| Event Review - What you need to know to Contract online |
Posted: 12-Jan-06
Thank you to all the speakers who made the Contracting Online event so interesting and informative. We heard from Keith Grinsted who gave us an overview of e-Procurement in general including several tips on working with government contracts and preparing our businesses prior to tendering.
James Sinclair and Katy Chambers from Essex County Council talked to us about the tendering process and recent developments in the way tenders are handled. It was good to hear that the size and nature of the service required is very much taken into account when considering the bids for tenders. This was particularly reassuring for smaller businesses who may be put off tendering by the list of pre-requisites for insurance, quality issues and business policies etc.
We heard about the new Essex Marketplace Portal which is due online later this year, where businesses can register their interest in tenders for specific services and/or postal areas. Once registered they will be advised of tenders or information related to that service or area. The intention is for the Essex Marketplace to be an county-wide collective service government contracts. Further information on this will be available through the eBusiness Club later in the year.
Business processes are becoming increasingly web-based. Contracting online will include purchase orders online. Invoicing online is a major step and has significant cost savings especially for larger companies and those who send quantities of monthly invoices. e-Invoicing is not sending an invoice by email. Although this is currently allowed within government guidelines it is an insecure method. The most secure method is by sending an https link, Peter Banks explained to us.
Peter's business, datapartners have developed eVoicing which is a full online application for invoicing and operates within the government guidelines for e-Invoicing. Have a look at the presentation file for more information.
A lively and informative Q & A followed the presentations with questions about the tendering process, clarifying some of the requirements and many about eInvoicing.
We ended the morning with lunch. Many thanks to Cliffs Pavilion for their hospitality and arranging for the sun come out each time we've been there! |
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