How telecoms suppliers can sell to the public sector

There are a few new routes to market for telecoms suppliers targeting public sector markets.

Here at Advice Cloud we focus on many different technology industries. We’ve recently wrapped up our work helping cloud software, hosting and services suppliers apply for G-Cloud 13. As well as working on our clients provide data solutions, digital services, and also digital specialists. One of the big areas we enjoy working on, is our help with telecoms suppliers and how they can go about getting involved in the public sector market.

Procurement processes aren’t always easy, but our experts take pride in breaking down the main ways that suppliers can sell and ultimately transform public services for the better. Here’s some useful information for telecommunications companies in 2022…

Some big key networks and telecoms frameworks

If you’re targeting the public sector, and want an easier way to follow procurement rules, then frameworks are for you. Frameworks offer faster, compliant avenues of procurement – much preferred by buyers. There’s two big ones coming up in 2022, that suppliers should keep an eye on:

• Mobile Voice and Data Services – Expected this summer, Mobile Voice and Data Services is a brand new framework. It incorporates hardware and services that support the wider public sector to access UK airtime and calls, SMS and data, international calling and data, device hardware, device management, and also associated services such as security. It’s quite a big scope! This actually began life as one Lot on the Network Services framework…
• Network Services 3 – This big, lucrative route to market is one we’ve worked on before.  For an array of telecoms and networks services and technology, the 2nd iteration is currently Live with number 3 opening for applications in October 2022. We’ve helped many suppliers (and SMEs) get listed on this competitive framework and seen them win some highly valuable contracts. Its expected scope includes WAN, LAN, telephony services, video and audio conferencing, integrated comms and a lot more.

Make sure you brush up on both of these and look to apply for one if it’s relevant to you. If you’re sure if you’re eligible, get in touch and we can advise!

Get engaging with your markets

Our experts tend to repeat ourselves with this one, but it’s very important. Frameworks are not a source of inbound leads and sales. Selling to the public sector is exactly the same as it is with any other market. You have to have a marketing and sales strategy.

We have guides on this, but some of the things we suggest to suppliers (from any industry!) are:

• Get networking. Attend events and get engaged with your potential clients BEFORE these opportunities arise. Public sector prefer buyers they’ve heard of and know what they do – just like anyone else. Sp, getting involved in pre-market engagements about frameworks like Network Services 3 helps you engage with those creating the routes to market, using them and other suppliers. If you don’t know where to look for these events, organisations like techUK and Innopsis are a good place to start.
• Create valuable case studies. The UK Government want to see that you’re doing good work and benefiting services. There’s no easier way than showing this by writing case studies from your previous work. Display this on your website – preferably on a designated public sector page – and you’ve ticked this box. Also, when you’re applying for these big competitive frameworks, you’ll most likely need these to refer back to anyway!
• Get your teams in the know. Having a designated member of staff in charge of public sector procurement is always useful (if you can) but everyone in the process needs to understand how it all works. Marketing, sales and management, need to know how frameworks work and what ones you’re using. When you engage with buyers, you need to let them know where they can purchase your solutions. Being on frameworks like Network Services 3 opens the door and creates a fair way to being procured, if buyers don’t know you’re there it makes things a bit more difficult.

Give yourself the time to apply

As we said before, Network Services and Mobile Voice and Data Services are frameworks with competitive applications. Numbers are capped, so hitting the right scores and qualifying for a place isn’t as straight forward as some other routes to market.

Having worked on Network Services 2 – getting all of our clients successfully listed – we know how hard it can be. Quality and Pricing scores need to be good enough to compete with some big companies. And with the introduction of social value criteria, that most likely will be scored too, there’s even more to consider. We recommend starting early to make sure you’ve got everything together for when it opens in October for applications.

If you’ve got questions about how the application process works, whether you’d be eligible or how we can help you get successfully on to the frameworks mentioned in this article, just get in touch.