How to win work in the Public Sector: a practical guide for growth-minded businesses
If you’ve ever tried selling into the public sector, you’ll know this: it's not like the private market.
Procurement cycles are longer, buyer motivations are different, and frameworks can feel like a locked door unless you know where the key is. But for companies that get it right, the public sector is a long-term growth engine.
So, how do you win work in this space? Here's what I’ve learnt over my time working with the public sector.
1. Start with the why: Understand Public Sector buying motives
Public buyers aren't profit-driven — they're outcomes-driven. That means:
Reducing risk
Maximising value for taxpayers
Supporting inclusion, sustainability, and social value
Avoiding reputational damage
If your pitch leads with "we're the best/fastest/cheapest", you're missing the point. Instead, ask:
How does this solve a problem?
How does this reduce burden, cost, or risk for the organisation?
What impact will this have on service users, citizens, or staff?
2. Get your house in order: Be bid-ready before you bid
Too many businesses chase tenders without the internal infrastructure to deliver a compelling, compliant bid. You don’t need a full bid team, but you do need:
A bid/no-bid decision process
A central bid library with boilerplate content
Basic credentials: policies, insurances, track record
Clear case studies
A way to coordinate across sales, delivery, and executives
Winning bids is about confidence — both yours and the buyer’s. Readiness shows you’re serious.
3. Identify the right opportunities
Tools like Contracts Advance, Tussell and RevnIQ can help surface live tenders and strategic account opportunities. But tools alone don’t win deals — insight and prioritisation do.
Ask yourself:
Is this a buyer we've built any relationship with?
Do we have evidence that we can meet the requirement?
Can we offer something better than what's currently in place?
Less is more. Targeting well-aligned tenders is better than spraying bids you can’t win.
4. Focus on routes to market (Frameworks matter)
Many buyers now procure through frameworks or dynamic purchasing systems (DPS). If you’re not on them, you may not even see the opportunity.
Key ones to consider:
G-Cloud / Digital Marketplace
Bloom / NEPRO
Crown Commercial Service (CCS)
NHS SBS / LPP
Education & local authority DPS models
Don’t wait for an open competition. Get on the frameworks now, so you’re visible when the work goes quiet.
5. Think like a buyer, not just a seller
Read past tenders, even ones you didn’t bid for.
Follow your target authorities’ procurement plans.
Look for signals of upcoming change (funding announcements, restructures, digital programmes).
Get known — speak at events, connect with public sector peers, publish credible thought leadership.
Being helpful and visible builds trust long before the procurement process begins.
Final thought: Winning in the Public Sector is about intentionality
It’s not just about chasing every tender. It’s about being focused, credible, and committed to solving real problems in a way that aligns with public outcomes.
If you treat public sector growth as a strategic play — with the right tools, content, and mindset — you’ll not only win work… you’ll build a reputation that sustains it.