Becoming a supplier and pitching to us
How to register as a BBC Radio supplier and pitch to us
Independent producers who would like to pitch an idea to us must be registered on the BBC PiCoS submission system. PiCoS helps us manage the ideas we receive, ensure fairness, comply with our commitments, and keep track of the progress of individual ideas. Find out how to register and use the PiCoS system below.
Please note, we do not accept programme ideas from individuals unattached to a production company. To find other ways to work with us, please see the Talent and skills website.
PiCoS eligibility
In order to be registered on PiCoS your company must confirm that it has:
- Experience in making audio content (or have access to people who have that experience), which has been published in some form (e.g. an active podcast feed) in the past 12 months) – and to be able to demonstrate that experience
- Be a registered corporate entity (e.g a Limited Company)
- Hold a valid Data Protection policy and comply with all relevant Data Protection legislation. If you do not currently have a policy, a template is available from Audio UK
- Have a Health & Safety policy. Please note that if your company is larger than five people, holding a policy is mandatory. If you do not currently have a policy, a template is available from Audio UK
- Agree to the BBC Terms of Trade and Terms and Conditions for PiCoS
- Be able to meet the BBC's technical requirements
- Have a Diversity and Inclusion policy in place. This is a contractual requirement; . If you do not currently have a policy, a template is available from Audio UK
- Have a Respect at Work policy in place. This is a contractual requirement; if you do not currently have a policy, a template is available from Audio UK
The ‘Main Office Email Address’ is the email the BBC will use to send information about commissioning rounds and other information about BBC Radio. It’s important you keep this information up to date to ensure you don’t miss these communications. If your contact details change please update them in the Supplier Admin area in PiCoS.
Once your registration is complete, you will need to access PiCoS via BBC Login, if you haven't already got a BBC Login account you will be sent an invite to set one up from 'no-reply.bbclogin@bbc.co.uk'.
Once you have access to PiCoS you will also need to complete a Company Leadership Survey before you can pitch your ideas to the BBC.
It's vital that you inform us via email if your business circumstances change.
Please note, your company will be removed from the database if:
- You no longer meet the BBC’s requirements of its production suppliers
- It has won no commissions in any three-year period on any BBC UK or national radio network
- There has been a serious failure of compliance, or repeated lesser failures
- It has delivered programmes that need further work
- It has delivered programmes with incomplete paperwork
Removal will be subject to an appeal procedure and there will be an option for re-registration where the company can demonstrate that the reason(s) for removal have been addressed to the satisfaction of the BBC.
PiCoS registration form
PiCoS user guides
How to submit ideas on PiCoS
You will need:
- Your BBC Login account for PiCoS
- Access to PiCoS via https://picos.tools.bbc.co.uk
- The network and commissioning brief you are pitching for
To pitch:
- Log-in to PiCoS
- Navigate to ‘Proposals’ then ‘Create new Proposal’
- Select the network, commissioning round and brieffrom the radio buttons provided.
- Enter enough information to create a basic proposal.
- A proposal can be created, saved and edited until you submit.
- A submittedproposal can't be edited.
- Once the deadline for a round has passed a saved proposal cannot be submitted.
For more information, please watch the ‘Creating and submitting an idea on PiCoS video’
What happens after ideas are submitted
Post-submission the proposal status will tell you what stage it is at (eg received, shortlisted).
If you are commissioned, you will need to sign-up for a Proteus Paperwork account. Email Proteus.Support@bbc.co.uk to request a login. This will need to be authorised by the business contact at your company, if you don’t know who this is, Proteus Support can confirm this for you.
Training materials for users with Proteus Paperwork accounts are available on the BBC Academy website.
Submitting via Proteus
If the network you are pitching your proposal to has not yet onboarded onto PiCoS, they will be continuing to use Proteus for these submissions. Information about where to pitch can be found in the commissioning brief. Please follow the below steps to pitch on Proteus.
You will need:
- The generic company log-in to Proteus you received because you have become a supplier. If you registered on PiCoS, please contact Proteus.support@bbc.co.uk to get a Proteus pitching account
- Access to Proteus via https://proteus-pitching.tools.bbc.co.uk
- The network and commissioning brief you are pitching for
What to do
- Log-in to Proteus
- Find 'Commissions Create a Proposal'
- Select the network, commissioning round and brief from the drop-down lists
- Enter enough information to create a basic proposal.
- A proposal can be created, saved and edited until you submit.
- A submitted proposal can't be edited or deleted.
- Once the deadline for a brief has passed a saved proposal cannot be submitted.
For more information download the Proteus User Guide
What happens next
Post-submission the proposal status will tell you what stage it is at (eg received, shortlisted).
If you are commissioned, you will need to sign-up for a Proteus Paperwork account. Email Proteus.Support@bbc.co.uk to request a login. This will need to be authorised by the business contact at your company, if you don’t know who this is, Proteus Support can confirm this for you.
Training materials for users with Proteus Paperwork accounts are available on the BBC Academy website.
Commissioning Briefs - Additional Information
A BBC Radio Commissioning Brief will contain the editorial opportunity, details about the commissioning process to be followed and the timetable and assessment criteria.
The links below contain general information that relates to all commissioning briefs and rounds, regardless of Network.
