The tendering process
It can seem daunting if you are unsure of the tendering process. Most of your customers or potential customers will try to make the process as straightforward as possible. Some will even offer workshops aimed at small to medium sized companies to provide guidance.
Price and quality
Don't ignore the written parts of your submission and concentrate solely on price. Tenders can be evaluated on both price and the written description of the services to be offered (usually referred to as the 'Quality' section). The written section of your bid can make the difference between winning and losing the contract if prices are similar between contractors.
We often find that our client has very good systems in place and operates the services required well on a day-to-day basis. However the way they describe their processes and the level of detail that they include in their tenders doesn't reflect their capabilities. The benefit of using an outside company is that we bring an external perspective and provide support with writing "method statements" when you may be too busy.
There have been several occasions where we have helped clients to win a contract because of the level of detail and evidence provided within the tender. This means that although our client's prices were not the lowest put forward, their written response demonstarted that the overall quality of their offering was significantly higher and as a result they won the contract.
Pre-qualification questionnaires
A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) may be used to shortlist companies that can bid for a tender. We provide further information here.
The tender itself
Most straightforward tenders will set out the Terms of the Agreement (the contract) and ask for tenders against these, with no changes allowed to the contract.
Larger contracts will generally have a bidding process involving several separate stages, designed to reduce the numbers of companies bidding at each stage.
If a more complex solution or service delivery model is required, there may also be an opportunity for dialogue (face-to-face meetings) with the organisation letting the contract. This is to allow discussion and agreement on how the contract should be delivered. Adjustments can then be made to the Terms of the Agreement as necessary to suit the final offer.
Your business
Whilst we are here to project manage your tender and to write relevant sections or review as necessary, Heku offers much more than this.
Teams working on a company's tenders are often those closest to the end customers and are therefore likely to be one of the first to identify changes in market requirements. Heku will help to identify areas that your business may perhaps focus on to provide services better tailored to your customers, opportunities to add value or areas in which your business may need to adapt or make changes to meet your customers' requirements.
Support for your tender
If you would like to discuss a bid with us or require support, please contact Claire Artley, Development Director. Telephone 01262 606516, email claire@heku.co.uk. Alternatively, please visit our Contact page.