Would you like to make a New Year’s resolution that your business will stick to? This year make a commitment to getting ready to tender with Supply2Gov.
Get started by reading our list of common questions that our experts are often asked around bidding for public sector work.
How do I choose the right public sector tenders for my business?
The first step to public procurement success is choosing a tender that is suited to the goods or services your business supplies.
Make sure that you are being realistic, putting your energy into tenders that lie easily within your grasp. Many suppliers make the mistake of bidding for too many opportunities, putting quantity over quality.
Avoid the scattergun approach when it comes to bidding, as this will only waste your time when you could be putting more effort and focus into tenders that you are more likely to win.
Are low value tenders worth my time?
If you are new to procurement, get started by tendering for smaller contracts. This will help your business to build up a portfolio of public sector references, rather than having one client from a larger scale project.
Lower value contracts can be extremely lucrative as your competitors may have overlooked or dismissed the smaller contracts, meaning that your business will have better odds of winning as there will be less competition around the tender.
Keep in mind that contracts worth less than the public procurement thresholds are NOT carried in the OJEU – this means that your business should be using a tender alerts tool to keep an eye on opportunities at all values.
Should I bid for supply chain opportunities?
Yes, supply chain tenders are an excellent option for businesses that want to cover all bases when it comes to procurement.
Supply chain opportunities work slightly differently from public sector contracts as the buyer is a private sector organisation. Usually, one private sector business will win a large public sector contract and outsource contracts to smaller subcontractors, as they will be unable to supply every aspect of the goods, works or services required.
What should I do first when bid writing?
Make sure you read the tender specification carefully, as this will help you not only to understand exactly what the buyer is looking for but also to gather any important questions you have about the tender document. If any do arise, reach out to the buying organisation to seek clarification on any points that may be confusing.
What questions should I ask when tendering?
Ultimately your business can ask any question that is relevant to the tender exercise.
Make sure that you are asking questions that remove any assumptions from your bid. The clearer you are about the tender specification – the easier it will be for you to focus on what the buyer requires.
Remember that the answers to your questions will be anonymised and made available to everyone bidding for the contract – but you will also be able to see what your competitors are asking.
What’s the best way to find tenders?
Find relevant tenders opportunities using Supply2Gov Tender Alerts.
Our users can optimise their profile and tailor their account so that they only receive tender opportunities and award notices that are relevant.
The best thing about our service is that you can try it for free – starting with the local area of your choice…
Register now to get ready to tender in 2019.