Tsaks Consulting | Tender Writers & Bid Writers UK

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Frameworks

How to search for framework opportunities

Framework opportunities are advertised through procurement portals. The main / most common procurement portals across the UK are TED, FTS and Contracts Finder. The process for searching for a framework (and mostly applying for one) is the same / similar to searching for a one-off contract.

In addition to the above, you can search for framework opportunities on industry specific websites. For example, there is the NHS portal which has framework opportunities for the NHS sector and the healthcare industry overall.

If the framework you are interested in isn’t open to new suppliers, it’s good to keep a note of it and set an alert. Most frameworks will tell you when they are going to be re-opened for new suppliers, and you can plan your resources to make sure you are ready to apply.

With many frameworks, they are not designed for one specific client. Instead, the framework is designed so that a number of public sector organisations are able to use it as an avenue for procuring services.

How does the framework bidding process work and how can we help you win

The bid and tender writing process for frameworks is similar to an individual contract. You generally need to complete a Questionnaire on compliance and how your company approaches service delivery. More often than not, compliance with the questions in the Questionnaire is mandatory.

Essentially, they are checking on your business to make sure you have the correct documentation and tick all the basic boxes. They often ask for insurances and ensure you have the right documentation in place about quality control and safety.

Our team of bid writers are specialists in writing framework submissions. We can help you through the process to get awarded on a framework. Once you are awarded onto a framework, you will then be required to bid for each mini project. The good part is that you will only have to detail your program, experience, etc and you won’t have to provide the standard information all over again.

Strategies to prepare your business to bid for a public sector framework

  • Research the different types of frameworks that may suit you. You need to research the frameworks that may be suitable to your business. Take an open view to this as there are many frameworks for many different services. For example, the building and construction industry – lots of frameworks with CCS and many other are tailored directly to building and maintenance. Once you find our which frameworks suit you, it’s a good idea to then create a schedule for when they ‘open’ and you can apply for them.
  • Develop a bidding win strategy – This is important. You need to look at the framework requirements, and then decide which of your best businesses attributes align to the framework requirements. These will become your ‘win themes’ and you will focus on them.
  • Ensure you create a bid that is compliant. This is important for frameworks as if you are not compliant, you will not be awarded to the panel. Make sure you tick all the boxes. Most frameworks will have a set of bidding guidelines and you should follow them. Here at Tsaks Consulting, when we create a bid for a framework for one of our clients, we develop a compliance checklist at the start, and ensure it is complete prior to submission.

What resources or experience do I need in order to bid for a public sector framework contract and be awarded it?

Having helped hundreds of companies and businesses across the UK write winning applications for public sector frameworks, our experience tells us some of the critical components you need to win include:

  • An understanding of the framework so you can be certain that it is aligned to your business and you meet the requirements.
  • An understanding of what the clients are looking for. Most public sector organisations go through a framework because their needs align to the framework. It’s important to provide a service that meets their requirements as well as addresses their underlying needs and motivations.
  • Experience and a track record of delivering results in the sector. You need to have some experience in the sector so that you understand how the sector operates and can put forward solid experience in your application. If you have experience from a previous firm, and are a newly founded business, you can discuss this experience and put it forward as your personnel experience to strengthen your application.
  • A well-structured, and sufficiently detailed submission is needed. You need to write concisely and professionally. The reviewers do not want to read general information. Instead, they want to read concise, detailed and relevant information in each response.
  • The appropriate supporting documentation. Your supporting documentation needs to be compliant. As part of the review process, they will read your supporting documentation to ensure it is on-point. Therefore, a simply cut and paste is generally not enough and you need to tailor any supporting documentation to your organisation.

Examples of public sector frameworks we have assisted our clients to be appointed to include:

JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) – This is a publicly funded platform used by higher education institutions to procure a broad range digital goods and services. These include network and IT services, Digital infrastructure, IT and Digital consulting services and procurement consulting. They also operate the Janet network. For IT and Digital Services businesses across the UK, the JISC is an excellent framework to apply for and be appointed to in order to drive business growth. Our team of bid writers at Tsaks Consulting, including our

Yorhub: Established in 2008 Yorhub is a framework that focuses on economic regeneration, efficiency, employment and sustainability. There is a very strong focus on the construction industry with a strong focus on civil engineering frameworks, consultancy and building and construction. Tsaks Consulting has helped a number of engineers and building and construction practitioners to be appointed to the panel over the years.

KCS Procurement Services: This is owned by Kent Country Council and it brings together a broad range of different services, contracts and framework agreements. The majority of our clients who have bid for these frameworks are from the higher education sector.

 PAGABO: This has a very strong focus on Social Value in the UK. This framework is critical and a real driving force for directing the money and opportunities which are created by public procurement back into local communities. It is focused on upskilling personnel in local areas and helping local charities. In order to be appointed to this framework, we encourage all of our clients (and help them) to propose real, practical, social value solutions. You need to evidence all of your claims about social value in your bid and provide real, quantified examples of what locals will benefit and how.

LHC: The LHC brings together over 700 publicly funded organisations across the UK for their procurement needs. They operate a number of frameworks (over 19) across different services including professional services, energy efficiency, property protection and maintenance, building maintenance, refurbishment and roofing.

ESPO: This is one of the UKs largest professional procurement organisations. They offer a very broad range of goods and services – and service over 150,000 public sector organisations annually. When we assist our clients to write successful ESPO applications, they are delighted and often shocked by the sheer number of public sector organisations they gain access to. There are ten categories and some of the public sector customers include schools, colleges and the NHS.

School’s Buying Club:

NHS: This is one of the largest framework organisations and more information can be found at our designated NHS blogs and pages.

FUSION 21: This is another public sector framework which offers enormous opportunities for our clients. For further information on how to write winning Fusion 21 Applications read our guide to the Fusion 21 Framework (such as G-Cloud 14 Framework | here: Fusion 21 Framework |.

Crown Commercial Service: Otherwise or more commonly known as the ‘CCS’ framework, is the larges public procurement organisation in the UK. It leverages on its commercial knowledge to help buyers across all forms of government and quasi government (third sectors) to procure nearly everything and anything. The buyers use the CCS because they get highly competitive prices, have access to lots of potential suppliers across different industries, and have access to businesses of all sizes.

North West Construction Hub: This hub services a broad range of clients from man different groups including Local Government, Universities and Blue Light Authorities. They are split into different levels of value. From our experience, this is a great framework for smaller businesses who are looking to bid for a framework they have a good chance of being awarded.

UKUPC (Universities Partnership Consortium): There are over 112 frameworks withing the UPC with thirty new frameworks per year. Therefore, it is an excellent opportunity for small and medium enterprises to break into the education sector and sell to the higher education sector.

SUPC (Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium): A non-for-profit hub focused on helping universities gain efficiencies in their procurement. This is another good opportunity for a range of businesses who service the education sector, to apply to the framework and sell to high education institutions across the UK.

YPO – Yorkshire Purchasing Authority – This framework body has many frameworks built into it, from many different industries and services such as construction, emergency services, energy and furniture. It acts for a broad range of public bodies across the UK and is suitable for different businesses of all shapes and sizes to apply for. Our bid writers have helped many businesses apply for and be appointed to YPO frameworks.

Network Rail – a procurement body with substantial annual spend (over 3bn). They own and operate railways across the UK and conduct a lot of other works. They are a major employer and procure a very wide range of services. Therefore, many of our clients have applied to be appointed to Network Rail Frameworks from a wide range of sectors and services including consultancy, gardening and maintenance and HR training.

Efficiency East Midlands (EEM): This is a not-for-profit procurement organisation that represents a wide range of public sector stakeholders including Councils, NHS Trusts and education institutions. We have helped clients write tenders and bids, frameworks and one off ‘call-offs’ for Efficiency East Midlands and they have seen significant growth when they secured placement or contracts.

APUC (Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges): This organisation manages many different tenders and bids. They represent a number of quasi-government organisations as well and run a procurement process in Scotland – and across the UK. Our team of Bid Writers at Tsaks Consulting have helped plenty of businesses get appointed to APUC.

TUCO The University Caterers Organisation): Many higher education buyers and organisations procure their catering, food and drink supplies through TUCO. Many of our catering clients complete these tenders and bids and it is a great avenue to grow your catering or food and beverage business.

NWUPC (North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium): is a procurement body which is jointly owned by 24 different universities. From tenders, frameworks and mini-competitions, they conduct the purchasing of a range of different services for the education sector.

PfH (Procurement for Housing): This is a housing consultancy for the housing sector. They offer suppliers to the housing sector with an outstanding opportunity to get work through frameworks and tenders. They manage tenders, develop frameworks, and employ DPS agreements.

Our team of bid, tender and application writers help businesses across the UK get awarded to key frameworks. Further information on individual frameworks and how we can assist are provided here:

The types of businesses our writers have helped to get appointed to public sector frameworks:

Businesses from all industries can find opportunities on frameworks. Examples of businesses from industries we have helped include:

  • Accountants
  • Lawyers
  • Recruiters
  • Other professional services
  • Manufacturers
  • Construction and maintenance
  • Building
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Air-conditioning
  • Demolition services
  • Civil and infrastructure
  • Fire maintenance
  • Health Services
  • Transport and storage
  • Social work and social services
  • Emergency responses services
  • Many others

We have helped businesses from around the UK apply for Frameworks including businesses in:

  • London
  • South East (including Brighton & Hove, Southampton, Portsmouth)
  • Brighton & Hove, England
  • South West (including Bristol, Plymouth, Exeter)
  • Plymouth, England
  • East Midlands (including Leicester, Nottingham, Derby)
  • Nottingham, England
  • West Midlands (including Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton)
  • Wolverhampton, England
  • Yorkshire and the Humber (including Leeds, Sheffield, Hull)
  • Sheffield, England
  • North East (including Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, Middlesbrough)
  • Newcastle upon Tyne,
  • North West (including Manchester, Liverpool, Cumbria)
  • Manchester, England
  • East of England (including Cambridge, Peterborough, Norwich)
  • Peterborough, England
  • Scotland
  • Edinburgh (capital city)
  • Scotland
  • Glasgow, Scotland
  • Aberdeen
  • Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Highlands and Islands
  • Highlands and Islands, Scotland
  • Central Belt (including Stirling, Falkirk, Perth)
  • Stirling, Scotland
  • South West (including Dumfries, Galloway, Ayrshire)
  • Dumfries, Scotland
  • Wales
  • Cardiff (capital city)
  • Cardiff, Wales
  • South West Wales (including Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot)
  • South East Wales (including Newport, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent)
  • Caerphilly, Wales
  • North Wales (including Bangor, Wrexham, Conwy)
  • West Wales (including Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Pembrokeshire)
  • Mid Wales (including Powys, Ceredigion)
  • Northern Ireland
  • Belfast (capital city)
  • Derry
  • Lisburn
  • Newry
  • Craigavon