subject: Smes Need To Be On The Alert For Lower Value Opportunities [print this page] The lower value opportunities that are suitable for micro SMEs are often not announced through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). However, the European Court of Justice has directed Member States that contracting authorities need to advertise their opportunities even where the financial sum falls below the EU Procurement Directive thresholds. In other words, as a micro SME you have the right to be informed about each and every contract invitation.
Small and medium-sized enterprises and micro SMEs often miss out on tender opportunities suited to them as the opportunities are not announced via the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), due to their lower value. But with the new judgement from the European Court of Justice directing contracting authorities to advertise all government contract opportunities, they are now empowered legally to ask local public bodies about their compliance with the Courts judgement.
This means that as a micro SME owner, you can question local public offices to ensure that all lower value contract opportunities are openly advertised. The form and the extent of advertising cannot be fixed for all, though, as this depends on the nature of the service and the level of interest the contract will generate for local, regional and national businesses. In Scotland all authorities are required by Scots law to advertise their lower value contracts quite prominently.
There are other ways for you to keep track of these opportunities too. A few of them are listed below:
* As an online lower value contract notice alert service, Supply The National SME Engagement Programme will give you easy and free access to all such contracts. What's more, Supply can narrow your search down to your local area too.
* The OJEU now also publishes some lower value contracts along with their premium ones.
* Contrax is another great source of such announcements, ensuring that you do not miss out on any relevant opportunities.
If you bid for a tender, and do not win, then do not lose track of it. Why? Because the company that has won the bid may now seek subcontract applications from other suppliers. Landing a subcontractor job for your SME can be a more profitable and sensible venture than the actual contract. This is for the simple reason that the original contract may have stretched your logistics (if, say, it required distribution or deliveries outside your normal areas of operation). Becoming a subcontractor may well be good for your business. That is why it is always advisable to be on the lookout for such opportunities, as contract winners will often require your services to complete the job.
For instance, if a public body in your area is buying 500 printers, they will require paper for the same. Or maybe the new school being built needs glass for its windows, or desks and chairs for its classrooms. Keep your mind open to the requirements resulting from a contract, and you may land an opportunity best suited for a small or medium-sized enterprise or even a micro SME. That is why to keep a track of government contracts your business needs a contracts tracker tool that will notify you as soon as any tender notice is published. Investing in such smart tools will be highly beneficial for your business.
