6 ways to make your bid or tender the winning bid
In my experience there are six common errors in the tendering process. Once aware of them they are easy to avoid and by doing so make your bid a winning bid.
1. Don't forget to follow the instructions
Buyers will provide you with instructions on how a tender should be completed. Some buyers are really helpful and will include a checklist of all documents to be completed and submitted as part of the process. However, others won’t. Sometimes the instructions will be contained in the documents you can download .
One of the first things you should do is make sure you have read and understood the instructions given. Within both the Public Contract Scotland and PCS tender systems there is a section for questions and answers or clarifications. If you have any queries about any of the instructions or lack of them use this system to ask the buyer (the public authority).
2. Don’t miss the deadline
For every tender a contract notice will be advertised on the Public Contract Scotland portal. Within the contract notice it will state the deadline the tender must be submitted by. Buyers will not accept tenders that are submitted late and the systems will not allow you to upload tenders when the deadline has passed. After this time tenders will not be accepted. This will normally be a minimum of 2 weeks but is more likely to be around 4 weeks or for more complex or complicated tenders 6 weeks.
I always make bidders aware of deadlines and will work to ensure they are submitted, at latest, the day before the deadline. This allows for any potential system issues.
There will also be a deadline to ask questions of the bidder. This is normally around a week before the tender submission deadline but may only be a couple of days. Within your bid project plan you should schedule in time to review these and address any concerns prior to submitting your bid.
3. Don't go overboard with the details
Whilst it is essential to ensure you answer all elements of the questions, you bidders (too slangy.. keep it professional) must also be careful to make sure you don’t give too much detail. Unless you are asked to include them do not include promotional brochures, leaflets or other materials because they will not be evaluated or considered.
You will often be given word limits and it’s essential to provide the information asked within these limits. These are also guide to how much information the buyer is expecting you to provide.
4. Don’t forget the terms and conditions
As part of the tender submission you will be asked to agree with the terms and conditions set by the buyer. The terms and conditions will be available as a document within the downloads. You must be sure that you are willing to enter into a contract and abide by these conditions.
5. Remember the final checks
Make sure that you provide all the information requested. Make sure it is in the correct section. If there is a naming schedules for documents you are attaching, ensure that you follow it. Run a spell check – there is nothing worse than obvious spelling errors! Finally if you are cutting and pasting, make sure the information is applicable to this tender.
6. It’s a mistake to miss out the supporting information
You need to attach all information requested. Typically this will be responses to method statements, financial accounts, etc. Also when responding if you say you do something provide examples of how you do this. If you don’t tell them then they can’t score it.
Following these tips will ensure you avoid the common pitfalls when submitting your next tender.
Working closely with you we can ensure compliance of your next tender or bid. Get in touch to discuss how we can help you.