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regulations, which demonstrates that your franchise is being proactive in minimising its carbon footprint. For children’s services franchises that run inclusive playgroups and support children with special education needs, specific accreditations such as those awarded through the Autism Accreditation Programme could boost your application. Where to find tenders to pitch for The UK government has a contract finder that allows you to find out about opportunities worth at least £12,000, including past tenders and upcoming contracts. There’s also a separate search facility for high-value contracts worth at least £138,760. Each opportunity listed will give you the name of the contracting authority, the duration, anticipated value of the contract, plus the terms of the agreement. Alternatively, there are third-party sites, like Bidstats, which boasts the largest database of public procurement data. Where to find advice As part of Brexit, the government has recently updated the UK Procurement Act, which is due to come into force this October. Changes aim to make it easier for suppliers to do business with the public sector. Plus, YouTube tutorials, known as ‘Knowledge Drops’, are designed to prepare suppliers for the upcoming changes and include lessons on how contracts are awarded and managed, so you can begin pitching with confidence. “The UK government has a contract finder that allows you to find out about opportunities worth at least £12,000, including past tenders and upcoming contracts. There’s also a separate search facility for high-value contracts worth at least £138,760” your product or service in the best possible light in order to persuade the buyer that yours is the one to procure. For example, you could emphasise how your children’s services business encourages play and inspires young minds. It’s also worth remembering that, at the end of the day, writing a tender response is more than just a form-filling exercise. Storytelling can help you to connect with those reviewing the application. “Submitting a tender application can be a bit of an artform. It can be advantageous to get support from an organisation that specialises in tenders to help,” advises Walters. Such organisations can work with you to craft the perfect narrative. Consider accreditation When pitching for a tender, it’s vital that you read the tender document thoroughly, so you’re confident that you can answer the points raised. Accreditation may help boost your application. Tenders will typically stipulate that you may have to hold certain certificates, but, even if they don’t, it could still be harder to win a pitch if you’re coming up against accredited competitors. The two main accreditations are ISO:90001 for quality management, which demonstrates your ability to provide products and services that meet customer requirements; and ISO:90001 for WHAT-FRANCHISE.COM 23