Tsaks Consulting | Tender Writers & Bid Writers UK

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Guide to help write winning UK Crown Commercial Service CSS Framework Bids

Winning a bid or being appointed to the CCS (Crown Commercial Service) is business changing for most of our clients given the significant financial rewards that come with it. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) procurement structure is one of the largest in the United Kingdom and offers a broad range of different framework and tender/bid opportunities for businesses from many different sectors.

Being appointed to a CCS framework often means being given access to many different public sector government departments and buyers who spend billion dollars annually procuring services.

Our team of bid, tender and proposal writers have helped many businesses, small and large, write framework submissions and applications to the CCS. CCS provides opportunities to businesses of all sizes, from small sole traders to national and international corporations. It is a highly competitive framework and its not unusual for multinationals and seasoned tenderers to have to experience rejection and have to make multiple submission.

Our team of bid writers can help you submit framework applications as well as respond to PQQ (Pre Qualification Questionnaire), ITT (Invitation to Tender) and other requests such as the completion of an SQ (Selection Questionnaire).

What are CCS Frameworks

The CCS is a trading fund of the Cabinet Office of the UK Government. Its’ purpose and responsibility to undertake, improve and optimise government procurement. The way it increases the efficiency of the government procurement functionality is through procurement frameworks.

The CCS framework:

  • Formalises an agreement between the government and suppliers.
  • Has the terms and conditions for the specific procurement built into the agreement.
  • Provides a list of suppliers that have been through the application process and comply with the relevant criteria.
  • Provides this list of suppliers to government departments and public sector organisations so they can purchase goods and services from them.

In addition to offering access to sales and growth opportunities to government, being appointed to a CCS framework helps our clients and all businesses take the hassle out of tenders. This is because you only need to go through the tender process once and you don’t have to submit a full tender or bid for each subsequent opportunity.

The benefits of winning CCS frameworks and DPSs for our clients

Writing and winning (or retaining) CCS frameworks and contracts has a transformative effect on any business.  Some of the benefits include:

  • Growing your public sector client base and revenue base. For many small to medium (and even large) businesses, writing successful CCS framework applications and securing contracts will help you achieve your public sector growth strategy targets.
  • Achieve government contract success will help secure long-term revenue from the public sector. Many CCS frameworks and contracts are for substantial durations – sometimes up to five years delivering clients secure income and clear long-term benefits.
  • The ability to invest in capital and engage personnel. The certainty that comes with a CCS framework provides your business with the comfort and encouragement to invest in capital intensive projects such as purchasing equipment, leasing premises and hiring and training staff. These can be used to scale up your business.

Writing a winning CCS Framework bid or application

Key steps and strategies to writing a winning bid for a CCS framework include:

  • Bid no/bid decision. Chances are you have already made this decision, however, it’s important to decide whether or not allocating the resources to make a CCS application is a good investment of your time. Usually it is.
  • Review and understand the framework. The best place to find information on the CCS Framework is their website. You need to understand the specifics of the framework you are bidding for including scope of services and the terms and conditions. Our consultants can assist you with this.
  • Review and ensure you are eligible. Most frameworks have mandatory requirements for things like experience and financial compliance and any licenses and regulations. You need to ensure you are able to comply with these requirements or else you application will not be accepted.
  • Ensuring your supporting documentation is organised and correct. We generally encourage clients (or when we are assisting with a bid or application) to get your supporting documentation together earlier. From insurance certificates of currency to other safety or quality documents, its important to have the appropriate supporting documentation. It’s best to get started on this process earlier, as you are often relying on external stakeholders and this can cause delayed.
  • Answer each question comprehensively. You need to write concisely and directly respond to the question. In addition, sometimes in questions there are multiple different questions built in to them. Where there are two or three parts to the question, you need to make sure you answer each part of the question individually. Your response also needs to be comprehensive.
  • Always provide evidence and quantify your claims. Anybody can write anything in a bid or CCS tender application. Procurement teams are well aware of this and approach many claims with scepticism. That is why it’s important to include evidence and numbers throughout your bid in order to backup your claims. In addition to evidence, you need to provide examples and case studies. These examples and case studies need to be detailed enough to showcase your capabilities.
  • Introduce and emphasis win themes. Win themes, or key points of difference, are what sets your business apart. It’s important to make sure your win themes are aligned to what the CCS is looking for and are designed to set you apart from your competitors.
  • Keep it public sector focused. I.e. make sure your submission reflects the core public sector goals of social value, sustainability and digital innovation.
  • Write a tailored response for each individual lot. It’s more time consuming, however, it is the ‘proper way’ if you are applying for multiple lots.
  • Use simple English, simply formatting and concise language. The evaluators aren’t always experts in your specific area or sector. Therefore, putting forward overly complex language can be to your detriment. You should generally avoid using jargon or industry terminology that the reader may not know. Try to keep your sentences short. Make your writing structured with bullet points and sub-headings where possible so that it is easy to read. The more structured and easier to read your bid is, the easier it is for the reader to mark it.
  • Be sure to provide a comprehensive response to all the questions even if you think they do not apply to your specific service. Sometimes the questions are broad because there are a number of different services in one framework. You need to tailor your service to their question and you need to explain when their tender is not applicable.
  • Ensure you comply with the requirements. Use the CCS compliance checker and review and ensure you comply with all the public sector procurement regulations that cover CCS. Bid writing compliance is critical to having your tender accepted and can be a dealbreaker even for bids which are exemplary. Apply your framework agreement expertise and review the ITT and other documents issued by CCS so you can create an internal checklist and ensure you comply.
  • Work within their character limits. Don’t waste words. Write concisely and keep your writing as focused as possible throughout the bid. Ensure you use the language from the ITT and DPS documentation in your bid so that it’s easy to read for the procurement team and the same ideas and values shine through.
  • Actively project manage the process so that you don’t run out of time. This happens to clients as bids (especially CCS bids) are often more complex than businesses think. Accountability is critical and you generally need to appoint an internal lead to manage the process and make sure you are on top of all the document requirements.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of CCS and it’s role. If you want to win a CCS tender, you have to demonstrate that you understand CCS, it’s role and purpose. As the UK Government’s largest public procurement organisation, CCS is highly sophisticated and experienced in ensuring public sector contracts gain value for money. They have set procurement rules and generally know what they want. They also have different types of contracts. Your bid needs to demonstrate that you understand CCS and are able to deliver value for money. Your understanding needs to extend beyond CCS and to the actual specific public sector body that is procuring. You will need to look at the goals and values of the particularly department and ensure you align your bid to them (such as any net zero plans).
  • Attend and engage in market engagement sessions. These are generally very helpful for three reasons. Firstly, you generally get a greater ‘off the book’ understanding of what they are looking for. This generally includes a better understanding of their pain points and an opportunity to ‘read between the lines’ about what they are looking for.  Secondly, it’s an opportunity to socialise and develop relationships – as well as ask clarification questions. Finally, it’s a great opportunity for competitive analysis and even networking.
  • Show that you have the depth of resources to scale: It’s important in any CCS framework applications, or DPS bid to show that you have the depth of resources to deliver. Whether it’s a contract in London, Birmingham, Leeds or even a regional area, they will want to know that should the volume of work increase, you will be able to deliver with consistent quality. This potentially means employing additional personnel and having the ability to onboard them quickly. Or where you are bidding for an equipment supply tender, the ability to increase the volume of supply is also important.
  • Make you bid writing process for mini-competitions and direct wards seamless and efficient. The reality is that once on a framework, you need to be able to respond to many different opportunities quickly. You should set up a response template and a bid library so you can quickly and efficiently response to mini-competitions within the provided timeline.

The common mistakes clients make when writing and submitting CCS framework bids

In our experience, some of the mistakes and errors our clients make, which are team will help ensure you avoid making, when writing CCS tenders include:

  • Misinterpreting the tender or ITT requirements: This is common and usually relates to you ‘looking for the question you want’ rather than answering the question they have asked. Make sure you think through their questions, directly respond to them and take a broad approach to your response.
  • Missing a deadline. This generally stems from not actively project managing the tender response process. You need to make sure you are well organised and leave ‘buffer’ time for any potential issues that may arise with uploading onto the CCS portal.
  • Not comprehensively covering off social value and sustainability. We have worked with many clients that have comprehensive expertise and excellent references and experience. We would call them ‘favourites’ although we never get complacent to win a bid. However, they lost points on social value and take the tender for granted. It’s important to ensure you do not do this. I.e. you take the time to put forward a comprehensive and detailed social value response.
  • Make claims without showing any proof. The CCS procurement personnel read through bids on a daily basis. They can see through anything when it comes to businesses and organisations making claims about their experience and capabilities which are exaggerated or embellished.

 

The MEAT ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’ approach

When you are bidding or making an application for a CCS framework, it’s important to be mindful of the approach, processes and thinking of the procurement team. The CCS adopts the MEAT approach when procuring. Criteria that they use through this approach include (and it is not limited to cost):

  • Innovation in your service offering: i.e. demonstrating how you will work smarter, not harder, and showing that you are a though leader in your industry.
  • Qualifications and expertise that set you apart from competitors.
  • Cost of your services: including the whole of life value cost of your services. I.e. you may be more expensive up-front for a service, however, less expensive over the long term.
  • Exceeding service delivery requirements.

Benefits for SMEs

Our writers have helped hundreds of small and medium sizes businesses become appointed to CCS frameworks. Although the CCS framework is designed to ‘bulk buy’ and drive cost savings by purchasing high volumes, SMEs are often in a strong position due to a government commitment to purchase from SMEs. The government as a commitment to purchasing 33% of goods and services from SMEs.

The reality is that most SMEs face challenges in writing and submitting CCS framework applications and bids. Firstly, they don’t have the time and resources to find Government contracts such as CCS frameworks and DPSs, and they also generally have limited bid writing resources. Most SMEs need to outsource their bid writing to an external consultancy such as us here at Tsaks Consulting UK.

Our team will help address this issue for you with our bid writers acting as a temporary extension of your team to help you write winning bids.

Another benefit for CCS suppliers is the 30 day payment terms.

Examples of current CCS frameworks:

We have assisted clients to submit and secure a range of CCS framework applications including:

  • G Cloud 14 – Agreement number: RM1557.13
  • Digital Outcomes 6: Agreement number: RM1043.8
  • Facilities Management Marketplace (FM) Agreement ID: RM3830
  • Media Services Agreement ID: RM6123
  • Occupational Health, Employee Assistance Programmes and Eye Care Services – Agreement ID: RM6182
  • Office Supplies – Agreement ID: RM6059
  • Payment Acceptance – Agreement ID: RM6118

 

How we can help win CCS Frameworks

Talk to us today for help with any CCS framework bid or tender. Our team of bid writers have extensive experience helping clients win CCS framework bids. All of us are experienced in public sector bid writing and provide CCS framework application support to small, medium and large businesses alike across multiple industries. Some of the sectors we have supported include defence, office supplies, medical and health, legal, accounting, engineering, manufacturing, IT&T, digital, food and beverage, administration and office support and logistics and transportation among others.

If you want to find a CCS framework bid writer or are looking for help on how to win a bid on a CCS framework in the UK we can assist. We help organisations across the UK and have helped businesses from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Sheffield, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Newcastle as well as businesses in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Wales and Northern Island to Yorkshire.

The Types of Services on CCS Frameworks

There are a broad range of services and products which are procured under the CCS framework. They fall into the following four categories and sub-categories:

  • Buildings: (Construction, Energy, Workplace)
  • Corporate Solutions: (Document Management and Logistics, Financial Services, Fleet, Marcomms and Research, Office and Travel)
  • People: (Contract Centres, People Services, Professional Services, Workforce Health & Education, PSR & Permanent Recruitment)
  • Technology: (Digital Future, Network Services, Software & Cyber, Technology Products & Services)

How our team can help you win

Our team of bid and framework writing consultants will help you:

  • Write your CCS application to a CCS framework
  • Develop the supporting documentation
  • Project manage your response
  • Identify suitable CCS contract, framework and DPS opportunities.

If you are struggling with CCS bid deadlines, need help and assistance from an expert for putting together a government tender, our team will assist by providing you with expert advice on CCS frameworks through our professional public sector bid writing service.

By engaging our team of professional bid writers, based in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, York and across the UK, we will help you:

  • Reduce your tender rejection and loss rate – by making sure your bids are exemplary and in line with best practice.
  • Streamline your government bidding, ITT response and SQQ response processes so that you can bid more efficiently and secure more contracts by saving time in the tender preparation process, using AI where possible and outsourcing your bid writing to us.

Helping you deal with bid losses and rejection

There is a lot to learn from the loss or rejection of any bid or framework application and this applies to Crown Commercial Services bids. Our primary objective here at Tsaks Consulting UK is to help clients win frameworks and contracts. If the have had recent losses, we can investigate and work with you (and CCS through the debrief process) to understand the reasons for rejection. If you are asking yourself, why did my CCS Government bid fail? We can assist by:

  • Undertaking a review of your bid.
  • Analysing the feedback provided by CCS as part of the debrief
  • Putting in place a program and checklist to improve your future ITT and framework applications to CCS
  • Taking you on a continuous improvement journey for the bid writing process for your next bid.

We have a track record of bringing success to our clients – by ensuring you showcase all your expertise and experience as well as social value initiatives in your response. Our CCS bid success rates are industry leading and here at Tsaks Consulting UK we have a track record of winning public sector contracts from our clients. Our success rate for CCS contract and framework applications in 2024 was 92% and we have helped our clients secure over 130 million in government contracts.

Contact our team today.