The Cabinet Office has announced that it will run a series of practical workshops to help charities bid for public sector contracts in spring 2013.

The masterclasses are intended to complement the Commissioning Academy, which has been set up to help commissioners understand how to interact with civil society organisations.

The programme for the workshops will be developed in partnership with the voluntary sector, private companies and government and will be aimed at managers and trustees responsible for tendering. Topics will include writing winning bids, adjusting to changes in the tender process and developing consortia and financial skills.

Hurd said: “We want to improve the quality of public services and the voluntary sector has a vital role to play in this. More opportunities are opening up for charities and social enterprises than ever before, and these new masterclasses will make sure these organisations do not miss out.”

Progress report

Last week it published a progress update, 'Making it easier for civil society organisations to work with the state', outlining the measures the government has already put in place, such as the Social Outcomes Fund and the launch of Big Society Capital.

In the foreword to the report minister for civil society Nick Hurd writes: “It is clear that we are at an early stage of a very challenging journey.

"Some big new central opportunities such as the Work Programme, have presented significant difficulties for the sector."

The progress report says that charity and voluntary sector organisations make up 47 per cent of the supply chain for the Work Programme with 368 civil society organisations delivering services.

In November Acevo announced that it was launching a review of the Work Programme after it failed to get sufficient people into long-term employment.