The success rate of third sector organisations tendering for public services could be increased with improved support. In particular with information to plan for rapidly changing opportunities. This project aims to improve organisations’ chances of knowing when they are ready to secure contracts, by enabling their self assessment against new pilot benchmarks and pricing of services. This will also indicate how organisations are contributing to local authority floor targets.
WHO?
SCEDU (Sheffield Community Enterprise Development Unit) have been commissioned to undertake this project by the Finance Hub. The Hub is making sense of funding and finance in the Third Sector through the delivery of an integrated programme of research, development, training and information dissemination. (By third sector we refer to voluntary/community organisations and social enterprises.)
WHAT?
SCEDU will be developing case studies across England of third sector organisations with public sector contracts. SCEDU will be analysing these examples and draw out benchmarks of success that enabled these contracts to happen. Other areas that will be looked at include the role of floor targets in public sector contracting, VAT issues for contracting and signposting information for contracting.
WHO IS IT FOR?
The information will be aimed at front line third sector organisations, infrastructure organisations and public sector procurement departments and policy makers. This approach tackles both the supply and demand side of contracting and will provide examples of good practice to encourage further progress in this area.
