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Participants in previous workshops said:

"well presented. Tutor very knowledgeable and gave useful information"

"excellent day - challenging!"

"many pieces of a jigsaw have been put together"

"excellent level of knowledge"

"it was worth having the training here as it enabled us to focus on tendering as it applies to us"

"it was wonderful to have the big picture and fit my charity into it. Just Brilliant. Moved my thinking on by 10 leaps!!"

Tendering as a Consortium

5 and 18 November 2008

Manchester and London
About the training events
It is a general view that tendering as a consortium will provide a route to contracting for the delivery of services. It is well known that consortium type arrangements are difficult to manage effectively so it is important that potential consortium leaders and member organisations understand:
  • The systems and procedures which purchasers expect to be in place;
  • How to minimise risk; and
  • How to assure purchasers that the contract will be delivered as specified.


In structuring the consortium it is important that organisations are aware of the regulations and the types of consortium which can be used. This workshop will include practical exercises, show how groups of organisations can avoid potential legal pitfalls, and also demonstrate the opportunities which consortium tendering offers to third sector organisations both large and small. Delegates will receive a copy of the cd - A Guide to Tendering as a Consortium - which includes a number of checklists for potential consortium members as well as a set of action points for forming the consortium.

The workshop will cover:

  • The Public Contracts Regulations and consortium tendering - what are the rules?
  • Consortium models, sub-contracting and mergers;
  • What standards might be required by a lead contractor and/or consortium members;
  • Options for forming a consortium;
  • Avoiding the potential risks to consortium members arising from competition law;
  • New possibilities and opportunities which consortium tendering is opening up for third sector organisations of all kinds and sizes;
  • Consortium and sub-contracting options for your organisation.



Dates and venues for 2008

All events: 10am - 4pm

  • 5 November - St Thomas Centre, Manchester
  • 18 November - Abbey Centre, London


Booking form

About Janet Roberts

Following a varied career in Education and Adult Literacy, in 1985 Janet took up a post as an officer with Derbyshire County Council, with responsibility for community education, literacy and work with BME groups.

In 1986 she also took responsibility for the DCC annual European Social Fund (ESF) budget of £4.25 million and the new Urban Programme budget of £8 million. This involved devising and implementing a system of tendering for public funds by voluntary and community groups.

Between 1988 and 1990 Janet was Principal of Morley College, a large registered charity. In 1990 Janet and her husband set up a business which helped FE Colleges to tender for contracts from European and other funds in order to develop their programmes of income generation. In response to demand, Janet's business re-oriented to help charities to bid for European funds.

From 1998 to 2005, Janet's customers together secured £18.3 million of European and other funding. In addition she prepared the biggest successful ESF tender in the country - £6.3 million - for the Association for Residential Care (ARC).

Janet set up Tendering for Care (TfC) in 2005 to help providers in the sector to cope in the new procurement environment. This work has expanded rapidly to include the voluntary sector generally. TfC members have a rapidly growing track record of success winning contracts within the range £15,000 to £5 million.

In recognition of Janet's "work campaigning for better training in tendering in the charity sector", she has recently been elected to Fellowship of the RSA.

Booking form