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LCH Frameworks | Bid Writing Specialist

HLC Frameworks Bid and Tender Writing Expert

Our guide to writing winning Bids for LHC Frameworks

Our team of bid and tender writers here at Tsaks Consulting have a history of helping construction and other businesses across the UK to bid LHC Frameworks. We have written this guide to help our clients understand the LHC Framework and how businesses can write bids successfully.

What is the LHC (London Housing Consortium)

The LHC is a joint committee of local authorities. They are highly specialised in construction and property frameworks. It extends across the entire UK including England, Scotland and Wales. The LHC establish compliance frameworks for themselves and also their clients so they can efficiently access approved suppliers.

As a result, LHC frameworks present fantastic opportunities for consultants, suppliers and contractors in the construction sector – including all trades such as roofers and plumbers. The LHC frameworks are generally highly competitive with building and trades contractors across the UK bidding for appointment. Our team of bid writers have helped many of our clients secure placement on LHC frameworks particularly electrician, plumbers, Glaziers and other trades as well as builders of course.

A number of social landlords and other public sector bodies use the LHS particularly for procuring services associated with the maintenance of public sector buildings. The frameworks they develop are OJEU compliant and the LHC is not-for-profit and has a strong focus on community sustainability.

What does the LHC Framework spend money on and what is the size of the opportunity

The total value of the frameworks published last years by the LHC was approximately £350m. The projects varied across many aspects of the refurbishment and building industry including:

  • Construction and refurbishment projects
  • Roofing, windows and doors projects
  • Property protection and maintenance projects
  • Kitchen and bathroom renovation projects
  • Retrofitting and other energy efficiency projects.

All of the above projects varied in terms of the size, scope and volume. Either way, its important to understand that the LHC Frameworks generally have a focus on renovating existing buildings and property as well as making properties more energy efficient.

Local authorities which are part of the LHC through the joint Committee

Although a number of local authorities form the Joint Committee, the LHC frameworks are not limited only to these clients. It is also their clients from a range of different public sector organisations that procure through LHC frameworks. Many of these clients are Councils, NHS Trusts from across the UK, school and colleges across the UK and even emergency services. There is a broad geographic reach as well.

The local councils that form part of the joint committee include Brent, Ealing, Hackney, Haringey, Hillingdon, Islington, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets, Bucks CC, Enfield, Camden, Southwark and Barking & Dagenham.

The local hubs the LHC operates under

The LHC spans the entire UK. As a reflection of their geographic spread, they operate under five local hubs. Our team of bid writers have experience writing bids to LHC frameworks across all five hubs – and it is important to tailor and localise your bid to each geographic area and ‘hub’.

The five hubs the LHC operates under includes:

  • LHC – London and South-East Region
  • SWPA – South-West Procurement Alliance
  • WPA – Welsh Procurement Alliance
  • SPA – Scottish Procurement Alliance
  • CPC – Consortium Procurement Construction (North).

Our guide and strategies for SMEs to writing winning bids to LHC Frameworks

The LHC is very supportive of SMEs and their frameworks are generally geared towards engaging with SMEs. They understand that SMEs are important in the contractor supply chain and appreciate the benefits of engaging with local businesses.

As a result, when they develop the requirements for framework applications, especially where the works are smaller in value, they design the requirements to appeal to small and medium businesses.

The LHC Frameworks work off a band system. That is, there are different bands for values of the contract. We recommend our clients bid for frameworks where their existing experience generally aligns with the values they are going for. For example, the bands can range between £0 – £500k, £500k – £1m, £1m to £2.5m and £2.5m – £5m.

There are also new frameworks that the LHC has released that are particularly appealing to SME structures. These including consultancy services, new homes and also modular building frameworks.

In order to score well in LHC frameworks you need to:

  • Provide evidence for all your claims throughout your bid. This is called an evidence-based approach and it builds up the credibility of your bid.
  • Write concisely. It’s great to write long responses as well as they are full of relevant detailed information.
  • Include testimonials and tailor all of your experience and expertise.

In order to put forward a quality response you need to think about:

  • Ensuring the evidence you put forward relates to the value band of the framework you are bidding for.
  • How will you engage with local labour and supply and what percentages of local staff will potentially work on the contract / framework?
  • Have you demonstrated that you can service the regions or locations you are bidding for? By demonstrated, this can be through detailing relevant case studies and providing reference. When writing case studies, make sure that they showcase your ability to deliver to different regions.
  • How you will integrate local suppliers into the supply chain. It’s important that you talk about and focus on key potential major supplies for the project and where they will be serviced from.
  • Where there are tenants involved and access is an issue, provide a detailed methodology on how you will ensure access and how you will communicate with tenants.

How does an LHC Framework work?

When supplying to LHC you will notice they use the portal in-tend. There is a simple and easy registration process and after that through the In-Tend portal you can look at the current tender opportunities and live frameworks with LHC.

It’s important to be selective and bid for the frameworks you have the experience to deliver. Once you have found an LHC Framework you want to bid for, you need to register your interest so that you can access the full tender portal pack and read through the tender / framework requirements in detail.

Our team of bid writers can help you write your framework application to improve your chances of success. Contact us today for end to end bid writing, review and feedback services as well as assistance with specific questions you may find challenging.

Speak with our bid writing experts today to arrange help with your next LHC framework application

What are the LHC Frameworks we can bid for

The LHC Frameworks are dynamic with new frameworks being released and a number of Frameworks as well as DPS (Dynamic Purchasing Systems). A DPS is similar to a framework however it’s continually and regularly open to new suppliers.

Some of the categories include:

Construction, Extension and Refurbishment such as Modular Buildings (MB2), New Build Housing Construction (H2), Offsite Construction of New Homes (NH2), Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB3), Whole House Refurbishment and Associated Works (WH2)

LHC Roofing, Windows and Doors Frameworks including Doorsets, Fire Doors and Communal Entrance Doors (C8),  Roofing Systems and Associated Works (RS4), Windows and Doors – Aluminium (A7) and Windows & Doors – PVC-U & Timber (WD2).

LHC Property Protection and Maintenance Frameworks including the Asbestos Services (AS2), Fire Safety (FS1) and Vacant Property Protection and Associated Services (V7).

LHC Kitchens Framework: Kitchens and Associated Products (K7).  

LHC Energy Efficiency Framework: Energy Efficiency Measures & Associated Works (N8).

LHC Consultancy Frameworks: Architect Design Services (ADS1.1), Energy Efficiency Consultancy Services (N8C), Engineering Inspection Services (EIS1), Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy Services (MDC1), Offsite Project Integrator (OPI-1)

It also has the LHC Whole House Refurbishment (WH) DPS

Upcoming Frameworks (as of the date of writing this article) for the LHC include:

  • Modular Buildings (MB3)
  • Public Buildings Construction & Infrastructure (PB4)
  • Retrofit and Decarbonisation (N9)
  • Roofing Systems and Associated Works – Manufacturers (RS5M)
  • Roofing Systems and Associated Works –
    Contractors (RS5C)

Client testimonials

Jason and the team at Tsaks Consulting are excellent. They assisted us with our LHC Application for a very important framework. As bid writers they know their stuff, are effective and thorough in their approach. They are also an excellent team to work with on a personal level – approachable and helpful – they get the job done and are highly reliable. I would recommend them to any businesses looking for assistance writing and submitting a framework application to LHC or any other framework for that matter. They are highly professional, very good at what they do and great to work with.

Paul D | Construction and Roofing Contractor | London and UK-Wide

Thank you Jason and the Tsaks Consulting team for all your hard work on this application. We are a small business and it’s hard to pool the resources to write a compelling bid whilst running the day to day business. We also don’t complete framework applications and proposals all the time like your team does. Fingers crossed for the result and either way, a big thank you for the excellent work you have done.

Rose V | Refurbishment Contractor | Scotland