News

Securing strategic change - the launch of Oracle

Press release

______________Read Nottingham Evening Post coverage: 15/05/07

Regional professionals are challenging public bodies to simplify the tendering process as part of a bid to boost the local economy by securing a bigger share of the contracts on offer.

It's reckoned that every £1 spent on services by public bodies translates into £13 worth of revenue back to the East Midlands economy when the contract goes to a local supplier. But if the work goes to London or elsewhere, £1 spent will generate only £3 locally.

A simplified tendering process, with more on-line and standardised procedures could help local suppliers, as they weigh up the opportunity cost of tendering in an increasingly competitive market, especially those with less experience of the process.

That was the view of regional law firms - including Browne Jacobson, Berryman, Freeth Cartwright , Fraser Brown, Geldards and Harvey Ingram – who joined the launch of Oracle , a new strategic forum for professional services firms.

Oracle - created by Nottingham-based Prima PR & The Progressive Business Group – gave senior players from professional firms the opportunity to share their views on tendering and together consider strategic solutions.

Leading the debate from the procurement perspective was Glenn Harris, executive director of corporate services at East Midlands Development Agency, who said:

"It was really useful from my perspective to have this exchange of views. As an organisation it's important that we get feedback and we'll be looking at the ideas and issues that came out of the debate.”

The group is now set to put together an action plan to raise the issues to a wider audience. “I think there are real opportunities here to improve processes, freeing up time and costs which can be passed to back to our clients." said Sarah Warnsby, director of marketing & business development, Browne Jacobson.

The Oracle forum is conceived and run by full service PR and marketing communications consultancy Prima PR with The Progressive Business Group, specialists in business development for the professional services sector.

ENDS

For more information, click here or contact Prima on 0115 941 9090.

ENDS

May 2007