Expert Recruitment Bid and Tender Writing Consultants

The benefits of winning recruitment contracts

Winning a major private or public sector recruitment contracts can be game changing for recruitment firms across the UK. Government or private sector contracts mean more growth over the short, medium and long term. They also improve your prospects of success in securing additional contracts as government agencies, framework providers and NHS trusts love procuring from companies that have experience servicing the public sector.

In addition, in the corporate world, large organisations like to engage the services of recruitment agencies and firms with a track record servicing similar clients with similar services.

As a result, recruitment contracts are generally highly competitive with large nationally and multinational agencies generally competing with smaller boutique agencies. Over the years, our tender writing consultants have helped many recruitment agencies and companies writing winning recruitment bids, tenders and proposals. From helping multinational recruitment companies in London, to a small boutique recruiter and Leeds, and national recruitment agencies in Ireland, we’ve helped agencies across the UK writing winning recruitment tenders.

When engaging Tsaks Consulting to assist with your recruitment bid and tender writing needs, our consultants can help you:

• Review your bid
• Respond to the selection criteria
• Write comprehensive responses to recruitment methodology questions
• Develop compelling graphics and infographics
• Coordinate and submit the response

Bidding for recruitment industry frameworks and tenders

Many organisations do not have an in-house recruitment capability – or it is an in-house capability that is supplemented by external consultants. Government and private sector organisations typically need to employ staff on a permanent and/or temporary basis and they need a recruitment service to help them achieve this. They generally set up a Recruitment Preferred Suppliers List especially large organisations and the public sector.

Recruitment agencies need to be appointed to these lists, usually through the tender and bidding process, in order to be provided work in the future. Recruitment agencies generally need to put forward a compelling bid in order to be appointed to PSLs and win recruitment contracts.

In the public sector, frameworks are also a commonly utilised method for procuring recruitment services. They are used by many public sector bodies including the NHS, local councils and schools, the Ministry of Defence and various Housing Associations, among others, as a mechanism to put together a shortlist of preferred recruitment providers who are pre-approved. Recruitment and HR tenders are released across a broad range of industries including Healthcare, Professional services such as legal, HR, ICT and Support, Project Management and Digital Technology.

The big benefit for public sector organisations is that they can purchase goods off a framework, knowing that the suppliers have been through a compliant procurement process which was open and fair, and they don’t have to go through the process themselves. Our team of writers often helps recruitment agencies and consultants write submission and bids to frameworks. These are often must-win opportunities since frameworks generally last for 3 – 4 years and so if you are not appointed, you miss out on the opportunity for a substantial period of time.

Different frameworks are relevant and applicable to different industries. For example, the NHS Trusts and Associations have specific frameworks in place for the supply of medical personnel (doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals). These are generally suited to recruitment and labour hire firms who operate in this industry. The same applies to other industries.

Examples of UK Public Sector Recruitment Frameworks we have helped our clients write submission to

Most of the time, recruitment areas are grouped under the ‘People Frameworks’ section. Our team of bid writing consultants have helped recruitment agencies and employment services providers across the UK write bids to many different frameworks including:

• Crown Commercial Services (CCS). They have requirements in place under the Staff Banks Framework and the NHS Workforce Alliance. There is a tool built into this to detail financial standing.
  • CCS – Non Clinical Staffing Framework
  • CCS – Temporary healthcare staff
  • CCS – Future Workforce Framework
  • CCS – Permanent Recruitment Solutions
  • CCS – Executive recruitment services
  • CCS – Supply teachers and temporary staff (STaTS)
  • G Cloud 13
  • CCS – Digital outcomes and Specialists
  • CCS – Workforce Solutions
• NHS Wales Shared Services
• ESPO MISTAR
• ESPO Strategic HR Services
• PFH
• Workforce Alliance (LLP, CPP and CCS Partnerships Frameworks)
  • Clinical and Healthcare Staffing Framework
  • International Healthcare Professional Recruitment & Associated Services
  • Managed Staff Banks
• HealthTrust Europe
  • Total Workforce Solutions II
  • National and International Permanent Recruitment
  • Total Workforce Solutions II – Full Managed Service
• NEPO: Executive Recruitment
• LUPC, SUPC and APUC (Executive & Senior Strategic Search & Associated Recruitment Services and Temporary & Permanent (TAP) Recruitment Services)
• Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC)
• Procurement for Housing (PfH)
• CIRRUS Purchasing
• YPO (Managing Temporary and Permanent Recruitment) and LGRP
• Scottish Government
• NHS Scotland
• NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
• NHS England (International GP Recruitment Program)
• HSC NI
  • HSC NI – Agency Workers Nursing & Healthcare Support Workers
  • Agency Workers – Medical & Dental (Locums)
  • Global Recruitment Service for Medical Staff for WHSCT
  • Agency Workers Non-Medical
  • International Recruitment

Strategies to write winning recruitment and temporary staffing employment services tenders in the UK

In our experience (having successfully written hundreds of recruitment bids over the years), there are a number of strategies and techniques you can employ to win more recruitment contracts. These often combine the actual writing, as well as what you can do in preparation. Techniques include:

Write a compelling executive summary

An executive summary is the first opportunity you have in a bid to put your case forward. Bearing in mind that many recruiters provide a similar service, you need to clearly outline what sets you apart and communicate your win themes. You want to excite the reader and buyer and put them in a positive frame of mind. Talk about any value-added services you have and provide a concise description of your proposal.

Your executive summary needs to be easy to read and confidently written. It should be personalised and if possible, provide some introduction of your proposed team or key personnel.

Showcase your expertise and capabilities

You need to look at this from the clients perspective. As a recruitment or employment specialist, your firm will certainly have expertise and experience in recruitment more generally. However, you need to look at the requirements of the bid, the type of recruitment, short or long term, sector focus, and showcase your experience that is relevant.

You need to talk about your candidate pool, how you nurture it and how is it suited to the proposed contract. When you put your team forward, you need to tailor the experience of each of your team members to the bid to ensure their Bios align with opportunity. Writing personalised quotes throughout the bid with your personnel talking about placements they have made is also helpful.

Account Management

Sometime from the procurement team / client’s perspective, account management is more important than your experience. The public and private sector buyers want to know how you will manage the contract. Ensure you talk about any designated account manager, what level of communication you will provide, methods of communication and any reporting capabilities. If you use software to provide updates on progress, explain the software. Either way, you need to demonstrate you have an understanding of the account management progress and will ensure services are robustly delivered over the full term of the contract.

It’s important to check the tender / RFP specifications and ensure that you comply with any of their communication requirements.

Candidate recruitment and attraction methodologies

Candidate attraction is a critical component for any recruitment business. Your bid needs to detail the strategies that you use to attract candidates and demonstrate that your processes are robust and effective. Examples of strategies we typically write about in bids include:

• Job search websites
• Through social media such as facebook
• Through online social networks such as LinkedIn
• Through localised recruitment magazines and alliances, particularly when you are recruiting for highly localised candidates.

Candidate Matching

The candidate matching or placement process needs to be thorough and effective. When writing your bid, take the time to detail the process you adopt, how you source the talent and background check experience and qualifications. Make sure you tailor your process to the types of roles you are proposing to recruit for – this demonstrates your sector knowledge.

Take the time to talk (well write) about the size of your candidate pool and how you have nurtured and developed it. Where you have onboarding processes, or use software to screen candidates, ensure you detail this and explain the processes and usage.

The implementation process

You need to have an implementation procedure in place if you are successful with the contract. This helps demonstrate that you have the experience and plan to implement the contract and easily and efficiently transition-in to your service. The implementation plan can be in the form of a GANTT chart, and either way, needs to cover things like account manager meetings, timelines, accountabilities for key tasks and responsibilities.

Procedure for managing and resolving any complaints

This is generally linked to the account management component of your bid. You need to demonstrate that any issues or complaints will be handled quickly and effectively. Three ways you can address this question include:

• Writing about your complaints handling process and ensuring it exceeds the speed and seniority level that is outlined in the requirements.
• Including an infographic to show the steps of how a complaint is processed.
• Include a hypothetical – which explains how a potential complaint would be handled.

Added Value and Innovation

One area where you can really set your recruitment or staffing firm apart is the in value add and innovation. You need to think creatively about what the buyer is looking for and what challenges they are facing. Read through the requirements and read between the lines. Once you have done that, formulate value added services and innovations that address these challenges.

You can be creative in what you come up with and put forward unique ideas as well as details on how you will provide or implement the value added services. Remember to also quantify, as well as possible, the value added service you are putting forward.

Social Value

Please review our article talking about Social Value. In general, as an agency you need to comply with and exceed the social value standards detailed in the Social Value component of the requirements. Make sure whatever social value initiatives you put forward can be measured and reported on.

It’s also helpful to integrate your social value initiatives with the service you provide, and focus on a strong direct impact to the local area you may be operating in.

Graphics and Infographics

Graphics and infographics are great for communicating complex solutions in an easy to understand manner. Graphs, charts and diagrams also help clearly communicate information as well as make your bid look more professional.

You need to ensure the colour scheme is consistent with any font and heading colours you have use are consistent with your brand. Finally, use images and even personalised photos (such as staff photos for team charts) to break up the text and make your bid easier to read and interpret.

Adhering to accreditation requirements

There are usually accreditation requirements in recruitment and staffing RFQs. Ensure you comply with these and if you don’t hold you accreditation, provide supporting documentation that you have the systems in place that mirror or reflect the requirements of the accreditation. It can also be a good idea to engage and external certifier so that you can demonstrate the accreditation process. Examples of accreditations that are often required in recruitment tenders include:

• ISO 9001 – Quality Management
• ISO 14001 – Environmental Management
• ISO 27001 – Information Security – covers all data, including non-digital
• Cyber Essentials – Cyber Essentials Certified or CE+. These cover all digital information and networked IT assets.
• REC Accreditation – Recruitment & Employment Confederation

Include your policies and systems

Once you have created the policies and systems that are required to comply with and win a recruitment tender, you will notice that the workload will decrease for future tenders and you will simply be required to attach them again and again. This is helpful in terms of driving efficiencies in the tender process.

Examples of policies that you may need to create (which you can do relatively quickly and effectively be using existing templates and tailoring them) include:

• Ant Corruption Policy
• Business Continuity Plan
• Code of Conduct
• CSR
• Social Value Policy
• Environmental Management System
• Equal Opportunities Police
• Modern Slavery Policy
• GDPR Policy
• Quality Policy Statement
• Recruitment Policy

What mistakes to recruitment, employment and labour hire agencies typically make when bidding?

• Underestimating the time taken to respond: Recruitment tenders are generally quite complex. They require supporting documentation, case studies and references. In order to win the contracts, you need to put forward a concise and polished proposal grounded in fact. This all take time and it’s important to get started on the tender and bid writing process early in order to submit a quality bid.
• Bidding for anything and everything and submitting a poorly structured bid: Opportunity for employment and recruitment services tenders come up very often both in the public and private sector. The reality is that most businesses can’t go for everything, and if they do, they end up submitting poor quality bids that aren’t successful. Ask our team for a free bid / no bid checklist and make sure you undergo a rigorous assessment before bidding for a contract. When you do decide to bid, allocate the resources required to put forward a concise and structure response.
• Submitting a non-compliant response: Although this is relatively simple and straight forward, compliance can often be overlooked in the mad rush of putting a tender together for a deadline, whilst at the same time, running a recruitment practice. Create a checklist at the start of the bidding process with the eligibility criteria and cross-check your bid before submission.
• Not tailoring your bid. Recruitment, employment services and labour hire bids are highly competitive. In order to win, you need to showcase your relevant experience and expertise to the bid. That means tailoring your bid and your individual response to each question and demonstrating how your capabilities are relevant.

Areas we service

We’re based in London and are proud to have helped clients across the UK and beyond. Our bid writing consultants have helped businesses in London, Bristol, Liverpool, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Nottingham. We enjoy winning contracts for our clients and will work with you remotely, or in your offices if required, to ensure you submit an exemplary recruitment bid.

Typical recruitment bid questions and writing answers to win

Over the years, our team of bid writing consultants have helped recruitment firms score top marks in the broad range of questions that are generally asked in recruitment tenders. These include:

• Outline and describe the general method for candidate provision? It is important when responding to this question to not only describe your methods, but also provide detailed working examples to demonstrate your knowledge.
• What internal processes and systems will you use to deliver this contract? You should provide examples, screenshots of your software and examples of any reports that can be issued.
• Detail your processes for analysing trends in the sector and mapping the market? Take the time to write about your processes and talk about different market research methods you adopt. Talk about how you are thought leaders in your sector and where and how often you undertake market mapping. Also provide examples. Ensure throughout each of you responses you include ‘numbers’ and quantify as many aspects of your response as possible. This gives your response credibility.
• Explain how you will build and maintain a long-term strategic relationship with us? This questions essential goes to account management. They want to know you will invest in the relationship and take a constructive approach to delivering a long term partnership. You need to show them that your proposed team will all work towards developing a strong partnership and servicing their needs. You need to show that you will take the time to understand the challenges they face and present tailored solutions to help them win.
• Detail your previous experience providing similar recruitment services to the requirements? Talk about your previous cases and the specific challenges you faced. You need to cover how you responded to them, the volume of personnel you recruited and how your processes and systems were applied. You need to quantify your responses as much as possible and detail the outcomes achieved in each case study.
• Please detail your recruitment plan and outline how you attract candidates? Outline the different ways you find candidate and tailor and apply this to the opportunity / client. Talk about how you will apply these candidate attraction methods to the type of candidates that will be part of the contract.

For more detailed strategies on what type of questions arise in recruitment tenders and how to respond to them, please contact our team.

How do we help you win

We can help you win by ensuring you focus on what the client needs as opposed to your own services. More often than not, businesses are self-focused when it comes to submitting a tender. This is natural as you live and breathe your business and want to succeed.

We come from a purely external perspective and we’re focused on winning. We take an objective view to assess your strengths and weaknesses and are able to read through the lines in terms of what they are looking for.

Our fees are straight forward. For good old fashioned cost certainty and are able to provide a fixed project rate for your tender. Alternatively, we can work off hourly rates and even conduct a review of your tender and provide detailed feedback.

Our team will help by:

• Writing your tender or bid.
• Reviewing your bid to ensure your bid achieves best practice.
• Creating a bid library so that you can quickly and efficiently respond to bids.