Public Procurement Training in 2026

 Well, we are all back at work and remembering what we used to do in 2025.

I hope.

In my case it is delivering training. And the first open course is imminent - Introduction to Public Procurement for PASS Procurement at BIP Solutions.

So, if you want to know about public procurement as either a buyer or supplier, or want a reminder, or just to usefully spend those budget pennies left down the back of the sofa before end of March....

The course is online 27th January 2026 - and full details are here.

There are more courses on the programme (not all delivered by me) if that date does not work for you.  More details as we get nearer each one.

Delivering Against the new NPPS - 27TH March 2025

 Well the new National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) is here.

And 3/5ths of it seem pretty simple to reconcile with procurement.  The other 2/5?

Well that is why you need to come along to PASS Procurement's course on Delivering Against the new NPPS = 27th March 2025 online.  Full details here.

hope to see you there.

National Procurement Policy Statement - NPPS

 The new National Procurement Policy Statement has been published and I will be briefly discussing it at The Procurement Act Live! at the NEC on Thursday 27th February 2025.

Helpfully the NPPS was published about an hour after I had submitted my presentation for formatting (I'm not bitter...) but at least I have been able to update it appropriately.

The key element as I seem them are...

Kickstart Economic Growth

    Opportunities for SMEs (PPN 001 (2025)

    High quality jobs

    Encouraging Innovation

Make Britain a Green Energy superpower

    Accelerating to NetZero

Take back our streets

Break down barriers to opportunity

    Skills gaps

    Removing barriers to entry for young people and under represented groups

Build a NHS fit for the future

The NPPS is of course not QUITE National, as Scotland is not taking part in the PA2023 (yet), and Wales and Northern Ireland have some devolved procurement arrangements.  But nice to know the priorities.

Of the 5 elements I am not convinced that 2 really fit into Procurement Policy (I'm all in favour of taking back our streets, but is this a procurement priority?  And likewise I am a strong believer in [and patient of] the NHS, but surely that point is a government priority not a procurement priority (what is, say, MOD procurement [which is in the news at the moment] going to do to deliver improvements in the NHS?).  Those seem more like government priorities rather than procurement issues.

Of the 3 remaining, they all seem appropriate - but largely reminiscent of the original NPPS from June 2021 under a different administration.

    - Creating new businesses, new jobs and new skills in the UK

    - Tackling climate change and reducing waste 

    - Improving supplier diversity, innovation and resilience.

But that is not a bad thing as these are key challenges and knotty problems.

Hope to see you at NEC to discuss them in more detail (at the seminar or on the BIP Solutions stand)

Happy Procurement Act 2025 Go-Live Day

 Happy Procurement Act 2025 Go-Live Day to all those who celebrate....  on Monday 24th February 2025.

Supplier registrations on the new Central Digital Platform go live now (Monday) though I think I might leave it a day or two to avoid the rush.

You might even wait until after you have visited The Procurement Act Live at the NEC on Thursday 27th Feb 2025 - where I shall be presenting 5 short seminars but more importantly there will be speakers from Cabinet Office and loads of stalls, stands and seminars.

Details are here

Hope to see you there

The Procurement Act Live - NEC - 27th February 2025

 The Procurement Act has been delayed from October 2024 to 24th February 2025 - and just 3 days later we shall be running a live event at the NEC discussing the PA2023 and how well it is going.

Well, maybe how well it is going to go...

I shall be running a handful of short sessions, and be around on the day.  I will also be hoping to learn from the panolpy of other presenters.

Did I mention that it is free if you are public sector or VCSE?

Hope to see you there.

Full details (which are still developing) are here.

BIP Solutions - Understanding Sustainability in Public Procurement Tuesday 30th April 2024

 I am running a course on this increasingly important topic on Tuesday 30th April 2024.

Full details are here.

The course requires no previous knowledge or understanding.  We shall briefly discuss the new Procurement Act 2023, where the change from MEAT to MAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender to Most Advantageous Tender) may allow us to look more broadly at sustainability criteria.

In difficult times sustainability may seem like a luxury, but it is a priority that is not (and cannot) go away.

I am as always delighted to have tough questions and skepticism on the course.

Hope to see you there.

In the meantime here is a graph to make you worried, which may or may not be in the slide deck for the day.  I know the constant rain in the UK means it doesn't seem like the planet is warming - but that is not how things actually work.

 

The Procurement Act Expo, Tuesday 12th March 2024, Birmingham NEC

 I am going to this event as a delegate rather than as a presenter - that is how valuable and useful I think it is going to be.

Jointly presented by the Cabinet Office and BIP Solutions.

Hope to see you there.

Full details are here.

BIP - DPRTE - The Procurement Act 2023 for Defence Suppliers - 1st February 2024

I was a late substitute called off the bench to moderate this webinar, which will go out on Thursday 1st February 2024.

The Procurement Act 2023 has big implications for all public sector bodies, but for the defence industry there is a really big change as their standalone DSPCR 2011 is combined with other procurement processes.

We have two experts from MOD to talk through the changes, and (as it says) what it means for Defence Suppliers.  I'm just your genial host.

I found the session really interesting, and Alex and Ben have been intimately involved in the legislation and now in the role out - so they know what they are talking about.  

There is a slide pack to go along with the webinar, which will be less than an hour (currently in editing).

Hope you enjoy it.  Joining instructions are here or here (which my system thinks is a dodgy site, but isnt. Honest)

BIP Solutions - Understanding Social Value Monday 25th March 2024

 The very popular course on Understanding Social Value will be run online on Monday 24th March 2024.  Full details are here

BIP Solutions also has some historic content here which might be interesting.

BIP Solutions - Preparing Perfect Tenders 27th February 2024

 We've swapped a couple of events round, and I shall now be presenting Preparing Perfect Tenders online on Tuesday 27th February 2024.

This is one of our events tailored for suppliers to the public sector, and will of course talk about the new Procurement Act 2023 as well as tried and tested ways to make your bids and proposals stand out.

Full details here (the date might still say 7th March, but it WILL be on 27th Feb - we've just agreed)

Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers - BIP Solutions 7th March 2024 (change from 27th Feb 2024)

 Sorry folks - change of date and presenter for this event.  No longer 27th Feb but now 7th March with Gemma.

Will be a good event.

BIP Solutions - Delivering Effective Market Engagement - 15th February 2024 online

 One of the things about the new Procurement Act 2023 is that it is explicitly opening the door to more engagement with the supply base and market.  Now there was nothing strictly stopping buyers from doing that under the PCR 2015, but in practice Public Sector Buyers were very worried about the risk of challenge for distorting competition.

Well the government is recognising that suppliers have useful insights, and encouraging buyers to discuss procurements with them - but obviously not in a way that does actual distort competition.  And of course, if you are in Sales that is precisely your intention in engaging with potential customers.

But with some forethought this should be a useful capability.

So we are running a seminar to share what we see as best practice, and hope that delegates will share their thoughts and concerns too.

Full details are here.

Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers - BIP Solutions 7th March 2024

 As well as all the exciting stuff around the new Procurement Act 2023, we haven't forgotten the general skills required for Procurement.  

One of my mantras is that Procurement is just the other side of the table from Sales.  But somehow they are seen as commercial and we are just seen as clerical.  Not accurate!

(though my wife who works in sales thinks her company sometimes thinks they are just clerks too).

So we are running a range of courses for Buyers to help provide all the business and commercial skills that they need.

The first one is Developing Commercial Skills for Buyers online in 7th March 2024 - run by my colleague Gemma

Details are here.

Apologies for the change of date and presenter (no longer 27th February 2024).

I'm still writing it though.... which I guess may NOT be a selling point, but you are warned.

Understanding The Procurement Act 2023

As mentioned in other posts, there is going to be a lot of activity in 2024 around the new Procurement Act 2023.

And I'm going to be part of it.

As well as my PAWA Consulting programmes, I am delighted to work with BIP Solutions on a range of events building on our Understanding the Procurement Act Roadshows.

I shall be kicking off with Understanding the Procurement Act for Buyers online on Tuesday 6th February 2024.

My colleague Gemma Waring will be running it on April 17th.

We shall also be running events focusing on what it means for Suppliers (cunningly entitled Understanding the Procurement Act for Suppliers - 30th January and 4th April 2024, both run by Gemma).

We hope you can make it, and hope it will answer your questions.

Fuller details will be available here.

 

The Procurement Bill 2024

 

I am delighted to be announce that I shall be working with my colleagues at BIPSolutions to run a series of Roadshows about the Procurement Bill that is currently undergoing review in Parliament.  This will replace the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 that we have all been working under for almost a decade.

The plan is to have Royal Assent next year, and then have a six month period to allow everyone to understand the new rules before it goes live.  So, a year from new we should have a new public procurement regime.

If you are either a Public Sector buyer, or a supplier to the public sector then these changes are going to have an impact on you.

We are running a series of roadshows around England, firstly focusing on Buyers and then a follow up series focused on the implications for suppliers.  

The Buyer events are going start in Newcastle on Tuesday 3rd October, and then move on to Norwich on 10th October and Liverpool on 12th October with my as the host.  My colleague Gemma Waring will be hosting the events in Sheffield (19th Oct), Nottingham (31st Nov), Birmingham (7th Nov) and Bristol (21st Nov).

The supplier dates will be in November in Manchester and London (dates should be released early in October).

We have a range of great guest speakers to help talk through the Bill, and will have a panel discussion where we can address any other public procurement topics.  Questions will be welcome at the end of all sessions.

Fuller details including booking are at the link here.

Hope to see you there.

Tackling Procurement Fraud - BIP Solutions

 The second online course I shall be delivering for BIP Solutions this month is Tackling Procurement Fraud, Wednesday 23rd August 2023.  

Date is being rearranged-  will keep you up to date.  Probably September

Another interesting topic, with some key interests at the moment.  I shall try to stay the right side of the line on fair comments!

Hope to see you there.

BREAKING NEWS: Course now due to run on Wednesday 8th November.  Full details including booking forms in the link here.

Apologies for the delay.

BIP Solutions webinar on Use of Reg 32 for Public Procurement

My good friends at BIP Solutions are running some useful webinars in the next week.
The next one is Thursday 26th March 2020 at 11am, and covers the use of Regulation 32 (Use of Negotiated Procedure without prior publication) in light of the current Corvid-19 epidemic.

I don't know exactly what they will say, but it is bound to be useful.

Booking details are here.

Procurex South 15th March 2018 - London Olympia

So, this is only a week away and I am looking forward to this.  My sessions are in the Winning Tenders Training Zone in the afternoon, so I hope to get to see some of the keynote speakers in the morning, in particular Professor Sue Arrowsmith who will be talking about Brexit and Public Procurement, and Malcolm Harrison who is currently CEO of the Crown Commercial Service, but in the summer will take over the role of CEO of CIPS.  And of course the brilliant Eddie Regan.

That's pretty top notch stuff.  Well, maybe not me.

Procurex South Thursday 20th April 2017 - London Olympia

BIP solutions have asked me to contribute to their Procurex South event at London Olympia on Thursday 21st April 2017.

Full details are here.

Hope to see you there.

Preparing Perfect Tenders, London 15th March 2017

Off to London to deliver Preparing Perfect Tenders for BIP Solutions.  Full details here.