L@B Brief -May 2025
Return to tender
FOUR YEARS ago, GAMBICA submitted members’ feedback to a government consultation on public procurement. In February, the results arrived with the Procurement Act 2023, aimed at simplifying and improving how public sector bodies buy goods and services. The Act should be especially helpful for smaller businesses that have struggled to access public contracts.
Key changes include:
- More flexible frameworks: Suppliers will have more regular opportunities to join commercial frameworks, avoiding long lockouts.
- Stronger prompt payment rules: More contracts now require 30-day payment terms.
- New central platform – ‘Find a Tender’: Stores supplier details to save time on repeated entries.
- Procurement Review Unit (PRU): A new body to handle supplier complaints about unfair or non-compliant procurement—potentially offering quicker resolutions than past appeals via the Cabinet Office.
Easier Tender Discovery
A common member complaint is the volume and spread of public tenders. To address this, GAMBICA has overhauled its tender alert service, partnering with a specialist provider to track tenders related to lab equipment and consumables—across both public and private sectors.
This enhanced service is free to all GAMBICA members, and now includes a dedicated procurement specialist who filters tenders so you receive only relevant opportunities.
Smarter Bid Writing with AI
Finding tenders is only the first step—writing winning bids is the next challenge. AI is increasingly used in bid writing (and possibly evaluation), offering speed but also raising accuracy and confidentiality risks.
To help members navigate this, GAMBICA is running shared-cost training courses with an expert bid writer. The sessions will cover how to use AI effectively, from idea generation to final draft, while highlighting risks like data privacy and the importance of authenticity.
If you are interested in the tender alert service or training courses, please get in touch at: [email protected]
Toodle pip!
Jacqueline
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