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Howtowin public contracts Servicing the public sector can be the bread and butter of children’s franchises – so how can you bid for a slice? This advantage could be key to winning over a contractor – in this case, a local authority or authorities – looking to improve access to education and extra-curricular activities. Preparing for the tender process Stepping into the public sector arena can be daunting, regardless of the experience and size of your franchise, especially as procurement processes can be complicated and wrapped in red tape. “The public sector loves bureaucracy and has a certain way of doing things,” says Walters. Franchisees can apply for a tender in their region directly or via a franchisor applying on your behalf. Before you can even be invited to pitch, you’ll be required to fill out the Standard Selection Questionnaire, often referred to by its acronym SSQ. It’s a list of selection questions, including previous contracts, past experience, qualifications and your financial health, as well as self-declarations against exclusion grounds as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The contractor will use responses to shortlist bidders, so it’s important that you answer the questions honestly and transparently. Pitching for public contracts Assuming you’re successful with the SSQ, the next step is to prepare your pitch, which should be treated like any normal sales pitch. You’ll need to be able to market “The public sector is often looking for the reassurance and comfort provided by a bigger brand and the robust processes that a franchised operation can provide” WORDS : RICH MCEACHRAN he UK government spent £393 billion on public procurement in the 12 months ending 5 April 2023 - up 7% from the previous year, according to Public Spending Statistics. Supplying products or services to the public sector can be rewarding business for those lucky enough to secure it. But the good news is that “franchises by their very nature can be appealing for public sector authorities that are putting contracts to tender,” explains Andrew Walters, founder of Kindling Franchise Consultants, a recognised expert in children’s activity franchising. As Walter says: “The public sector is often looking for the reassurance and comfort provided by a bigger brand and the robust processes that a franchised operation can provide. In the case of nationwide tenders, a national footprint can also be a huge advantage as it allows them to contract with one central office that can manage the roll out.” Children’s services franchises are also attractive to the public sector because franchising tends to have a low overhead business model and, as a result, fees per child are often lower which increases accessibility of services. T INS IGHT 22 WHAT FRANCHISE | ISSUE 19.3 CHILDREN’S SERVICES SPECIAL