Well, I'm back from holiday (Malta, thanks for asking - see below - it's lovely). So time to get ready for Preparing Perfect Tenders (online).
Full details are here. Best be quick if you want to join us. I hope that you do.
(Sorry it is just online, and not in person in Malta... maybe if enough people ask?)
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.
Last open course for 2025 (for me) is online on Wednesday 4th December 2025.
Full details are here.
These courses have been very popular, and so we shall run them again in 2026, but not until February at the earliest. And there will probably be a run of other courses as well, but not until the Spring.
So if you are interested, hope to see you online.
Gosh, it's 2nd September already. Summer's not quite gone, but it is getting ready for back to school...
And so I assume lots of people are now keen to stop reading that summer blockbuster on the beach and start thinking again about the Procurement Act 2023.
No?
Well if you are then, you might want to come along for our first Procurement Act in Practice for Suppliers next Tuesday 9th September at PASS Procurement.
Link here - https://www.passprocurement.co.uk/event/procurement-act-in-practice-for-suppliers/
And if you are old enough to get the reference, the Boo Radleys are here
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.
I shall be running CIPS Procurement Fundamentals course on Thursday 25th April 2024, starting at 8:45am for 9am UK time.
This assumes no knowledge of Procurement so is ideal for new starts or those considering a career in Procurement (you should - it is very interesting).
As always the course will be as interactive as I can make it.
Full details are here.
This interactive training course considers fundamental elements of the procurement process, together with basic tools and techniques used within procurement and supply. It provides a robust grounding in procurement basics and is designed for those in a junior procurement/supply chain role or those new to the discipline. Delivered using learning systems and techniques to develop individual skills
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.
The next CIPS open skills training I am running after Developing Contracts is Procurement Fundamentals. Again this is suitable for both public and private sector buyers, and for anyone who wants to understand what procurement is (hint: not just shopping or filling in forms). No prior knowledge is required.
Full details are here. Hope to see you there.
Sticking with the contracts theme... I am also delighted to be running some open skills training courses for CIPS online this year.
The first of these is Developing Contractual Agreements on 6th March 2024 - full details are here.
Brief description: "This interactive course is particularly relevant for those who are new to procurement. It will provide an awareness of the essential legal principles governing contracts, not just to solve disputes but more importantly, how to avoid them. It considers issues relating to the setting up of contracts and key contract clauses."
The course is suitable for both public and private sector buyers, and indeed for anyone who wants an insight into contracts whatever their role.
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.
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 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.
I am pleased to tell you that I have renewed my relationship with BIP Solutions, and will be delivering a range of programmes on their behalf.
The first of this is Understanding Sustainability in Public Procurement which I shall be delivering on line on Tuesday 15th August 2023. Full details are in the link here.
Very interesting topic and very affordable - but I would say that, wouldn't I?
Hope to see you there
With a colleague we are looking at running a public procurement awareness course in March 2022, just ahead of the implementation of new public procurement rules (or so we are told).
Our current plans would be to look at doing one day as an Introduction, and a second day focusing on the new regulations.
A possible third day would be a course I have longed to do for years, which is to look at negotiation from both the sales and procurement points of view- at the same time.
If you are interested, it would be great if you would let me know - no commitment. What we want to know is whether it is of interest, and what topics people want covering.
Hope to see you then.
We are restarting running the course on Engineering Procurement with IChemE. Details are here.
This is 2 half days with a few days in between to allow delegates to think and apply what we are discussing, and then bring it to the second session for more detailed discussion.
This is online, and based on the face to face one day course that we hope to one day return to running.
The topic is fairly self explanatory, but just in case we are looking at principles of procurement but related to the highly technically specified world of engineering (in general, but Chemical Engineering in particular).
Hope to see you there.
This regularly popular course is being run again by IChemE on 9th/10th August 2021 as 2 half day sessions. The course is live to allow for discussion and interaction. And of course, delivered by me.
We are sticking with online courses for the time being. No doubt we shall go back to face to face training when it is safe and appropriate to do so.
Full details are here.
We are in discussions about some other courses - face to face when allowed or online, and as downloadable webinars. Full details if and when go ahead.
Full details from IChemE here.
We are also getting an increasing number of requests to run this in-house, and of course we are able to do that (online at the moment, and face to face in future). This can be the full 2 day course or the 2 half days (including both on a single day, but that is not our preference.
BTW, there should be a short article from me in the Chemical Engineer soon (probably next year now) explaining why Engineers need to understand Contracts.
We've had a couple of last minute drop outs, so if you are interested there are spaces which can be booked at IChemE - here.
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