Demystifying Public Procurement: How to work with North Yorkshire Council

Are you a local business interested in winning work with North Yorkshire Council or other public sector organisations but are unsure where to start? Whether you're new to public sector procurement or looking to sharpen your bidding skills, this session is for you.

Join Gillian Askew from Go4Growth and Patricia Murphy from North Yorkshire Council Procurement to get a practical insight into how public procurement works, both above and below the regulatory threshold, and how your business can get contract-ready.

This session will cover:

• Procurement 101 – What public tenders are, how they work, and why they’re a powerful route for growth.
• Finding Opportunities – An overview of key procurement portals like Contracts Finder, Find a Tender, and YORtender, and how to identify relevant opportunities for your business.
• Getting Tender Ready – How can you prepare to take part in public procurement opportunities
• Tender Speak Decoded – Understanding the language of procurement, specification evaluation criteria, and get some top tips on how write responses that resonate.
• Inside Track on NYC – We’ll walk through North Yorkshire Council’s own contract rules, showing how opportunities are advertised depending on contract size
• NYC Upcoming Opportunities – We’ll give an insight into the Council’s upcoming opportunity pipeline for the year ahead
• Getting More Support – Go4Growth will cover the ongoing, free support that’s available to help you find and secure growth in the public sector

This is a no-jargon, straight-talking session aimed at businesses of all sizes – especially those that are keen to grow by working with the public sector. You’ll leave with practical steps to take, clarity on next actions, and access to tools and support to help you succeed.

About Gillian Askew:

Gillian Askew is a Chartered Fellow of CIPS, a procurement and business mentor, and an advocate for sustainable growth and supplier diversity. With 30 years’ procurement experience across public and private sectors, she is co-founder of Go4Growth, a social enterprise supporting SMEs and VCSEs to thrive in public sector markets. A long-time small business owner herself, Gillian champions inclusive procurement, equipping suppliers with the tools to grow and enabling buyers to build diverse, resilient, and impactful supply chains.

This event is free to attend, but registration is essential.

For questions or more information, please contact:
business.nyc@northyorks.gov.uk