Tendering with partners

Gareth Coles – WCVA Collaborative Working Conference 2013

or…How to compete in an environment not

designed for collaboration

Tendering isn’t easy…

• Advert• Expression of interest• Pre-qualification questionnaire• Tender documents • Submit tender• Evaluation • Presentation• Contract award

Joint tendering

1. Develop a coherent service delivery model

2. Build a trusted, effective working relationship

3. Engage in a process that disadvantages collaborative responses

Workshop aims

• Discuss the context for collaboration

• Discuss some of the barriers to joint tendering

• Explore some of the key considerations, including structures and written agreements

Context

• Larger / generic contracts

• Regional commissioning

• Efficiency agenda

• Expectation

Issues for joint tenders

• Whether to collaborate• Timescales • Structures• Sub-contracting• Terminology

But…

“The Council welcomes bids from all tendering organisations including consortia”

Sell2Wales notice

“Public bodies should ensure that smaller, local suppliers are not precluded from winning contracts individually, as consortia, or through roles within the supply chain.”

Welsh Government

Benefits

• Pooling skills and resources• Expanding reach• Sharing information and good

practice• Improved and more integrated

services• Retain local contacts and expertise

• Pre-tender work• Compatible cultures, working

practices and values• Board decision• Structures • Take stock

Key considerations (1)

Key considerations (2)

• Due diligence• Consortium agreement• How do you manage disagreements?• Steering group• Express the added value of your

collaboration as a competitive advantage

Structures

1. Sub-contracting2. Lead organisation3. External lead4. New legal entity

Sub-contracting

Advantages• First experience of

tendering• Access contracts

beyond your capacity• Benefit from

resources of lead• Gain experience and

skills

Disadvantages• Cashflow problems• Other relationships• Restrict your

activities?• Delivery problems

Lead organisation

Advantages• Use experience of

lead and partners• (Relatively) easy to

establish

Disadvantages• Inequality / power

imbalance?• Lead may be

responsible for all liabilities

• Lead has to ‘manage’ the partners

External lead

Advantages• Partners can focus

on project delivery• Lead could represent

the partners• Capacity building

support

Disadvantages• Is this model

acceptable to commissioners?

New legal entity

Advantages• Ring-fences risk,

protecting partners• Jointly-owned by all

partners• Draws on experience

and expertise of all partners

Disadvantages• No track record of

service delivery• No financial history• Lengthy process to

establish• Real organisation, or

shell?

Written agreements

• Clarify the project

• Define roles and responsibilities

• Develop joint ownership

• Reference document

• “What if...?”

Learning points

• Start now• Develop a clear, shared vision for

the service• Can you influence the process?• Ask clarification questions• Develop a unified brand• Use any development period • Make an informed decision about whether it’s

right on a case by case basis

Resources and support

• County Voluntary Council (CVC)• WCVA • Wales Co-operative Centre

(Convergence)• Charity Commission• Winning in Tendering Project• New guidance soon!

Thank you

Gareth Coles 02920 431 771 gcoles@wcva.org.uk