For any electrical contractors, consultant or electrician across the UK, writing and winning bids and tenders for ITTs, SSQs frameworks and DPSs will be a normal course of business and key requirement if you want to win public sector work.
It can often be an intimidating process especially if it’s your first time, or if you are a seasoned electrical contractor that needs to retain a major contract. Building maintenance contracts and other asset maintenance contracts also often have an electrical component meaning you often need to bid against large contractors that provide a number of different trades such as electrical and plumbing.
In this guide we will run through strategies to help you win electrical bids, tenders and frameworks
An overview of electrical tenders and bids
In the construction and property industry, there are different types of opportunities available to electricians and electrical contractors across the UK to win work. These include:
- Bids and tenders: These are formal processes for specific projects which you generally need to complete a quote for. They are sometimes presented as RFPs, RFTs and ITTs as well as SSQ. They usually require a methodology as well as pricing, information on your experience and expertise and safety information. A key point is that because its usually for a specific project, you will need to tailor your bid to the opportunity. For example, it may be a bid for the installation of electricals (lighting, power etc in a school).
- Frameworks: Frameworks are an excellent opportunity to join a pre-approved supplier list. They generally are not for a specific job or electrical project. Rather, they are to join a pre-approved list of electrical contractors and have the eligibility to bid on a number of different projects as they arise. We’ve helped electricians bid for frameworks with many different Public Sector Procurement Bodies such as YPO, Pagabo, ESPO and CCS.
Finding electrical contract and bidding opportunities
The first step is to selectively search for tender or contract opportunities that you have a real chance of being successful in and align with your skills and expertise. You can use the following key avenues:
- Contracts Finder: The UK Government’s primary portal for contracts and tenders in the public sector.
- Frameworks providers: Monitor the websites of framework providers and register for alerts. They often manage frameworks for electrical contractors and other property management services that you may like to join.
- Tsaks Consulting Tender and Bid Alert service: Our alert service here at Tsaks Consulting UK provides alerts for bids and tenders to electricians, electrical engineers and other electrical contractors for contractors which may be of interest to you. It’s a tailored service which can also incorporate a bid / no bid process.
Key steps to creating a winning electrical bid and winning electrical tenders
The steps our team at Tsaks Consulting UK recommend for creating a winning electrical tender or bid include:
- Review the tender documentation. Review the evaluation criteria and the mandatory criteria. Create a checklist and use it throughout the tender or bid writing process to ensure your bid aligns with the requirements and meets the evaluation criteria. Ensure compliance with any insurance and licensing requirements.
- Clearly demonstrate compliance and accreditations. This is also important as many electricians will have different licenses and accreditations. From NICEIC to CHAS and Gas Safe, you will more than likely need to include these are part of the bid or ITT submission. The key point is to not simply list your licence number. Ensure you provide proof if requested in the form of an attachment and certificate. Not including these can be a dealbreaker for any bid or tender. You need to demonstrate in your bid or tender that you are an NICEIC approved contractor and have the right electrical safety processes in place to complete public and private sector works.
- Detail your relevant expertise and experience – not just your general experience. This is a key point. You need to include case studies and testimonials of your electrical experience and explain how it is similar to the proposed project. Tailor your experience to align with the requirements of the project. For example, if you are bidding for a contract for new electrical works on a school, other new projects will be more relevant than say experience providing maintenance works.
- Put effort into writing a robust methodology and program that includes all aspects of the process. Most electricians for on the technical aspects of the methodology or program. That is important – however you also need to focus on project management, resource allocation, safety and quality. It’s also a good idea to include client communication and reporting in your methodology especially for public sector bids.
- Focus on delivering social value – particularly for public sector bids. These days, for public sector bids such as NHS and CCS bids, you need to think just as much about providing social value as you do about completing the project. These need to be integrated throughout your response so that you have a measurable social value proposition that focuses on creating local jobs, using local suppliers and delivering real community benefits through the bid or contract.
- Write in simple English. Given electrical is a highly technical sector of the construction industry, there is always the tendency to write in technical language. However, we generally recommend you write in simple English where possible and avoid too much technical jargon. This is because sometimes the procurement personnel reviewing your bid are not electricians and therefore a bid written in simple English is easier to understand. It’s also important to focus on any innovation and equipment that sets your bid or proposal apart and clearly explain it’s benefits.
- Make sure your bid or tender is well presented. This includes editing it to ensure no spelling errors and incorporating graphics and infographics where applicable. You need to use concise language and simple English.
- Call us here at Tsaks Consulting UK if you would like expert bid writing help.
Targeting and applying for frameworks for electrical contractors
You need to be slightly more innovative and strategic in your approach when it comes to applying for frameworks. The first step is to assess the type of works in the framework and make sure your expertise and experience aligns. Some frameworks are for maintenance whereas others are for new-builds so it differs.
After that, you need to look at the pre-qualification criteria for the specific framework and make sure you comply with everything. This is also important, and non-compliance is an easy way to lose a tender. It’s best to do this at the start of the bid writing process.
Detail your relevant experience. As mentioned above, ensure it is relevant and related to the scope of works provided in the framework.
How Tsaks Consulting UK can help you
Our team will help you:
- Write your bid, tender, ITT, SSQ or framework application.
- Review your bid or tender and help you improve it.
- Create a bid library to make the tender and bid process easier.
We are committed to helping electrical contractors and electricians across the UK win bids and contracts of all sizes. Our team helps electricians across the UK including in London, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities who are looking for help to win and be awarded to:
- Electrical tenders in the UK
- Electrical contracts in the UK
- Electrical installation contracts
- Electrical maintenance tenders
- Electric vehicle installation tenders and bids
- Social housing electrical contracts
Call our team here at Tsaks Consulting today for help writing a winning bid or ITT for your next government or private sector contract.