Author: Melissa Russell

UK public sector procurement hotspots 2019

Posted on by Melissa Russell

Are you an Irish business looking for UK contracts?

Every year, the government of Ireland spends €8.5bn procuring goods and services. This includes everything from pens to hospital beds, which means the opportunities to win business with the public service are vast and ongoing. However, opportunities for Irish businesses to win public sector tender contracts overseas should not be overlooked.

Irish businesses are in luck with the sheer volume of public sector contract opportunities available in the UK. Although many are worried about the uncertain future for businesses in the wake of Brexit, the UK public sector still spends around €316 billion every year on procurement, making it the largest in Europe by value. Irish businesses should not miss out on the tender opportunities it offers.

Below is a breakdown of UK public sector contracts by area.

 

UK contract hotspots 2019

London: 20,007 contract notices

North West England: 16,969 contract notices

South East England: 15,435 contract notices

South West England: 15,385 contract notices

Yorkshire and the Humber: 14,869 contract notices

Scotland: 14,645 contract notices

 

Notable regions

London

As expected, London has the highest number of contract opportunities. Public sector spend in London has increased for the last two consecutive years, with a total of £91.6 billion spent in 2018. The region is a great place for picking up construction contracts on housing schemes, including fast-growing social housing projects. It is also a hotspot for transport projects, with the latest reports showing that London is set for three times more transport investment than the North of England, adding up to £2,389 more per head.

North of England

The region is a focus for public sector infrastructure projects, with major road network schemes currently in the works. Transport for the North (TfN) recently submitted a bid for £700m of investment into northern roads over the next five years. As well as this, the Northern Powerhouse Rail initiative investment is making progress, creating 34,000 more jobs and a further 54,523 jobs in manufacturing roles. This makes the region a good area of opportunity for Irish construction businesses.

Scotland

Scotland has shown a rise in digital connectivity, such as capitalising on 4G and 5G capability, which will boost the economy by as much as £17bn and will help remote rural areas in Scotland secure future investments. This, in turn, will help growth in public sector contracts. Scotland is also great choice for upcoming transport contracts. The Highland Mainline transport project was completed in March 2019, with the second phase costing £55m. The government recently announced a further £13.25m support fund for public, community and third sector organisations in order to help deliver low carbon transport hubs.

 

Find public sector procurement opportunities

Irish businesses are in a good position to win contracts in these regions across the UK, especially low-hanging fruit projects across the public sector. Supply 2Gov subscribers can access tender alerts for the areas above and more.

Once you have signed up for your FREE local area, simply tailor your profile to the services or products that are in your business interest.

 

 

The Top Public Sector Procurement Hot Spots in Ireland and the UK 2018

Posted on by Melissa Russell

The temperature isn’t the only thing that’s going up this summer. We’ve identified the hot spots for public sector contracts across Ireland and the United Kingdom.

With more opportunities in the public sector out there than every before, it’s time to think about the contracts that you have been missing.

Here’s our list of the top public sector procurement hot spots below, so you can spot the opportunities that could be sitting on your doorstep, and beyond.

Top Public Sector Procurement Hot Spots

London – 6,352 contracts

North West England – 5,057 contracts

Republic of Ireland – 4,479 contracts

South East England – 4, 401 contracts

South West England – 4,301 contracts

Yorkshire & Humber – 4,202 contracts

Scotland – 4,137 contracts

S2G-Public Sector Procurement hot spots Infographic

Republic of Ireland

Ireland spends approximately €12 billion every year on goods, services and works. Procurement is one of the main focuses of the Irish Government’s Public Service Reform programme and in the latest Communications Strategy (2018-2020) from the Office of Government Procurement, the department states that it aims to “promote participation in the public procurement process by SMEs and micro enterprises.”

 

London

London continues to sit at the top of the hotpots – and how could it not? London had the highest public spend figure per head across all English regions in 2017 at £10,192 (11% higher than the UK average). The new HS2 rail link from London to the West Midlands and the North is estimated to cost £55.7bn – a key opportunity for infrastructure suppliers.

 

Scotland

Research from July 2018 has found Scotland’s infrastructure output per person to be the largest in the UK. Scotland saw 54% more infrastructure output per person than London did in 2017. Other key areas of investment in Scotland include energy, water and housing – make sure you are looking for opportunities in these areas.

 

North West England

UK central government intends to spend £134bn over the period 2016-21; 32% of that sum will be spent in the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse initiative investment will use this spend to support projects around road, rail, freight, aerospace and skills development.

 

South East England

The new HS4Air rail line will connect Kent with major airports in under an hour. The project is valued at £10bn and has been described as the “M25 for high-speed trains”. This year it was also announced that a further £2m will be given to local regions in the South East to create transport strategies to improve connectivity and drive economic growth.

 

South West England

A Ministry of Defence report released in July 2018 states that the defence sector brings an annual investment of £5.1bn to the South West of England. Most of the MOD’s expenditure in the region centres on technical, financial and other business services.

 

Find public sector procurement opportunities

Supply2Gov subscribers can access tender alerts for the areas above and more! Once you have signed up for your FREE local area, simply tailor your profile to the services or products that your SME business offers.

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Three reasons why the new Supply2Gov Ireland is your best hope for tendering success

Posted on by Melissa Russell

We are very proud to announce that Supply2Gov Tenders Ireland has officially launched, meaning your business’ procurement plan just got even easier!

Explore the brand-new website here and discover exactly how we aim to help you FIND new opportunities, WIN more tenders and GROW your business.

We make business growth easier for small businesses

We know time is precious for busy sole traders and micro businesses, so we’ve designed Supply2Gov to make your life easier. Through our unique daily tender alerts, matched opportunities and intuitive searches, we make sure you spend your time winning new business instead of looking for it.

Super-powered public sector database

Supply2Gov has Ireland’s largest database of public sector contracts and opportunities. We publish more tenders than even the Government’s own national contract services! What’s more, we put all our contract information in one simple to use place for you and only send you alerts for opportunities relevant to your business needs.

Help and support when you want it

Through jargon-free guides, easy to follow webinars, and countless other benefits, we support you throughout the entire tendering process in our Resource Centre, providing help and guidance whenever you need it.

Want to know more about how Supply2Gov works? Watch our short video!

Register on the new Supply2Gov website for free here and get ready to FIND, WIN and GROW.

How to be the superhero of your company

Posted on by Melissa Russell

 

Superhero comics, films and television programmes have taught us numerous lessons over the years, the most important one being that no matter how strong, clever or old you are, you never stop learning.

This theory can be applied to getting involved in public sector procurement for small businesses. Getting started can seem daunting but just like Superman and Wonder Woman, you have to start somewhere.

Knowledge is power and having the right intelligence will help you to capture all the contracts that are available for your business.

Find out how you can release Supply2Gov superpowers below.

 

Have a “Hawkeye” for tender opportunities

Knowing where to look is the first step to becoming the superhero of your company. You can use our platform to search for tenders in your chosen area.

The Avengers would not be complete without the skills of a true marksman – remember, if you don’t shoot, then you do not score.  Register for free today and receive tender alerts that are suitable for sole traders and micro/small businesses.

 

Find tenders in a flash

As the old saying goes, ‘if you’re not fast, you’re last” and in the world of business, poor timing can be costly.

Staying up to date is a battle for new public sector suppliers. Many sole traders and micro businesses miss opportunities when they are searching for tenders, simply because of the sheer volume of sources out there.

Our speedy researchers look for opportunities across Ireland and the UK every day, something that many businesses do not have the time or resources for. Just think of Supply2Gov as the Flash in your Justice League!

 

Hammer the competition

Take action and your business will soar ahead of any competition, even larger players in the market.  Every great superhero needs to prepare for their first challenge and with Supply2Gov, you are sure to learn more about procurement and train for the marketplace.

Subscribing to our website means you will never miss the latest in procurement news. The more that you familiarise yourself with procurement terms and regulations, the better your bids will be. Before you know it, you will be the expert and you will start to win contract opportunities!

Get help from a Supply2Gov sidekick

Where would Batman be without Robin? Every great hero has a sidekick who is always conveniently there in their time of need.

If you want support or advice on how to get started, get in touch with a member of our expert procurement team. We can help you to get your head around all aspects of procurement – which is why we have also added an FAQs section on our support page.

 

Save the day

Superman wouldn’t think twice about signing up for a free Supply2Gov account. Let your micro/small business fly high and before you know it your business will grow from strength to strength.

We love happy endings and that is why we have tailored packages for micro businesses at every stage. Whether you are looking for tenders in your local area, or across Ireland and overseas into the UK, we have a pricing package suitable.

Make powerful decisions with Supply2Gov. Start for free today.