3SC
Third Sector Consortia Management LLP (3SC) bids for large public sector contracts on behalf of civil society sector delivery organisations. It has been set up as a partnership made up of civil society organisations with expertise in the bidding process, as well as those experienced in the direct delivery of public services. The Social Investment Business is a founding partner of 3SC.
Background
The new agenda for public services has led to the commissioning of longer and larger contracts. This means that many smaller civil society providers are unable to compete and that increasingly contracts are being monopolised by larger private sector companies.
3SC has been set up to redress this balance. By harnessing the skills and experience of its partners, consortia members and its own dedicated staff, 3SC aims to successfully bid for key public service contracts. It will also provide key services to delivery organisations unable to provide those services themselves.
What 3SC does
3SC pools expertise and resources for core services associated with tendering for contracts – such as bid writing, financial modelling, contract negotiation and performance management. Essentially, 3SC bids for and wins the contracts, sets up a consortia and the consortia members deliver them.
The structure for 3SC and the consortia is influenced by successful initiatives in Australia (Job Futures) and the USA (Seedco). In both examples third sector consortia deliver contracts won by management companies.
Interested in joining?
Are you a civil society organisation delivering public services? Are you too small to win large national contracts on your own?
Register your interest in delivering public service contracts through 3SC by emailing info@3sc.org.
About us
As the UK's largest social investor, we have made over 1100 investments in civil society organisations ranging from under £5,000 to almost £7 million. We invest in viable, non-bankable projects: facilitating their move into more enterprising ventures; strengthening them; investing in excellence; and bringing to scale the most innovative ideas.