Council Launches ‘Tender For Growth’ Programme

Now is the time for businesses for look for opportunities to win new work! 

In efforts to continue the availability of tailored support to local businesses, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has launched a new ‘Tender for Growth’ programme to support businesses to access advice in the preparation of tenders, helping them to compete more effectively for public and private sector contracts. 

The programme is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014 -2020) programme.

Designed to help remove barriers for small and micro businesses to winning new contracts, the programme will guide participants on how to identify suitable tender opportunities, to perfect their written responses and manage contracts, ultimately enhancing their procurement performance and success.

Speaking on the importance of the programme, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Laura Devlin said, “Businesses in Newry, Mourne and Down need our support now more than ever, especially those small businesses or start-ups that may still be in their infancy.  These businesses are employers for this area so are crucial for our communities and our local economy. Supporting them and helping them to grow is critical if we are to encourage our economy to grow as well. It is our duty to provide effective support to businesses, and this programme, delivered using virtual technologies in a flexible way by a team of experts, will be invaluable. I encourage anyone with a business that needs some additional guidance on how to manage procurement processes and contracts, or if you don’t know where to start when it comes to tenders, to sign up.”

Mark Bleakney, Invest NI’s Southern Regional Manager, commented, “The programme focus is to provide businesses across the Newry Mourne and Down District Council area with the expert assistance and knowledge required to develop new tendering processes.  A key aim of Invest NI is to help businesses here to grow and look for new opportunities for work and we are delighted to support the Tender for Growth Programme.  This will provide businesses across the area with one-on-one mentoring support as well as the essential tendering skills to help them remain competitive.”

To be eligible to apply, your business must, be located in Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, employ fewer than 50 employees and be actively trading.

For full details on the programme and more information on how to apply for support, visit http://nmdbusiness.org/tender-for-growth or contact, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council on 0330 137 4000.