Stay up to date with the latest trends, news, and insights in the world of procurement for the public sector.

Fast-Track Your CHAS Certification with LMB Procurement

LMB Procurement is now an official Veriforce CHAS affiliate consultant. This means we can help your business achieve CHAS certification efficiently—opening doors to valuable public sector contracts that would otherwise remain closed.

Why CHAS Matters for Your Business

More public sector organizations now require CHAS certification from contractors. Without it, you're missing out on significant opportunities. The Common Assessment Standard (CHAS Elite) has become essential for accessing a wider range of profitable projects.

Benefits of Achieving CHAS with Our Help

  • Unlock more tender opportunities
  • Gain a competitive edge over non-certified competitors
  • Demonstrate your commitment to safety and good governance
  • Reduce administrative burdens in future bids

Our Comprehensive Service Includes:

  • Initial assessment of your current systems
  • Documentation preparation and review
  • Application submission support
  • Post-certification compliance guidance

Industry Recognition

"Veriforce CHAS is delighted to welcome LMB Procurement as an affiliate consultant," said David Turner, SVP Marketing for Veriforce. "They join an elite group of consultants who have a track record of helping their clients to successfully meet our assessment requirements and support them in establishing or improving their ongoing health and safety systems and processes.

LMB Procurement Named Finalist for 2024 Chambers of Commerce Start-Up Award

 

We're delighted to share some exciting news: LMB Procurement has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Burton & District Chamber Start-up Business of the Year Award – Sponsored by Rob Page Consulting! This recognition marks a significant milestone in our journey to transform procurement consultancy and bid writing for local businesses.

We've dedicated ourselves to a clear mission: making professional bid writing and procurement services accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises. Our approach combines expert guidance with personalized support, helping local businesses compete confidently for valuable contracts.

 

Making an Impact in Burton Upon Trent, our partnership with the Chambers of Commerce has been instrumental in expanding our reach and impact. Through specialized workshops, consultancy, and active community engagement, we're proud to be contributing to the growth and success of businesses across the Burton & District region.

 

This finalist selection energizes our commitment to excellence in procurement consultancy. As we approach the awards ceremony, we remain focused on our core mission: empowering local businesses to achieve their full potential in competitive tendering environments.

 

We extend our sincere gratitude to our clients, partners, and the Chamber community for their continued support and trust.

Empowering Staffordshire SMEs: Involvement in the Future Use and Management of Tutbury Castle

At LMB Procurement, we are committed to supporting Staffordshire’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them engage with local opportunities that drive growth and that’s why I attended the roundtable with Jacob Collier MP to join the discussions exploring the future use and management of Tutbury Castle, a historic landmark in the region. With renovation plans underway, I wanted to be sure to express that the future of the castle presents a unique chance for local businesses to play a crucial role in its ongoing operations and management after the renovations are complete.

The Role of Staffordshire SMEs in Tutbury Castle’s Future

Tutbury Castle is more than just a historical site—it’s a cultural hub and tourist destination that attracts visitors from across the country. Following its renovation, the castle will not only need continued maintenance but will also become a venue for events, tourism, education, and hospitality services. For Staffordshire SMEs, this opens up numerous avenues to contribute to the castle’s future.

By getting involved in the post-renovation phase, local businesses can provide services across a range of industries, from hospitality and catering to events management, maintenance, and tourism operations. Our recent discussions with MP Jacob Collier focused on how to ensure local businesses are at the forefront of these opportunities.

 

How LMB Procurement Can Help

At LMB Procurement, we’re committed to ensuring Staffordshire businesses are well-positioned to take advantage of these opportunities. We can assist local SMEs by:

  • Raising Awareness of Opportunities: Many businesses may not know where to find opportunities related to Tutbury Castle. We aim to keep the local business community informed about upcoming opportunities for involvement in the castle’s post-renovation management.
  • Simplifying Engagement Processes: Navigating contracts or management agreements can be complex. LMB Procurement can provide guidance on simplifying these processes, helping SMEs understand the requirements and position themselves effectively for opportunities.
  • Providing Training and Support: For businesses unfamiliar with working in heritage or public venues, we offer tailored workshops and training to help them build the skills they need. We can also provide bid writing support for either contract opportunities at the castle or for grants and funding available to support your business growth.

A Partnership for Growth

Our discussions have made it clear that the castle’s future is an opportunity for Staffordshire businesses; with local SMEs at the heart of its ongoing use and management, Tutbury Castle has the potential to not only become a premier heritage site but also a central hub for economic growth in the region.

By involving local businesses in its day-to-day operations and long-term management, the castle will benefit from the unique talents and services that Staffordshire’s SMEs have to offer. At LMB Procurement, we are dedicated to ensuring these businesses have the support and guidance they need to seize these opportunities and contribute to the success of this historic landmark.

Procurement Act 2023

Guidance designed to provide a high level overview of the changes to the procurement regulations and aimed at those who have regular interactions with procurement

 

 

  • Knowledge Drops are available for Contracting Authorities, Suppliers and SME/VCSEs. These short videos will provide an overview of the changes affecting us all
    • Training is available through a 10 hour e-learning service with Government Commercial College for Contracting Authorities. All our staff have completed this training as well as further training in the Deep Dive sessions to become Expert Practitioners so if you need any guidance, please get in touch
  • The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) outlines the strategic priorities for public procurement following the Act and offers guidance on how contracting authorities can support these objectives. It aims to establish common benchmarks and standards, promoting continuous improvement in procurement practices. This is particularly crucial given that procurement teams now manage about one-third of public expenditure annually. The statement identifies five key national priorities: achieving value for money, delivering social value, supporting SMEs, enhancing commercial and procurement delivery, and developing procurement skills and capabilities.

Federation of Small Businesses

LMB Procurement are now members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

To celebrate becoming a member of FSB, LMB Procurement are offering a 20% discount to FSB Members looking for support in accessing public sector contracts whether that's using our bid writing services or attending one of our training courses to learn how to prepare winning tenders in October 2024

Procurement Policy Notes (PPNs)

A full list of all PPNs is available on the Government Website. An overview of the most recent are available below:

  • PPN 03/24: Standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ)
    • updated payment related questions;
    • updated steel related questions
    • clarity for contracting authorities on considering bids from Russian/Belarusian suppliers as set out in Procurement Policy Note 01/22; and
    • removed references to PAS91 which has now been withdrawn by the BSI
  • PPN 02/24 Improving Transparency of AI use in Procurement
    • In order to establish whether AI has been used by suppliers to develop responses to questions in the procurement, a disclosure question can be added to the Invitation to Tender. Sample questions are provided within the PPN
  • PPN 01/24 Carbon Reduction Contract Schedule
    • The Carbon Reduction Schedule published alongside this PPN provides
      standard T&Cs to support contract specific decarbonisation objectives to be set and delivered, and provides a framework to monitor and assess the Supplier’s decarbonisation performance.
    • This PPN applies to all Central Government Departments, their Executive Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and are referred to in this PPN as ‘In-Scope Organisations’. Other public sector contracting authorities may wish to apply the approach set out in this PPN.

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