IoD Scotland Autumn 2021

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Technical briefing: Supplier Development Programme and Ogilvie Ross LLP Public sector contracts are open to all as economy looks to bounce back Looking for stability during the economic recovery? Don’t overlook the contracts available from the public sector, says Jennifer Payne, Development Officer, Supplier Development Programme For micro, small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland, deciding which routes to take to market can be difficult – perhaps never more so than in these uncertain times, as we begin economic recovery from a global pandemic. In Scotland, there is an annual public sector spend of £12.6 billion, all of which is advertised through Public Contracts Scotland (PCS), the national public sector tender portal for Scotland. There are several myths that exist about public sector contracts, and understanding these can help businesses decide if tendering should be a route to market. Contrary to popular belief, contracts do not always go to the same suppliers. Transparency is required for the procurement of goods, services and works, so public sector buyers are required to be open, fair and honest. While there can be ambiguity around public sector contracts, it’s important to separate myth from reality. With Net Zero targets for Scotland looming, it is in the interest of councils and other public sector organisations to procure locally and inject innovation into contract and framework opportunities. The benefits to winning public sector contracts are many, including: n No debt risk as public bodies have a legal duty to pay SME supplier invoices within 30 days (10 days if there is a cash flow issue). n Stability for your business through potential uncertainty. Public services still need to be delivered, so a business will benefit from a relatively stable and durable customer base. n Marketing mileage from having a large customer like a public body. But with thousands of contracts and framework places up for grabs each year in every sector, many businesses may not know where to begin. The Supplier Development Programme (SDP) was set up in 2008 by Scottish local authorities as a free tender training service for SME businesses. It has now ‘‘ Many SMEs struggle overcoming the stringent requirements of the PCS website, but if approached logically, the tender process can be taken forward via manageable steps.... More information on the Supplier Development Programme can be found by visiting www.sdpscotland.co.uk. The SDP myth-busting graphic: Public sector contracts are open to every business grown to become a partnership of all 32 Scottish councils, Scottish Government and other public bodies that work together to bring free support in all aspects of tendering to Scottish-based SMEs. SDP helps businesses that are often too small to have dedicated resources to contemplate bidding for a public sector contract. Through a programme of free training and events, it aims to help them become “tender ready” and improve their bidding prospects. Many SMEs struggle with overcoming the stringent requirements of the PCS website. However, if approached logically, the tender process can be taken forward via manageable steps – one of SDP’s top tips is to ensure a business has a published Supplier Finder profile on PCS in the first place. At a time when business survival is a must, considering different routes to market is important. Public sector contracts can provide stability over the coming months and years. Since knowing what it takes to make a successful tender can be overwhelming, it is beneficial to understand who can be called on to boost the skills a business might not have. 18 iod.com Autumn 2021
Developing teams capable of sustained success There’s a great deal the business world can learn from the sporting arena, says Peter Ross, associate partner with Ogilvie Ross LLP When I first started coaching in a team sports environment, I naively thought that the success of teams was a result of having talented individuals with superior skills. I focused my time on developing game-specific skills, hoping that improved performances would come as a result. After my first year in charge of that team, and having won only three games all season, I was forced to rethink my philosophy and improve my understanding of what facilitates team and individual performance. Seven years later and I have overseen my most successful coaching season yet. Heriot’s Cricket Club – where I fulfil the role of Director of Cricket – has won the domestic double of the Scottish Cup and the Eastern Premier League to become the best team in Scotland. Add to that: an unbeaten season in 2020; Scottish Cup Champions in 2019; National T20 Champions in 2018; and Eastern Premier League Champions in 2017 – and there has been a sustained period of success over the past five years. Additionally, Carlton CC Women – where I took over as Head Coach at the start of this season – have won the domestic double in the women’s competitions. Players who had previously been underperforming more than doubled their output this season to put in match-winning contributions. This was mirrored in the Cricket Scotland female regional programme where, in my role of Lead Coach, I oversaw a change in the style and brand of play, leading to better individual and team performances, which ultimately contributed to the Scotland Women’s team becoming European Champions. So, what has changed? Was my initial belief about team success relying on the skill and talent of each individual, wrong? Not wrong, if anything just incomplete. Highly skilled and talented individuals are a definite asset to any team. However, my experiences over the past seven years have taught me that great teams are more than the sum of all their parts. Great teams understand and buy into a higher purpose, they are filled with individuals who are clear on their Peter calls the shots in a more traditional sports coaching role strengths and who understand the roles they are required to fulfil. If you get the right people in the right positions, with everyone moving forwards in the same direction towards a shared goal, amazing things can happen. After that first year of coaching at Heriot’s CC, I changed my approach. I still spent time developing players’ skill levels, and through experience was able to refine what skills we needed to achieve success. However, I started to put considerably more effort into developing people and creating a sustainable environment for success. I now spend more of my “coaching” time working on player-management, helping individuals to understand themselves and trying to develop positive relationships where the players start to see how they fit in to the big ‘‘ If you get the right people in the right positions, with everyone moving forwards in the same direction towards a shared goal, amazing things can happen. picture. We spent deliberate time at Heriot’s talking about what we were trying to achieve and were prepared to have open and honest conversations about whether what we were doing was helping us move towards our ambitions. Not all the discussions were easy but being able to have difficult conversations in a constructive fashion is an essential trait of high-performing teams. Positively negotiating challenge also creates an environment of trust. If people feel valued and supported, and they know that they have the backing of the team even if they make a mistake, they are more likely to take risks, take responsibility, and perform when they need to. Ultimately, this creates a group of leaders who are prepared to take initiative in key moments. While my experience has come in a sporting context, most of these concepts about developing successful teams can be applied across the board in other domains. Investing time and energy to develop and put the team first can ultimately lead to consistently great outcomes and a future of sustained success. Peter Ross is an award-winning international sports coach and associate partner with Ogilvie Ross LLP For more information see www.ogilvieross.co.uk Autumn 2021 iod.com 19
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