SCEDU and Pelican celebrated the end of the Finance Hub project focused on third sector organisations getting ready for public sector contracts.

The research findings identify the ‘benchmarks of successes’ for third sector organisations to contract with public sector. The benchmarks are intended to point out areas that organisations might need to look at to ‘get ready for contracting’.

The benchmarking process has drawn out characteristics of success from a sample range of third sector organisations supplying to the public sector. These are illustrated by 12 case studies of organisations that have gone through the process of getting ready and are now supplying services to the public sector.

There are thirteen benchmarks in total that include planning for growth and change, being competitive, having a good relationship with buyers and understanding the tendering process amongst others.

SCEDU held in Sheffield a half-day seminar on the 14th February to publicise and disseminate findings of “Get Ready for that Local Authority Contract” research project. The Seminar had a wide audience from public, private and third sectors and guest speakers from government bodies, private and third sector organisations.

For further information: all research findings, reports and resources are available at http://contracting.wordpress.com