A free online public procurement course designed to help smaller firms bid for public sector contracts has been launched jointly by Small Business Minister Lord Davies and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne.

The course, ‘Winning the Contract’, shows participants how to identify business opportunities to supply goods and services to the public sector, explains the public procurement process, and demonstrates how to submit tenders.  It has helpful hints and tips to guide and inform businesses on the bidding process, and where to find public sector contract opportunities.

Businesses can register to access the Winning the Contract couse by clicking through to the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk/procurement.  The course takes a maximum of 3 to 4 hours and can be taken section by section as time allows.