Businesses offered chance to improve their ability to bid for public sector contracts
Businesses in St Albans District are being offered the chance to improve their ability to win local government contracts.
They can book a place on a free programme, called Fit To Bid, which offers training on how to make successful bids for such work.
The course includes specialist skills workshops, one-to-one advice sessions with an expert and an event where they can meet those responsible for awarding contracts.
Councils put out to tender a wide range of contracts that are open to bids from local businesses of many types and sizes.
These can include work involving house building, property maintenance, IT, leisure facilities and parks.
Fit To Bid is being provided by St Albans City and District Council as well as three neighbouring local authorities – Hertsmere, Dacorum and Watford.
The programme is being delivered by Branduin Business Support, a company that helps people to start, run and grow a business.
It is funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The first workshop takes place online in early September and businesses can register for the course here: https://bit.ly/4lJcr09.
The ‘Meet the Buyer’ event, offering an opportunity for businesses to question local authority officers, will take place in November.
Councillor Paul de Kort, Leader of St Albans City and District Council, said:
As a Council, we are committed to helping the District’s businesses grow and boost the local economy.
Our Fit To Bid programme has been devised to assist them in doing just that by showing them how to prepare a bid for some of the many contracts that local authorities put out to tender.
It will provide them with the expert knowledge, skills and the confidence needed to secure more work for their companies.
Bidding for a local government contract can be a complex challenge and this course will show how you can overcome the issues involved. I urge any local business which could benefit to take part.
You can find out more about Branduin Business Support here: https://branduin.co.uk/
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and supporting local business.
You can find out more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.