how to win a tender Archives - Tender Consultants

Hudson Secure Another Tender! Recruit 4 Care Ltd

John Hudson — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:00:07 +0000

Hudson Secure Another Tender! Recruit 4 Care Ltd

We’re very pleased to share that our talented tender writers delivered yet another successful tender for our clients!

Recruit 4 Care Ltd are a leading Homecare service provider, based in Portsmouth. Recruit 4 Care offer care services at your home where you have the option to stay at home with support tailored to meet your needs. They specialise in live-in care for UK residents and provide daily living assistance to an array of individuals, this includes daily or weekly assistance due to ageing, illness, recovery or rehabilitation. They first approached Hudson Outsourcing in June 2023 requesting assistance with finding suitable tenders for their business. Once Recruit 4 Care were provided with access to our Healthcare Tenders portal, we helped them to locate the perfect tender. In August 2023, we commenced with the writing for a supported living tender for the Portsmouth area.

As highly experienced tender professionals, with a large proportion of our tenders coming from the healthcare sector, Recruit 4 Care was best positioned to secure their tender. While working against a tight deadline, we managed to create a winning tender response that fully represented Recruit 4 Care’s aims and values.

Timeyin Sonnie Idowu from Recruit 4 Care informed us that he was very happy with our content produced and our support throughout the process. Sonnie also kindly provided us with a lovely testimonial (see below)!

We would like to extend our thanks to Sonnie and the team at Recruit 4 Care for their support, providing our team with the necessary documents and being forthcoming with any questions our team had.

We would also like to congratulate our team on their fantastic work with this tender. A special shoutout to Steven Herron, who was the lead writer on this project and for providing excellent written content as usual. Another thanks to Ben Snowden for managing the submission process.

This was another great opportunity for our team, and we look forward to working with Recruit 4 Care again in the future!

“We extend our gratitude to everyone involved. Your incredible dedication to delivering this tender within the tightest schedule is commendable. Well done! We will certainly announce the results of the tender to all of you. Your team is exceptional; the seamless collaboration between you and the clients is fantastic. When the need arises, we will unquestionably return to Hudson.” Timeyin Sonnie Idowu from Recruit 4 Care Ltd.

Looking for support on your next healthcare tender? Please get in touch and request a quote from our team!

The post Hudson Secure Another Tender! Recruit 4 Care Ltd appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Hudson Secure Another Tender! – Frontline Healthcare Professionals Ltd

John Hudson — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 16:15:53 +0000

Hudson Secure Another Tender! – Frontline Healthcare Professionals Ltd

We’re very pleased to share that our talented tender writers delivered yet another successful tender for our clients!

Frontline Healthcare Professionals Ltd are a bespoke medical insourcing and healthcare recruitment company, based in London. They also support the NHS in meeting elective care targets by providing specialist contingency workers and clinical capacity solutions across secondary care. Frontline initially reached out to Hudson in August 2021 and after working on several successful tenders together, they reached out to us again in April 2023 with an East Midlands Care Managers and Clinical Staffing tender. Due to our team’s vast experience working with healthcare companies and submitting winning tenders, Frontline were in the best position to be awarded a place on this vital framework.

Chris, Managing Director at Frontline Healthcare Professionals, informed us that he was very happy with the ongoing support that we have provided and as such, they were awarded a place on the framework!

We would like to extend our thanks to Chris for always providing all the necessary information for our tender writers to produce their best work, for being a returning customer over the years and being simply a joy to work with!

We would also like to congratulate our team, particularly our Global CEO, Jill Hudson, for her hard work and expertise, providing the content for the SQ and assisting with the tender submission. We would also like to give a special shoutout to Lauren Johnson, Adam Speight and Jason Leung for their excellent written content! A final congratulations to Ajay Kumar Nimmala for providing exceptional fully designed process flows to make the tender stand out!

This is another great result for our team, and we hope to work with Chris and the team at Frontline again in the future!

“We are thrilled to share our experience working with Hudson over the past year. Their bid writing services have been nothing short of outstanding, significantly impacting our success in securing contracts and expanding our business.

From the outset, the team at Hudson demonstrated a deep understanding of our industry and a keen ability to translate our strengths into compelling tenders. Their team’s dedication to crafting well-researched and tailored bids has been instrumental in our recent contract wins. One of the standout aspects of Hudson’s approach is their meticulous attention to detail. Their proactive engagement with our team, their thorough review process, and their ability to adapt to changing requirements have consistently resulted in polished, submission-ready tenders that truly stand out.” – Chris Barber, Managing Director at Frontline Healthcare Professionals.

Looking for support on your next healthcare tender? Please get in touch and request a quote from our team!

The post Hudson Secure Another Tender! – Frontline Healthcare Professionals Ltd appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Tender VLE: Our Virtual Bid Learning Environment

John Hudson — Mon, 05 Jun 2023 13:41:33 +0000

Tender VLE

It’s simple — to win contracts, you must have the necessary skills of a bid writer. Mastering the art of writing tender responses comes from strong written communication skills and experience. At Hudson, our bid writers are professionals and they have built up their skills over time. But if you are a start-up or an SME, you may have never bid before.

This is where Tender VLE comes in!

What is Tender VLE?

Tender VLE is the UK’s first virtual learning environment dedicated to bid writing. With five experience levels to choose from, you can take our free and paid tender courses so you can become an expert!

We will help you grow your tendering knowledge in an easy-to-follow dynamic of videos and worksheets, alongside being supported by our experts.

Good news! Our training is suitable for a variety of learners including businesses, freelancers, and aspiring Bid Writers.

When is Tender VLE live?

Our platform is almost ready to go live. After perfecting our development stages, we are making some final tweaks to our learning environment so it is the best platform for our clients. Please bear with us and keep an eye out for when our site goes live!

What Can I Expect from Tender VLE?

There is something for everyone!

From our free beginners’ courses to our expert courses, we cater to all tendering experience levels. Whether you want to kick-start your career as a bid writer, develop your skills as a freelancer or polish up on some areas missing in your expert bid knowledge, Tender VLE can help.

We will cover everything!

Our experts have been meticulous in their research for what to include on our learning platform. In short, we will cover all stages of the tendering process (PQQs, ITTs etc), break down questions, tender planning, management, writing skills, proofing, and branding your response.

How Can Tender VLE Benefit My Business?

This is the most important question — with Tender VLE you will gain the experience to help you win contracts!

Our remote learning experience is designed to suit your needs, wherever you are. This will be your learning journey, which means that you can also tailor your experience to suit your lifestyle. You won’t need to take the focus off running your business – learn as much as you need!

Why Tender for Work?

Guaranteed pay – the suppliers are guaranteed payment when they win a contract.
Goals to spend with SMEs – The UK government aims to spend £1 in £3 with SMEs.
Gain experience – Securing contracts means you gain experience to use for case studies to help you secure further contracts.
Make contacts – Securing contracts means you can increase your contacts and build relationships. This may lead to further work in the future.
Sustainability – Some contracts last for several years so they are a great way of sustaining your business.

How we can help!

Tender Writing

Once you’ve found the perfect bid for your business, send it our way. Our Bid Writers can take care of the whole thing for you they’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll let you know what they need from you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is perfect for businesses that have never tendered before. A Bid Writer will work with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully. Tender Ready offers your business:

A 12-month subscription to one Hudson Discover
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and policies.
Additional flexible benefits.

Tender Improvement

If you’ve been tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts, our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Team will assess your previous responses and tender documents. They will work with you to improve for future submissions. This package includes a 12-month subscription to a Hudson Discover portal and additional tendering development services.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written your tender response and need it double-checked for errors, Tender Mentor can help. A Bid Writer will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar, or spelling mistakes. They will also ensure it’s in line with the specification before you submit it. This is a great way of improving your skills and understanding of how to polish your tender.

Contact us:

Additional support:

Do you only require assistance with PQQs or SQs? We can help!

Submit the relevant information regarding the work you need, and we will provide a quote for the work agreed upon.

We provide support at all levels of the bid writing process, so if you simply need it proofread before you submit it, we can also help with that!

Our other divisions:

Vocal

Wanting to impress a buyer? Our creative content agency Vocal is always on hand to help!

Our Vocal team are never afraid to be heard – we’re a loud bunch!

From micro-businesses to large organisations, we provide ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. We can transform your bid into a professionally designed tender document!

Vocal specialises in:

Alpha

Our online virtual learning environment for Education, Enterprise and Home Learners is currently being used to power our platforms – Tender VLE and Procure VLE (Coming soon).

We believe in learning at your own pace, wherever you are!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Tender VLE: Our Virtual Bid Learning Environment appeared first on Tender Consultants.

How to Become a Tender Expert

John Hudson — Wed, 10 May 2023 08:00:46 +0000

How to Become a Tender Expert

Becoming a tender expert is a surefire way to win contracts! However, it takes time and resources to develop this skill. Whether you want to outsource your tender writing needs to our experts or become an expert yourself, we can help you.

In this blog, we will cover what a tender expert is, the skills required, their benefits, how to become one and how to find them.

What is a Tender Expert?

A tender expert is a professional tender writer with vast experience and knowledge in the tendering process. All tender writers will have varying levels of experience; however, the most effective and successful tender writers will have experience spanning many sectors.

Tender Expert Skills

Becoming a tender expert means you must have a particular skill set than just strong written communication skills (though that is important!):

Adaptability: The tendering process is always unpredictable. No tender is the same, meaning the same planning process will not apply, nor will the content of your work. Also, there are bound to be hurdles during the writing process, so being able to adapt to any challenges that may come your way is vital.
Teamwork: Tender responses are rarely written by one writer alone. They are very collaborative, which means that you must be able to provide the best work you can individually, and deliver as a team — providing a seamless, unified response.
Understanding Client Needs: This is the most crucial aspect of the tendering process as without knowing what your client wants from their tender response, you won’t be showing their business in the best possible light. Open communication between the tender expert and the client is vital for keeping up-to-date with client requirements.
Time Management: It goes without saying that you must meet all internal and external deadlines. If you are new to tendering, you may just want to dive right into the tender writing and forget to plan. However, this is a vital part of the process which involves everything from client meetings, research, developing a timeline and planning your responses. Manage your time accordingly so you give yourself ample time to plan!
Compliance: Every tender expert needs a strong understanding of government procurement processes, industry regulations and the ability to meet requirements as stated in the tender specification in order to produce a fully compliant tender. Failure to comply with the specification can get your tender disqualified and failure to comply with laws and regulations can lead to fines and criminal prosecution.

Benefits of Hiring a Tender Expert

Save Time: Hiring a tender expert can save you time and hassle when preparing a tender response. They can take care of all the research and paperwork involved in the process, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
Maximise Your Chances of Winning: A tender expert will have experience and knowledge of what makes a successful tender and how to present your business in the best light. They can also help you to create a winning tender that stands out from the competition.
Improve Your Quality and Professionalism: Tender experts have the skills and knowledge to craft high-quality, professional, and persuasive tender documents. This can help to give you an edge over your competitors and increase your chances of winning the contract.
Provide Insights into Winning Strategies: Tender experts have a wealth of experience in writing and submitting tenders. They can provide you with insights into winning strategies and provide advice on how to improve your chances of success.
Meet Deadlines: Tender experts understand the importance of meeting deadlines. They can help you to stay on track and ensure that your tender is submitted on time and according to the requirements of the tender.

How to Become a Tender Expert!

Now you know what a tender expert is and the skills you need to become one, let’s take a look at how we can help you become an expert yourself!

Our online virtual learning environment Tender VLE houses our first of many tender training courses. Take our FREE introductory tender course on June 1^st, 2023.

Where to Find Tender Experts!

At Hudson, there is no shortage of tender experts! All of our tender writers are experts and write for a variety of sectors. If you need assistance with your tender, whether it involves writing, reviewing, submission, improvement, or a full end-to-end service, we can help!

Check out our services below!

How we can help!

Tender Writing

Tender Ready

A 12-month subscription to one Hudson Discover
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and policies.
Additional flexible benefits.

Tender Improvement

Tender Mentor

Contact us:

Additional support:

Do you only require assistance with PQQs or SQs? We can help!

Submit the relevant information regarding the work you need, and we will provide a quote for the work agreed upon.

We provide support at all levels of the bid writing process, so if you simply need it proofread before you submit it, we can also help with that!

Discover Elite

Upgrading to Discover Elite can optimise your tendering efforts!

Our two new time-saving tools can improve competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract:

The Ultimate Time Save Package (for those on the go!)

Five tender breakdowns per month.
Annual subscription to two sector-specific portals.
Dedicated account manager.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package

All of the above.
Seven tender breakdowns per month.
Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager (minimum five years experience). Our Global Bid Director will manage the bid strategy.

Our other divisions:

Vocal

Wanting to impress a buyer? Our creative content agency Vocal is always on hand to help!

Our Vocal team are never afraid to be heard – we’re a loud bunch!

From micro-businesses to large organisations, we provide ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. We can transform your bid into a professionally designed tender document!

Vocal specialises in:

Alpha

Our online virtual learning environment for Education, Enterprise and Home Learners is currently being used to power our platforms – Tender VLE and Procure VLE (Coming soon).

We believe in learning at your own pace, wherever you are!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post How to Become a Tender Expert appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Top 10 Tendering Secrets

John Hudson — Wed, 03 May 2023 08:00:11 +0000

Top 10 Tendering Secrets

It is no secret that the tendering process can be complex and requires planning, the dedication of time and resources and experience to complete a tender successfully. However, there may be a few things which you are unfamiliar with in the world of tendering. Get to know these top 10 tendering secrets and upgrade your tender response!

What is a tender?

A tender is a formal document for procuring goods/services from a supplier. Tenders are used in public procurement and private transactions for a variety of goods and services. They are normally submitted in response to an invitation to tender (ITT) issued by the buyer, who is seeking to purchase a particular service or product. Tenders typically involve the submission of detailed proposals from potential suppliers and involve a competitive bidding process. The successful bidder is usually the supplier who offers the best quality and most cost-effective solution.

How does the tendering process work?

The tendering process can vary between sectors; however, the process typically involves the following steps:

1. Preparation

Suppliers must prepare their bid documents carefully, including technical specifications, delivery terms, and pricing.

2. Proposal Submission

Suppliers must submit their proposal documents to the buyer.

3. Evaluation

The buyer evaluates the proposals, taking into consideration factors such as price, quality, delivery time, and other specific requirements.

4. Selection

The buyer selects the most suitable supplier based on the evaluation.

5. Contract Award & Signing

The buyer awards the contract to the chosen supplier and they sign a contract for the supply of goods or services.

6. Delivery & Payment

The supplier delivers the goods or services as stipulated in the contract and receives payment from the buyer.

Top 10 Tendering Secrets!

Below are our top 10 tendering secrets you should know if you want to start your journey to becoming a tender expert:

1. Selection

The evaluation and selection process for tenders is usually based on objective criteria, such as the most competitive price, quality, and delivery times.

2. The Buyer

Tendering is not just about submitting a proposal and waiting for a response; it involves engaging with the buyer, understanding their needs and objectives, and building a strong relationship.

3. Quality Matters

Ensure your tender is well-written and free from errors. Consider having it reviewed by a professional for any potential errors.

4. Time-Consuming

Tendering can be a long process. Depending on the contract and the complexity of the project, the tendering process can take several months to complete.

5. Presentation is Key

Your tender should be professional and well-presented. Use a clear layout and include visuals if appropriate to make your proposal stand out from the competition.

6. SMEs

Tenders are not just for big companies and governments. Small businesses and individuals can also submit tenders for projects or services.

7. Jargon

You may be tempted to over-saturate your tender response with technical jargon to show the buyer how knowledgeable you are. However, if the buyer is unfamiliar with your area of expertise, they will be put off by the readability of your response. It goes without saying that if the buyer cannot understand what you are saying, they are far less likely to award you the contract!

8. Plan, plan, plan

The planning process is just as important as what you write in your response. The old saying ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ rings true, especially in tendering! Whether you write the response yourself or outsource to a professional, a plan must always be in place to ensure you include all the content you need, cover every detail in the specification and meet that all-important deadline.

9. Location

Different countries have different rules and regulations for tender processes. So, always make sure you are aware of the relevant regulations that will affect you.

10. Communication

Good communication with all parties involved is essential for success when tendering. This includes the buyer, stakeholders and your tender writing team.

How can I apply for a tender contract?

1. Research the tender

Read the tender documents for the contract, including the invitation to tender, specifications and terms and conditions. Understand what the contract entails and whether it is suitable for your business.

2. Assess your abilities

Assess if you have the necessary skills, resources, and capacity to successfully deliver the contract.

3. Check the eligibility criteria

Check the eligibility criteria carefully to ensure that you are eligible to apply for the tender contract.

4. Prepare your tender response

Prepare a comprehensive response to the tender that meets the requirements set out in the invitation to tender.

5. Submit your tender

Submit your tender response in accordance with the instructions in the tender documents.

How we can help!

Now you know the top 10 tendering secrets, you may be wondering how we can help you. Below is a list of our services from tender writing, review, preparation and improvement. Not to mention our portals to help you find tenders and our in-house design team who can transform your tender responses with eye-catching designs.

Tender Writing

Tender Ready

A 12-month subscription to one Hudson Discover
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and policies.
Additional flexible benefits.

Tender Improvement

Tender Mentor

Contact us

Additional support:

Do you only require assistance with PQQs or SQs? We can help!

Submit the relevant information regarding the work you need, and we will provide a quote for the work agreed upon.

We provide support at all levels of the bid writing process, so if you simply need it proofread before you submit it, we can also help with that!

Discover Elite

Upgrading to Discover Elite can optimise your tendering efforts!

Our two new time-saving tools can improve competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract:

The Ultimate Time Save Package (for those on the go!)

Five tender breakdowns per month.
Annual subscription to two sector-specific portals.
Dedicated account manager.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package

All of the above.
Seven tender breakdowns per month.
Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager (minimum five years experience). Our Global Bid Director will manage the bid strategy.

Our other divisions:

Vocal

Wanting to impress a buyer? Our creative content agency Vocal is always on hand to help!

Our Vocal team are never afraid to be heard – we’re a loud bunch!

From micro-businesses to large organisations, we provide ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. We can transform your bid into a professionally designed tender document!

Vocal specialises in:

Alpha

Our online virtual learning environment for Education, Enterprise and Home Learners is currently being used to power our platforms – Tender VLE and Procure VLE (Coming soon).

We believe in learning at your own pace, wherever you are!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Top 10 Tendering Secrets appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Easy Tendering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

John Hudson — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:00:19 +0000

Easy Tendering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The tendering process can be daunting, particularly if you have never tendered for contracts before, or for SMEs who may lack the necessary in-house resources to complete the tendering process. However, outsourcing the process to a professional tender writer can take away that stress and help you produce a successful tender response.

In this blog, we will cover the tendering process, the easy-to-make mistakes that can be avoided, how to correct these mistakes and where to find tender help.

What is tendering?

Simply, the tendering process is a formal process that involves the selection of a contractor to provide goods or services to a company. It involves the company issuing a tender document outlining their requirements and the criteria they will use to evaluate potential suppliers. Companies then tender for the work and are evaluated based on the criteria set out in the tender document. The winning tender is then awarded the contract.

The process can also involve a number of stages, including pre-qualification, submission of the tender, evaluation of the tender and the contract award. The aim of the tendering process is to ensure that contracts are awarded in a fair and transparent manner.

Common Tendering Mistakes

Not reading the tender documents carefully: Before submitting a tender response, it is important to thoroughly read and understand the tender documents. If you don’t take the time to properly review the documents, this can result in the submission of an incomplete or inaccurate tender.
Not addressing the selection criteria: Most tenders include a list of selection criteria that must be addressed in the tender response. Failing to address all of the criteria can lead to the tender being disqualified.
Not providing detailed information: Tenders should provide detailed information about the organisation, the goods or services being offered, and the prices being charged. Vague or incomplete information can lead to misunderstandings and disqualification.
Not following the rules: Tenders must be submitted in the correct format, on the correct date, and with the correct paperwork as stipulated in the specification. Failing to comply with the rules can lead to disqualification.
Not being realistic about pricing: Tenders should provide a realistic price that is competitive and provides good value for the customer. Tender responses that show goods/services being too high or low priced can lead to disqualification or a lost contract.
Not seeking advice: Tenders can be complex documents and it is important to seek professional advice when necessary to ensure the tender is completed correctly.

How to Improve Your Tender Response

Follow these 7 top tips to save your tendering mistakes and submit a successful tender response!

Research the Tendering Process: Research the tendering process and familiarise yourself with the requirements of each stage. This will help you to submit a more competitive and compelling offer.
Understand the Buyer: Understand the needs and objectives of the buyer. Make sure that you have a clear understanding of the buyer’s requirements, and tailor your response accordingly.
Highlight Your Strengths: Highlight your strengths and differentiate your offering from competitors. Focus on the benefits that your offering will bring to the buyer.
Demonstrate Your Value: Demonstrate the value that your offering will bring to the buyer. Show how it will help them to achieve their objectives and how it is the right solution for them.
Provide Supportive Evidence: Provide evidence to back up your claims. This could be customer testimonials, case studies, or other forms of proof that demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution.
Use Clear Language: Use clear language and terminology that is easy to understand. Keep your writing concise and make sure that it is free from spelling and grammar errors.
Use Visuals: Use visuals to bring your response to life. Graphics, diagrams, and images can help. Also, investing in bid design can help your tender response stand out from your competitors who may also be submitting professionally designed tender responses.

How we can help!

Avoid tendering mistakes by outsourcing the process to an expert tender writer!

Tender Writing

Tender Ready

A 12-month subscription to one Hudson Discover
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and policies.
Additional flexible benefits.

Tender Improvement

Tender Mentor

Contact us:

Additional support:

Do you only require assistance with PQQs or SQs? We can help!

Submit the relevant information regarding the work you need, and we will provide a quote for the work agreed upon.

We provide support at all levels of the bid writing process, so if you simply need it proofread before you submit it, we can also help with that!

Discover Elite

Upgrading to Discover Elite can optimise your tendering efforts!

Our two new time-saving tools can improve competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract:

The Ultimate Time Save Package (for those on the go!)

Five tender breakdowns per month.
Annual subscription to two sector-specific portals.
Dedicated account manager.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package

All of the above.
Seven tender breakdowns per month.
Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager (minimum five years experience). Our Global Bid Director will manage the bid strategy.

Our other divisions:

Vocal

Wanting to impress a buyer? Our creative content agency Vocal is always on hand to help!

Our Vocal team are never afraid to be heard – we’re a loud bunch!

From micro-businesses to large organisations, we provide ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. We can transform your bid into a professionally designed tender document!

Vocal specialises in:

Alpha

Our online virtual learning environment for Education, Enterprise and Home Learners is currently being used to power our platforms – Tender VLE and Procure VLE (Coming soon).

We believe in learning at your own pace, wherever you are!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Easy Tendering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them appeared first on Tender Consultants.

How to Become a Government Supplier in the UK

Charlotte Jarvis — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 07:00:21 +0000

How to become a government supplier in the UK…if you’re an SME

Many SMEs wonder how to become a government supplier. They recognise the advantages and prospects of listing government bodies as clients and climbing the contract ladder.

It’s true that listing previous contract experience with government clients will help you to secure larger contracts. However, this is a bit of a chicken and egg situation, isn’t it? How can you win a contract in the first place to gain the experience you need? We all remember struggling to land our first job straight out of education, without that all-important experience. Well, this is similar.

In this blog, we’ll explain how to become a government supplier if you’re a small business. We’ll cover:

How to find the opportunities.
How to prepare and ensure you’re tender ready.
3 ways to make sure you meet the brief and have a good chance of winning.
How the government helps small businesses bid for work.
Social value – what is it and how to prepare in advance.
Our top 9 tips for how to become a government supplier.

Firstly, how do you find opportunities in the first place?

We’re not going to get very far without identifying an opportunity, are we! In the UK, there are hundreds of websites that publish new tendering opportunities, including the government’s own website, Contracts Finder. The problem is that these websites are not that easy to navigate and they’re not efficient to use.

Why? The main culprit is CPV codes (common procurement vocabulary). An eight-digit code, used for categorising opportunities into ‘subject matter’…in theory.

CPV codes are often used incorrectly by buyers due to the vast number of codes available. A study by the European Commission sampled 405 contract notices. They found that 23% had the wrong code associated with the scope of work tendered. This results in an inefficient sourcing process for you, the prospective supplier.

That’s why we created our own tendering portals, housed under Hudson Discover. We removed the use of CPV codes or algorithms and replaced them with manual opportunity tracking. Not only that, but the portals are also sector-specific, making them even more tailored to the user. More information about our portals can be found here:

How to make sure you’re tender ready before you begin

If tendering is new to you, becoming tender ready is an important step. In any tender, you will be required to provide certain documents and evidence. The savvier tenderers will spot that the same, or similar, documents are required by each buyer. Therefore, you can get a step ahead by preparing these documents in advance.

From our experience, the most commonly requested documents are:

Company CVs
Case studies – usually three from the last five years
Policies and procedures
Methodologies.

For help with getting tender ready, visit our dedicated Tender Ready service page.

3 ways to make sure you meet the brief

Before you jump into writing your tender responses and working out your pricing, we recommend:

Checking your economic financial standing

As a general rule of thumb, we advise against bidding for contracts with a value greater than half your turnover. This is your economic financial standing. For example, if a contract has a value of £50,000, you should be turning over at least £100,000. This is because you may struggle to prove that your resources meet the requirements. Often, buyers will ask to see your financial accounts during the tendering process.

Making sure you can evidence your experience

As we mentioned above, government buyers will often ask to see three case studies. They should be from contracts you have delivered within the last five years, in a similar field to this scope. If you can get testimonials from your previous clients, this will help to further demonstrate your capabilities.

Thinking about how you can evidence value for money

Government buyers are accountable for their spending. They have to demonstrate how they have delivered the best value for money because they’re spending public purse. This means that to become a government supplier, you need to evidence added value. It’s not just pricing that buyers consider to be good value. It’s a combination of quality and price throughout the life of the contract. So, make sure you highlight how and why your approach is cost-effective and helps the government make savings.

How to become a government supplier if you’re an SME…will the government help?

Becoming a government supplier is beneficial for both you and the government. The UK government is targeted with spending £1 in every £3 with small businesses. So, how are they helping small businesses secure contracts?

Lower value contracts

Since leaving the EU, there is more flexibility for lower value government contracts to be reserved for SME bidders. There is also more flexibility for Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs).

Introducing the prompt payment code

The prompt payment code offers suppliers peace of mind. It states that public sector buyers must include 30-day payment terms in their contracts. They also need to ensure that this is passed down the supply chain. If this is not happening, businesses are encouraged to raise this directly with the Public Procurement Review Service.

If this was the case, interest becomes liable as set out in the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. This means that businesses can claim interest on any late invoices.

The Small Business Commissioner

The Small Business Commissioner is a free service that ensures fair payment practices for all small businesses in Britain. The body supports businesses to resolve payment disputes with larger businesses.

Social value – what is it and how can you prepare?

When SMEs research how to become a government supplier, they sometimes overlook social value. The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 became law on 8^th March 2012. It requires public sector organisations to consider the supplier’s potential to deliver services that benefit the local area and people.

In January 2021, new measures came into effect. Any public sector organisation procuring goods/services with a value of over £180,000 is obliged to ask bidders about social value. A 10% weighting has been placed on these questions in tenders and PQQs. Therefore, it’s worth considering how your business aligns with the aims of the social value measures, which are:

Creating new jobs and promoting skills
Encouraging economic growth
Supporting Covid-19 recovery
Tackling climate change
Levelling up the UK.

Our top 9 tips when tendering for work

If you’re wondering how to become a government supplier, read our top 10 tips:

Invest in the sourcing process

Allocate someone in your team to keep on top of new tendering opportunities. If you’re using the government’s website, they should allocate at least 15-30minutes per day to check for new tenders. If you’re using our Hudson Discover tendering portals, they’ll just need to keep an eye on their inbox. Either way, they need to take action immediately when they identify an opportunity. The rest of your team needs plenty of time to read the documents and write the responses.

Don’t rush in, weigh up the opportunity

Check our top three tips above and answer those questions before diving in. You should also assess the competition and how the new business would impact your current workload. Make sure that you have experience, and that the bid is realistic for you to win.

Familiarise yourself with the buyer’s portal

The portal will be used to:

Register your interest and download the tender documents
Ask clarification questions
Submit the final bid.

Make sure you know your way around and don’t leave it until the last minute to submit your bid. If you miss the deadline, the buyer doesn’t have to grant you an extension or even look at your bid. Even if you missed it because of technical difficulties – the buyer doesn’t have to make allowances. Don’t take the risk!

Make a bid plan

Break down the bid requirements and assign people in your team to take charge. This could be collating your policies, answering specific questions, or keeping your time management in line. Give each team member a clear role and deadlines for any input they will have.

Research the buying organisation

To make an impression on the buyer, it’s important that you understand them and their core values. This will help you demonstrate how your values align with theirs in your responses. If there is an incumbent supplier, you can try to find out who they are and how they are performing. Then, structure your responses around what the buyer is looking for.

Always refer back to the question and provide evidence

When you start writing your responses, always refer back to the question and make sure you’ve answered it. Use the buyer’s exact wording from the question to directly address their requirements.

Avoid empty or cliché statements such as ‘our people are at the heart of everything we do’. Fluffy statements like this are fine for marketing, but not bidding! Make sure you have evidence to back up every claim you make and demonstrate added value throughout.

Avoid jargon

The evaluator is most likely not an expert in your field. Using overly complicated jargon will only make your bid difficult to understand, and in turn, to evaluate. Keep the language simple and the sentences short – around 20 words per sentence is enough.

Don’t skip the proofing! Check for grammatical and spelling errors – they raise red flags with buyers for a lack of attention to detail.

Use clear formatting and design (where appropriate)

Some bids will follow a more rigid approach. The buyer will stipulate the font and point size for your responses and/or provide boxes for you to fill in. Others will follow a free-flowing proposal layout where you are given creative freedom to present the information. If this is the case, we always recommend having your bid professionally designed. It’s a great way to stand out amongst your competitors and make your bid easy to follow.

For help with Bid Design, see our sister company, Vocal.

Get feedback and carry on!

Unfortunately, you won’t always be successful in every tender. It’s important to not be too disheartened and use this as a learning opportunity. Ask the buyer for feedback if it hasn’t been provided and review it with your team.

If you’re losing multiple bids, it might be time to bring in a professional to assess how you could improve. See our Tender Improvement service for more information.

Summary

We’ve reached the end of our blog on how to become a government supplier. We hope our information was helpful. If you need a quick recap, here you go:

Choose an easy-to-use platform to help you identify opportunities quickly and make sure you never miss out.
Spend some time getting ready to tender for work before you dive straight in. Get your company CVs, case studies and policies in order and file them away so they’re ready to go.
Make sure you meet the brief. Check your economic financial standing, ensure you have evidence and that you can offer value for money.
The government needs to work with smaller businesses to meet their targets. They offer support through:

The prompt payment code
Making interest liable if the terms aren’t met
Offering free support through The Small Business Commissioner.

Do your social value research and make sure you can provide examples of how you meet the aims.
Review our top 9 tips for how to become a government supplier:

Invest in the sourcing process
Don’t rush in
Familiarise yourself with the buyer’s portal
Make a bid plan
Research the buying organisation
Refer back to the question and provide evidence to back up your claims
Avoid jargon
Make your bid easy to read through formatting and design
Get feedback and carry on!

Need help with becoming a government supplier?

Our team of consultants are here to help you.

They have a thorough understanding of the tender process and government contracts, knowing exactly how to respond.

By outsourcing to professionals, you could improve your chances of winning contracts.

We have over 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or aren’t seeing results – we can help. There are four bid writing packages available:

Tender Writing

Once you’ve found a government tender you’d like to go for, send it over to us. One of our Bid Writers will write the tender response for you. We’ll provide a full Tender Writing breakdown and even submit the bid on your behalf.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can give your tender response a once-over before you submit it. Our Bid Writing Team will analyse your response, notifying you of any errors and opportunities for improvements prior to submission.

Tender Ready

During the Tender Ready service, our team will create professional policies, procedures, and case studies in your company branding. If you already have this content, we will review everything carefully to ensure that nothing is missed. Once the programme is complete, you’ll have access to three days’ worth of bid consultancy. This can be used for bid writing, tender reviews, or general advice and guidance.

Tender Improvement

The Tender Improvement package can help those who have tendered before but aren’t seeing results. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow.

Need help with searching for tenders?

A subscription to one of our sector-specific portals will include:

Unlimited portal access. You can browse your industry’s portal to your heart’s content. See all the opportunities that are available, intuitively categorised, and easily accessible.
A daily email bulletin. When you sign up to a portal, you’ll receive an email alert when new tenders are uploaded.
A free 20-minute phone consultation with a Bid Writer every month. Our expert Bid Consultants will chat with you about anything tender related.

Discover Elite

If you want to streamline the process even further, you can sign up to Discover Elite via your chosen portal. With this service, a dedicated Account Manager will find live bids on your behalf. They’ll speak with you weekly to discuss opportunities that may interest you. This is especially helpful for those with little time to spare due to busy schedules.

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post How to Become a Government Supplier in the UK appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Tender Writing Tips: 7 of the Best FREE Tips from Professional Bid Writers

John Hudson — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 06:00:48 +0000

Here’s 7 tender writing tips from professional Bid Writers!

Looking for free tender writing tips? Have you ever wanted to sit down with a bid writing professional and see what it takes to win? Well, at Hudson Succeed, our experts are more than happy to offer support. In this blog, we will cover seven of the most important tender writing tips. Keep reading to see how you can increase your chances of success!

1. Use writing and communication to your advantage

Here’s our first tip: make sure you have a great grasp on writing and communication skills. You can use these to your advantage when writing a tender. As you may have guessed, writing skills are important for writing tenders. This isn’t just about spelling and grammar, although these are incredibly important. Writing a good tender means using writing skills to communicate with the buyer. You should clearly express your skills, experience, concepts, and more, in the best way. Your tone should be persuasive. Afterall, you are trying to convince them that you are the best option for the contract.

Essentially, you want to use writing and communication to make yourself memorable. That doesn’t mean you should go to any extremes, as you should remain professional. But executing these abilities and showcasing them in the best light will give you an edge over competitors.

2. Don’t use technical jargon

Following on from our first point, next on our list of tender writing tips is to not use technical jargon. Since your bid should be clear and easy to read, adding technical jargon will work against this. There is a very high chance the buyer has little to no knowledge of your industry. So, using words they won’t understand will instantly make it a chore to read your bid. They’ll be confused and may have to research what something means (if they have the time, which is unlikely).

Ultimately, if your bid becomes difficult to read, you’ll leave the buyer with a bad impression. In turn, they will likely avoid awarding you the contract as they won’t fully understand your tender.

3. Proofread your work before submission

Even the best writers will make mistakes in their first draft, no matter how small they are. Our next tender writing tip is the importance of proofreading and editing your bid proposal. You should never submit a first draft when tendering! There’s almost certainly going to be mistakes, even minor ones you might not notice at first. The issue is that the buyer likely will notice them, as it is their first time reading the document. Plus, they are reviewing it thoroughly.

Our Bid Writing Consultants suggest that you thoroughly proofread your bid several times. It can be beneficial to take breaks and then read it, as you are more likely to notice errors. You should also read it aloud, or have your device read it aloud to you. This makes it easier to notice anything that doesn’t sound quite right. If you have the team members, you could ask other people to read it too. The more it is proofed, the higher the quality. If you submit a bid full of errors and mistakes, the buyer won’t take you seriously. They will get the impression that you are lazy and unprofessional. So, they certainly won’t want to award you the contract.

4. Read all the documents before you start

One of our most important tender writing tips is to read all the buyer’s tender documents before you start. This way, you can prepare your bid and make sure you cover all the important details. The last thing you want is to complete an excellent bid, only to find you missed an important part. This will result in your bid being a complete waste of time and effort.

5. Use bid management skills to stay on track

One of the best ways of staying organised is through bid management. Here are a few things to consider for effective bid management:

How long will each individual question take?
Do you need to create case studies for responses?
What do you need to attach for each question?
Where is the response to be submitted and with what deadlines?
How is the work to be submitted? Some buyers require physical submissions as well as online.
What format do they require your responses in?
Who will be responsible for developing responses?

The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to have made mistakes. If mistakes happen, you’ll also be prepared to deal with them efficiently and effectively. This ensures time isn’t wasted and the bid is submitted on time and of the highest standard.

6. Ensure you use relevant case studies

Next on our list of tender writing tips is the importance of case studies. These should be showcased in your bid proposal as it is evidence of your skills and experience. The buyer wants to feel assured they can trust you with their contract. So, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to put their faith in your abilities.

It is also important that your case studies are relevant to the bid you are going for. Irrelevant case studies do more harm than good. This is because it shows you don’t have relevant experience, firstly. Then, it shows you haven’t bothered to check whether it’s relevant.

It is an added bonus to be able to include testimonials for the case studies you showcase. We wrote a blog for more tender writing tips for case studies.

7. Be compliant with the instructions

For the last of our tender writing tips, we will discuss the importance of compliance. You may be surprised to know that there are those that don’t follow the buyer’s instructions. This massively impacts your chances of success. Why would the buyer award you the contract if you can’t follow instructions for the bid?

When the buyer gives a specific word count for your answer, stick to it. For example, if they want 1000 words, get as close to that as possible. If your answer is only 500 words, it shows two distinct issues. One is that you can’t follow instructions. Secondly, is that you don’t know enough about your business to answer the question fully. Both are detrimental to your chances of success.

Summary

So, now that we have come to an end on our blog of tender writing tips, let’s recap!

Here are the seven tender writing tips we explored:

Use writing and communication to your advantage
Don’t use technical jargon
Proofread your work before submission
Read all the documents before you start
Use bid management skills to stay on track
Ensure you use relevant case studies
Be compliant with the instructions.

Do you have questions about our tender writing tips, or something else? Feel free to contact us, as we are always happy to help!

Need help searching for tenders?

You may be wondering where you can find a tender for your business. There’s no shortage of websites offering multi-sector tendering opportunities and leads. Ideally, you should be searching for a sector-specific site that posts all unique, public and private sector opportunities.

Our sister company, Hudson Discover, has 11 sector-specific tendering portals. One centralised and easy-to-navigate portal can help you save time, streamlining the process.

Once signed up, you’ll have access to your own dedicated Account Manager. They’ll be able to answer any questions you may have about public sector contracts. You’ll also get an email alert when new and relevant tenders are uploaded to your sector.

A subscription to one of our industry-specific portals will include:

Unlimited portal access. You can browse your industry’s portal to your heart’s content. See the hundreds of opportunities that are available, intuitively categorised, and easily accessible.
A daily email bulletin. When you sign up to a portal, you’ll receive an email alert when new tenders are uploaded.
A dedicated Account Manager. They’ll handle any questions or queries you may have about the portal.
A free 20-minute phone consultation with a Bid Writer. Our expert bid consultants will chat with you about anything tender related.

What opportunities can I expect from a tender search on a Hudson Discover portal?

We host all kinds of tenders in both the public and private sectors. These are inclusive of, but aren’t limited to:

Open tenders
Restricted procedure tenders
Competitive dialogues
Negotiated tendering procedures
Innovation partnerships
Single supplier contracts
Framework agreements
Dynamic Purchasing Systems.

What we can do for you

We have over 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or aren’t seeing results – they can help. There are four bid writing packages available:

Tender Writing

Once you’ve found a tender you’d like to go for, send it over to us. One of our Bid Writers will write the tender response for you. They’ll provide a full Tender Writing breakdown and even submit it on your behalf.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can give your tender response a once over before you submit. The Bid Writing Team will analyse your response, notifying you of any errors and opportunities for improvements prior to submission.

Tender Ready

During the Tender Ready service, our team will create professional policies, procedures, and case studies in your company branding. If you already have this content, we will review everything carefully to ensure that nothing is missed. This service also helps businesses who are new to tendering with terminology and industry knowledge.

Tender Improvement

The Tender Improvement package can help those who have tendered before but aren’t seeing results. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow.

Vocal

Our support doesn’t end there! Our creative content agency, Vocal, are on hand to help.

The Vocal Team are not afraid to stand up and be heard. And we make sure our clients aren’t either! From small, micro businesses to large organisations, we are vocal about the things that make your business unique.

Our creative service is dedicated to growing your business through striking and thought-provoking content. Our team specialise in six areas, including:

If you’d like to know more about what we can do for your business, introduce yourself to the team!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Tender Writing Tips: 7 of the Best FREE Tips from Professional Bid Writers appeared first on Tender Consultants.

Bid Tender Writer: 3 Interesting Ways They Can Improve Your Chances of Success

Kathryn Wright — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 13:15:11 +0000

Looking for a Bid or Tender Writer? Here’s what you should know

Are you wondering how a Bid or Tender Writer can help your business? There’s plenty of ways they can win you contracts. You may assume they can simply write the bid for you. That is true, but it isn’t all they can do. Our Bid and Tender Writers are proficient in several skills. We also have a variety of expertly crafted services available to support you. At Hudson Succeed, we want to help educate and support anyone we can. So, continue reading to find out more on how Bid or Tender Writers can help you.

What is a Bid Writer?

To begin with, we want to address what a Bid or Tender Writer is. They are experts in the world of tendering and are there to support businesses with their bids. They can do this in a multitude of ways, but primarily they write compelling bids for their clients.

Why do businesses hire Bid Writers?

Many businesses will turn to a Bid or Tender Writer for several reasons. However, the most common is that it saves time. By hiring a Tender Writing Consultant, you can continue your usual work whilst they handle the tendering process for you.

Businesses prefer this as it means they are not wasting time and resources. Many of them would have to sacrifice their usual responsibilities to dedicate time to completing a bid. If you don’t have the time and resources to do this, it can be risky trying to complete a bid.

A Bid or Tender Writer can handle the entire process for you, and even submit it on your behalf. Therefore, there’s no stress involved and any last-minute panicking to get things done.

How will a Bid Writer improve your chances of success?

A Bid or Tender Writer can improve your chances of success in many ways. Here are just a few:

They have expert knowledge and experience

One of the greatest benefits of hiring a Bid or Tender Writer is that they are experts at what they do. So, they know exactly what is expected and how to write your bid responses to a high standard.

A Bid Writer has mastered writing and communication skills

These bid writing skills are essential for producing a winning bid. The aim of a tender is to showcase why your business should be awarded a contract. So, it is imperative that the bid is clear, concise, and communicates ideas to a high standard. If the buyer doesn’t understand your points, they will probably not award you the bid.

A bid also needs to be thoroughly checked for errors. You don’t want to give the impression you are lazy and rush your work without checking it.

Bid Writers understand the importance of bid management

Many people may believe a good bid is simply down to writing skills. This is not the case! Bid management is essential for ensuring the quality of your bid. A Bid or Tender Writer will use their bid management skills to breakdown buyer documents and make the workload manageable. It is key for ensuring nothing is missed and everything is done in time.

Summary

So, in summary, a Bid or Tender Writer is a professional that can provide services to help you win contracts.

Businesses turn to them for several reasons, but mainly because they save time and are experts at what they do.

They can help you in many ways, but some of those include the following:

They have expert knowledge and experience
A professional Tender Writer has mastered writing and communication skills
Tender Writing experts understand the importance of bid management.

Still got questions about Bid and Tender Writers? Why not contact us, and see how we can help you? We are always here to help!

Need help searching for tenders?

Our sister company, Hudson Discover, has 11 sector-specific tendering portals. One centralised and easy-to-navigate portal can help you save time, streamlining the process.

A subscription to one of our industry-specific portals will include:

Unlimited portal access. You can browse your industry’s portal to your heart’s content. See the hundreds of opportunities that are available, intuitively categorised and easily accessible.
A daily email bulletin. When you sign up to a portal, you’ll receive an email alert when new tenders are uploaded.
A dedicated Account Manager. They’ll handle any questions or queries you may have about the portal.
A free 20-minutes phone consultation with a Bid Writer. Our expert bid consultants will chat with you about anything tender related.

What opportunities can I expect from a tender search on a Hudson Discover portal?

We host all kinds of tenders in both the public and private sectors. These are inclusive of, but aren’t limited to:

Open tenders
Restricted procedure tenders
Competitive dialogues
Negotiated tendering procedures
Innovation partnerships
Single supplier contracts
Framework agreements
Dynamic Purchasing Systems.

Now you know how to accurately perform a tender search, you may be wondering how to write a bid. Well, luckily for you, our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing.

They have over 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or aren’t seeing results – they can help. There are four bid writing packages available:

Tender Writing

Tender Mentor

Tender Ready

During the Tender Ready service, our team will create professional policies, procedures, and case studies in your company branding. If you already have this content, we will review everything carefully to ensure that nothing is missed. This service also helps businesses who are new to tendering with terminology and industry knowledge.

Tender Improvement

The Tender Improvement package can help those who have tendered before but aren’t seeing results. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow.

Vocal

Our support doesn’t end there! Our creative content agency, Vocal, are on hand to help.

Our creative service is dedicated to growing your business through striking and thought-provoking content. Our team specialise in six areas, including:

If you’d like to know more about what we can do for your business, introduce yourself to the team!

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post Bid Tender Writer: 3 Interesting Ways They Can Improve Your Chances of Success appeared first on Tender Consultants.

What to Expect From a Procurement Tender

Georgie Morgan — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 07:03:26 +0000

5 ways to win a procurement tender

When writing a response to a procurement tender, you want to make it stand out from the crowd. There may be tens of other applicants competing for one tender.

You want to persuade and demonstrate to the buyer that you’re the best business for the job. Producing a winning bid takes time. You don’t want to be rushed or leave it last minute.

The average bid takes 23 hours to complete end-to-end. Therefore, it’s best that you get on the case as soon as possible. This can help you avoid unnecessary stress and account for any unexpected delays. Working back from the submission date can help you form a timeline. Remember to consider time for proofreading and revisions.

If you don’t have this time to hand, there are options. You can outsource it to a bid writing professional who will also have a better win rate.

5 ways to win a procurement tender

Quality assessing questions

When you complete a procurement tender, you can expect to be asked quality questions. The actual weighting of evaluation will likely be split between price, quality and social value (for government tenders).

Quality questions will be assessing your competence. For these, you can expect to demonstrate your capabilities and experience. You should break the question down into subheadings to make sure you’re answering every aspect of the question.

Include any relevant qualifications or accreditations that you and your staff hold. How much combined experience do you have? What other contracts have you fulfilled that’s similar in scope and style.

Address the specification

Each procurement tender is different. There is no winning formula that will work across the board. This is because each buyer has different needs. You should be tailoring your tender response to the specification and the buyer’s needs.

Reading the tender documents can help you gain a better understanding of what the buyer is expecting and wanting. Within them, it will detail certain things you need to include. It will give you a better idea of the aim of the contract and what the buyer is trying to achieve. It’s up to you to write the best answer including this information to win the contract.

Demonstrate previous contract experience

Every procurement tender will require you to have a bank of experience ready to show. Buyers will require up to three case studies of past contracts you have delivered. These will likely need to be within the last three to five years.

They should be similar in scope, scale and complexity to the one you’re applying for. Including key challenges you encountered can strengthen your bid. This shows your flexibility and problem-solving skills. Both of which are essential to tendering for work.

Keep up to date with changing legislation

It shouldn’t be surprising when I say that a winning bid from three years ago may score poorly now. Procurement legislation is always changing and it’s essential that you keep up to date with best practice.

You should be reviewing your approach to responding to procurement tenders to stay ahead of the curve. Due to the changing nature and priorities with government procurement, it’s best to pay attention. For example, social value wasn’t compulsory before 1st January 2021 – but for public sector tenders, it now is. If you submit a procurement tender for the public sector without addressing social value, you will lose marks.

Demonstrate added value

When tendering for contracts, continuously ask yourself how you’re going to add value to the buyer. It’s not enough to just say how you meet the requirements. You need to state how your goods/services/business will benefit the buyer.

This may be via reducing carbon emission targets or using eco-friendly cleaning products. Including added value can help you write a winning bid. Government buyers have certain targets and initiatives they need to meet. Do your research and say how you can help them meet these.

For public sector contracts, the tender will be awarded to the MEAT. This stands for the most economically advantageous tender. It’s when a buyer will assess tender responses on more than just price. You should consider:

Quality
Technical ability
Sustainability
Price
Innovation
Customer service
Accessibility
Ability to deliver on time.

Where can I find a procurement tender?

Half the battle is finding the right procurement tender for your business. There are hundreds of websites posting multi-sector contracts opportunities. Filtering them out can be a challenge and relying simply on CPV codes can lead to missed opportunities.

Ideally, you should be looking for a sector-specific portal that posts all tendering leads from your industry. Our sister company, Hudson Discover, hosts 11 sector-specific tendering portals.

What makes it unique, is that you’re able to filter search results by location, keyword, budget and more. This helps you find the right procurement tender for your business – streamlining the process and saving you time. They also host public, private and unique tendering opportunities, giving you more choice.

Our portals cover the following industries:

Once you’ve found the right bid for your business, you should ask yourself the following before you progress:

Am I eligible?
Do I have the necessary qualifications/accreditations?
Can I actually deliver the work?
Do I have the necessary experience?
Do I meet the economic-financial standing?
Can I write a winning bid by the submission deadline?

If you’ve answered yes to all the above questions, then it sounds like the right opportunity for your business.

In summary

Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what to expect from a procurement tender. You want to ensure that you make your tender stand out from the crowd. Demonstrating your business capabilities is essential to success. Think about how you can present added value to the buyer and read the tender documents carefully.

Keeping up to date with the ever-changing procurement legislation can help. Remember how things might differ with private buyers over the public sector. When looking for sector-specific tendering opportunities, one of our 11 portals can ensure you find the right tender.

Need help writing your next procurement tender?

If you don’t have the resources in house to submit a winning tender, we can help. Here at Hudson Succeed, we pride ourselves on being procurement tender writing experts. Our Bid Writers have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience and an 87% success rate.

You may not need the whole bid written for you. You may simply need it proofread before you submit it. We offer four bid writing support services:

Our services

Tender Writing

Tender Ready

A 12-month subscription to one Hudson Discover.
Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and policies.
Additional flexible benefits.

Tender Improvement

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written your own tender response and need it double-checked for errors, Tender Mentor can help. A Bid Writer will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar or spelling mistakes. They will also ensure it’s in line with the specification before you submit. This can help you formulate a winning submission.

Additional support

If you only need the assistance with PQQs or SQs we can help. Send the information over to us and we can provide you with a quote for the work involved.

Discover Elite

Upgrading to Discover Elite can help optimise your tendering efforts – even when you’re busy. Our two new time-saving tools can improve your competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Healthcare and Technology, for example.
Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid strategy.
Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

All of the above.
Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

The post What to Expect From a Procurement Tender appeared first on Tender Consultants.