By Jason Cooney, Director, Tsaks Consulting UK
The public sector is a key source of income and revenue for construction firms, trade contractors and facilities management (FM) businesses across the UK. There are a broad range of projects and tenders available from large infrastructure projects to long-term maintenance contracts for government buildings and other assets. Our bid and tender writers at Tsaks Consulting help UK based construction and FM businesses tender for and secure contracts and frameworks across the UK.
A quick summary of what construction, FM and trade businesses to do win more tenders and frameworks?
- Demonstrate you are a reliable, low-risk option.
- Evidence your experience and expertise
- Show how you overcome challenges
- Focus on social value and local value
- Talk about whole of life cost.
Contact the team at Tsaks Consulting UK for help.
What can we do to win more tenders and frameworks?
The sector is highly competitive, and to be successful businesses need to:
- Demonstrate you are a reliable, low-risk option. You need to demonstrate how you de-limit risk for the client and are the most reliable choice. For example, Jason and the team recently wrote a tender for a small to medium sized contractor bidding for a large government project. They were successful, simply because we demonstrated in the bid that although they were a small to medium player, they were a more reliable service provider because of their strong local knowledge and operating history in the area the project is located.
- Evidence your experience and expertise. This is key as many businesses put forward a range of different claims about experience and project, however, they provide limited detail and write generally. You need to quantify what you say, use facts and figures to give your bid or tender credibility and weight. By incorporating facts and figures and quantifying and evidencing your claims, you will strengthen your bid or tender…
- Show how you overcome challenges. The government will want to know that you can overcome challenges and be solutions focused. You need to demonstrate the challenges you have encountered in the past and how you have overcome them. This shows that you will be easy to work with as a supplier. For example, we recently completed a tender for a construction client where they were bidding to provide maintenance works to a school. Our client had a strong track record and needed to demonstrate that they understood the education environment. We did this by writing about how our clients worked around the clock over the school holiday break to complete substantial works regarding the removal of hazardous materials from the school and associated rectification works. Our client engaged specialist contractors and worked on a 24/7 basis in order to complete the works.
- Focus on Social Value and Local Value. These now go hand-in-hand. Social value needs to have a local focus or flavour so that you put forward initiatives that are not only measurable but are also going to deliver downstream benefits to the local community in which the project or works will take place. In addition, your bid or proposal needs to demonstrate that you understand local, specific challenges and are committed to supporting the local economy in which you will operate.
- Talk about whole of life cost. This is another critical point – it’s not good enough to simply deliver the service or project anymore. You need to show that you are innovative and forward thinking business that will deliver value over the long term. One of the ways you can do that is through whole of life cost. Regardless of if it is an FM contract or construction, explaining how the materials and methodology you employ will reduce the whole of life cost of the project is important and adds value to your bid. For example, we recently wrote a successful bid for a plumbing maintenance business for a three-year contract. They were the incumbent and wanted to show that they weren’t getting complacent with the contract. In the bid, we talked bout the materials that they use when undergoing plumbing maintenance particularly the use of copper pipes and specific tapware. The tapware came with a ten-year guarantee – a key focus of the tender proposal even though it was only a three year contract. This helped us justify slightly higher pricing and show that it reduced maintenance costs in the long term.
Why our professional tender writing service will help you win:
- At Tsaks Consulting, our win rate in construction, trades and FM tenders is over 90%.
- We take the hassle out of project managing the bid response.
- Our review and audit process ensures you are not only compliant but put forward a compelling proposal with win themes interwoven throughout your bid.
- We know what you need to do to win and what best practice is. We ensure you incorporate evidence and quantify statements made in your bids.
- We assist with bids to all public sector departments such as Crown Commercial Services (CCS) and the NHS. Our service expands across the UK from London to Birmingham and Scotland.
Speak to our team for help with your next tender or framework
For more strategies on how to write winning bids, proposals and tenders in the construction, FM and trades sector, call our team of bid and tender writers here at Tsaks Consulting and speak with Jason Cooney, our construction and FM sector specialist.