procurement, and need support in sourcing the right opportunities and making the ‘bid/no-bid’ decision. Equally, introductory sessions will cover the legislation which governs public sector procurement – including the Procurement Act 2023 – and the bid evaluation process which contracting authorities must adhere to.

Other topics covered include:

Bid writing masterclasses

Structured around producing a high-quality, competitive submission, our masterclass sessions cover:

 

Bid writing masterclasses are organised into two strands – one for suppliers with limited experience in procurement, and another for those with some experience and success in bidding for contracts, looking to build on their existing skills to compete for larger opportunities.

Social value – building it into your organisation

Many organisations struggle with social value, including measuring social value as part of your submission. Our dedicated social value course covers:

Drop-in surgeries

Suppliers can also book dedicated surgery slots – a one-to-one meeting with a dedicated bid consultant for up to one hour of free tender support, advice and guidance. Support can be in relation to specific opportunities or more broad enquiries around the tender process, including:

Drop-in surgeries can be booked online directly at a time and date convenient to your representative.

What’s next for 2025?

As with our other services, we will continue to update our training courses in accordance with industry changes, including:

Additional changes, such as the release of new procurement policy notes, will also be incorporated into our training courses with NEPO.

Other bid writing training courses

In addition to our NEPO partnership, we have also delivered bid writing training on behalf of RTC North and St Helens Borough Council and offer bespoke bid writing training courses for individual organisations, upskilling existing bid teams.

Our Training Services Manager Stephen Murray will review your previous bid activity and design a course specific to your needs, including:

To find out more about our training offerings, contact us today at info@executivecompass.co.uk or via telephone 0800 612 5563.

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