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In this part of the website, find out why the value of the contract makes all the difference for you and how you go about approaching the public body for the business.

First of all - let's run down the key points from the last page...

• Have you got 3 years' books? Good, they'll most likely want to see them.
• Do you have existing public sector experience? Even just one school will do.
• Do you have the technical expertise and the financial strength to undertake contracts? Those are essential.

If you answered "No" to any of these questions, please try marketing to schools first - they don't have the same requirements and have autonomy over their own decision making (in most cases and in most areas) - click here. The public bodies on these data products do not have the same stipulations as the types in this part of our website and they'll be a great chance for you to gain those valuable first few public sector customers. That said, there is still a chance you could get work from the public sector but please note it may certainly be a lot harder for you.

These are the really small contracts handed out by public bodies and the same level of notification isn't usually required for them.

It's an understandable thought for many approved suppliers. They've gone to the trouble of getting themselves on the list but they don't hear about everything they could be putting a bid down on.

They're the types of contract that aren't issued particularly frequently but they do exist and it would be nice to know about them.

Whilst they may lack the brilliance of winning a £500,000 contract, it's bread-and-butter business and, as a marketing company, we don't know of any of our SME customers that would turn down a £2,000 order. That's why it's always important, once you're on the list and you know who makes the decisions, to keep in touch with them.

Our database products can help you do just that.

Some, but not all, contracts up for tender will be advertised as a Europe-wide tender. Europe-wide tenders are legally for contracts over £100,000 but some authorities may advertise Europe-wide as a matter of policy.

For these types of contracts, you will normally have to have some public sector experience to be considered as a serious participant with a real chance that it might be awarded to you.

As there is no legal requirement to advertise Europe-wide contracts at this level, it may be best just keeping in touch by phone, mail and email with the contacts you've made from the data (remember to register as an approved supplier with each potential organisation - it's not absolutely essential but it won't harm your chances)

Contracts that would normally, in their entirety, might be larger than £100,000 are often broken up into units below £100,000 so public bodies can bring in a variety of different companies to work on the overall project.

With the highest value contracts comes the most scrutiny. It is probably anecdotal experience that makes companies think that all contracts have the same level of scrutiny as those above £100,000, but it's not the case.

Over £100,000, it's much more of a structured sales process. Companies will be invited to bid (remember to stay in touch with your contacts to see if they can inform you personally of a new contract) after a notice has been placed because it qualifies as a Europe-wide tender process.

Once the tenders are received back by the public body, it normally takes 6-7 weeks to hear back the result. If you're successful, you'll be informed of it and the reasons you were successful - likewise if you're unsuccessful.