Working with NIAB, the UK’s fastest growing crop science organisation, we took the lead role in bidding for a major service delivery contract from DEFRA. The role involved managing and coaching a team of scientific experts, working with NIAB’s Executive team, writing technical response documents, preparing cost budgets & pricing strategies, and leading the commercial negotiations.
Through an open tender procedure, conducted under Public Contract Regulations 2015, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Devolved Administrations were looking for a supplier/ suppliers for the “Provision of services and related technical support in respect of UK Plant Breeders Rights, National Listing and Seed Certification”; the objectives of which are to facilitate the breeding of improved crop varieties, provide farmers with information about variety performance and to assure the quality of marketed seed.
The procurement was split into seven individual Lots and NIAB elected to bid for five of them. The role we undertook was the management and delivery of the bid process. This involved:
- Registering NIAB in the “Bravo” electronic procurement system to receive all tender documentation and information.
- Submitting a fully compliant and priced bid that met the technical and financial specifications set-out in the tender information.
- Representing NIAB during any tender clarification and negotiation processes; and ensuring that relevant legal contracts were scrutinized, amended and finally recommended for formal signature.
Once contracts were signed a six month transition period was executed to ensure smooth hand-over to the new Service Delivery Manager and the NIAB Contracts Manager. This phase of the work involved the development and implementation of appropriate management, financial and technical procedures. These included the preparation of a Continuous Improvement Plan, Key Performance Indicators to monitor delivery and operational performance, and Summary payment triggers, schedules and supporting information for monthly invoices.