New eLearning package to help prevent bid-rigging within the public sector
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) joined forces to create a new eLearning package to help identify and prevent bid-rigging within the public sector. The package will support more than 4000 central government procurers unearth attempts to win contracts through anti-competitive conduct.
Evidence suggests that there was up to 30% overcharge in 2013/14, costing the taxpayers millions of pounds.
Rigging a Public Sector Bid
Bid-rigging involves competing businesses which are invited to bid in competitive tenders secretly colluding so that contrary to appearances, they are not fully competing for the contract. Bid-rigging tends to drive up prices by removing genuine competition between bidders.
It is a serious infringement of competition law, which can lead to fines and liability to damages for the companies involved. It can also result in criminal sanctions (including possible imprisonment) for individuals.
The e-learning module is available through the CCS hub. Public procurers who do not have access to the hub can email training@crowncommercial.gov.uk and request to be set up on the learning hub.
The module, which is intended to take no more than 40 minutes to complete, will help students to gain an awareness of why bid-rigging is harmful, what kinds of activities and patterns of behaviour they should watch out for, what they can do to mitigate risks and where they can go to get help if they suspect a case.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-procurers-learn-how-to-spot-bid-rigging
To view our latest vacancies for bid and proposal professionals, follow this link. To help us connect you with a winner to add to your team, follow this link.
The Bid Lifecycle Model & Our Evolving Profession
In 2011, we developed the Bid Lifecycle Model to enable wider discussion regarding the 6 core roles in our profession and how they interact and complement each other in a live bid / proposal situation.
It was used as the basis for generating accurate salary benchmarking for the 2012 Salary Survey and was accepted by the APMP UK. It was also a central theme in the 2015 Bid Solutions Salary Survey.
The primary discussion point from the Bid Lifecycle Model was and still is today, what is the core difference between a Bid Manager and a Proposal Manager? You can read my personal views on this here.
The reason for this post is to bring the discussion up-to-date with current market conditions. Our profession is rapidly evolving and maturing and I’m keen to understand how your role is being affected?
Bid Manager or Proposal Manager?
In some industries, we see the boundaries between Bid Managers and Proposal Managers becoming increasingly blurred. In others, we see the focus shifting away from hiring Bid and Proposal Managers to hiring Proposal Writers to directly support Sales teams. Do you even use the term ‘Bid’ or ‘Proposal’?
With the arrival of the Apprenticeship Scheme and the global adoption of the APMP Certification Programme, is the Bid Lifecycle Model (and its 6 core roles) still relevant in your industry? Is its scope too narrow? Is it over-simplistic? Does it translate internationally?
I am well aware that there is still no universal agreement on titles, roles, and responsibilities. Whilst APMP has made some headway in resolving this, it is a voice that speaks mostly for its members, not the entire profession. Only this week I have stumbled across another organisation claiming to be the global community of practice for everyone involved in the world of proposals, bids, and tenders. Hence, harmonisation of language and understanding across our profession still seems some way off.
In my opinion, all roles have the ability to win or lose you the deal. Some require more experience, but you should never underestimate the importance of each role’s contribution.
Click here if you would like more details of our Bid Lifecycle Model or click here if you would like to take our Bid Lifecycle Challenge.
Author: Martin Smith, Managing Director – Bid Solutions.
To view our latest vacancies for bid and proposal professionals, follow this link. To help us connect you with a winner to add to your team, follow this link.
