How to Win Public Sector Tenders Without Previous Public Sector Experience
Winning your first public sector tender can be challenging, particularly if your organisation lacks direct experience working with government bodies, local authorities, or NHS trusts. However, many suppliers successfully secure public sector contracts every year without prior public sector experience. The key is understanding public sector procurement requirements and presenting your business in the right way.
Here are some tips to help you overcome a lack of public sector experience when submitting a tender in the UK.
1. Leverage Private Sector Experience in Public Sector Tenders
When bidding for a public sector contract, contracting authorities are looking for capability, reliability, and value for money. If you have strong private sector experience, clearly demonstrate how it aligns with public sector needs. Focus on transferable skills such as service delivery, governance, compliance, performance management, and risk control.
Use tender language from the specification and evaluation criteria to show a direct link between your experience and the buyer’s requirements.
2. Use Relevant Case Studies in Your Tender Submission
Even without public sector clients, case studies remain essential in tender responses. Highlight outcomes, KPIs, cost savings, and customer satisfaction. Where possible, show how your work supports public sector priorities such as efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
Well-written case studies help evaluators see how you will perform in a public sector environment.
3. Leverage the experience of your staff
While your company may not have a great deal of public sector experience, you may have a number of staff members who do have experience in the public sector. They may have worked directly with government bodies, local authorities, or NHS trusts. Or they may have many years of experience working with a company that worked with these organisations. You can use this information in your bid.
4. Show Knowledge of UK Public Sector Procurement
Demonstrating an understanding of UK public sector procurement can really help give the buyer peace of mind. If you can reference relevant legislation such as the Social Value Act, this will reassure buyers that you understand compliance, governance, and audit requirements.
5. Strengthen Your Policies for Public Sector Compliance
Public sector tenders place heavy emphasis on policies and procedures. Ensure your health and safety, equality and diversity, data protection, GDPR, environmental, and social value policies are up to date and clearly implemented across your organisation.
Strong policies reduce perceived risk and increase your tender evaluation score.
6. Partner With Experienced Public Sector Suppliers
If you’re new to public sector bidding, partnering or subcontracting with an established public sector supplier can strengthen your tender submission. This approach demonstrates capacity, reduces risk for the contracting authority, and helps you build public sector experience for future bids.
7. Be Transparent About Your Public Sector Experience
Honesty matters in public sector tendering. Rather than overstating experience, clearly explain how your systems, processes, and team are ready to deliver public sector contracts. Contracting authorities value capable, well-prepared suppliers—even if they are new to the public sector.
Final Thoughts
A lack of public sector experience does not prevent you from winning UK tenders. £445 billion of public sector spend in 2024 went to Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and many of these companies had limited public sector experience. A UK government analysis of public sector procurement shows that over half (50.2%) of suppliers who have won at least one contract have gone on to win further contracts, so when you win one, it is likely that many more contracts will follow.
By aligning your private sector experience, strengthening compliance, and clearly demonstrating value, you can compete effectively in public sector procurement and secure your first public sector contract.
If you would like any further insight or support from our expert Bid Advisory team, please get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to help.
