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Two Stage Tendering for Destination Builds

28/09/2011 by · Leave a Comment

Perhaps the most crucial factors contributing to the success of a destination builds (tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants, head offices) are location and design.  Once chosen, there’s not much you can do about location.  Design however, is a different matter.  Not only does it cause challenges throughout the initial fit out, over time the building will need to re-design to keep up to date.

There are four main methods of procurement and central to each is the responsibility of design.

1) Construct Only: This method sees the developer appoint a design team which will control all areas of design until the project is finished.  Once the design of the building is completed the developer will tender for a construction team.  This tender will be solely for construction duties and as bidding is for a finished design, tenderers can bid a lump sum.  The main advantage of this procurement process is that the developer retains control of design, vital to the owners. The contractor is also taking on less risk than a project that may still change so costs can be driven down.  However, this step by step process demands a lot more time than ones where building and design can overlap or coincide.

2) Design and Build: Design and build procurement involves the developer having their own design team which will begin the design process.  Then, once the design has reached a suitable stage, a design-build contract is issued.  The contractor who wins this contract will continue to develop the design, replacing the original team, while carrying out building works.  An advantage is that the work can begin earlier which will save the developer money.  It also limits the risk of extension of time claims due to design error.  There are some disadvantages.  Tenders will ask a higher price than Construct Only contracts, as they do more work.  Also, the developer loses design ownership key to the brand of the building.  It is possible for the developer to employ a team of design monitoring consultants but the opportunities for confrontation and crossed wires arise, as do more costs.

3) Two-Stage Tendering:  This can be seen as a adaptation to the Design and Build process.  It is sometimes thought of as more suitable for smaller, less complex buildings, but is increasingly popular.  This arrangement involves a contractor carrying out pre-construction work and assisting the developer’s design team.  It is usually let on a guaranteed maximum price basis.  When the design has progressed to a point where construction is able to begin, the developer will enter into either a construct only contract or possibly a design-build contract to complete the works.  The benefits of two-stage tendering to the developer involve retaining the all-important design control.  Also, as the developer has been able to engage the contractor early and obtain a fixed price for the second stage, this system provides cost and time savings.

4) Construction Management: With this system, the developer employs a construction manager as an advisor.  All works required throughout the building will be divided into packages and the construction manager will give guidance on the best way to do this.  The developer then enters into each separate contract while the construction manager oversees the process.  As everything is done under separate contracts, pre-construction works can begin while design is still being finalised.  When the design is finished one single contract can be issued for the rest of the works.  The main advantage to this method is the degree of control the developer keeps over the design.  The main disadvantage though, is that there is no single point of contact on the construction side.  Errors, queries and suggestions must involve tracking down the relevant contractor.  This is difficult for the developer and very unattractive to any lenders.  Previously, construction managers were assumed to have relatively little liability, as they are have no direct, contractual link with sub-contractors.  However, after the high profile Great Eastern Hotels case, construction managers and developers may view the arrangement differently.

Need tender writing or bid management assistance? Get in touch 0203 405 1850 or email hello@winthatbid.com

Filed Under: Bids, Business Strategy, Procurement, Tenders, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Find Tenders

05/09/2011 by · Leave a Comment

People often ask us how to find tenders for their business.  There are hundreds of portals in the UK – some generalist, some specialist.  Some charge a membership fee and others are free.  This article sets out a few ways to find yourself some great tendering opportunities.

Contracts Finder
 Contracts Finder is a free new service for businesses, government buyers and the public. This service comes from government under its transparency commitment and you can find:

· live contract opportunities

· closed tender documentation

· contract awards and contract documents

TED (Tenders Electronic Daily)
TED is the online version of the ‘Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU)’, dedicated to European public procurement. Public procurement in the UK and European Union is governed by a number of Directives and Regulations and all tender opportunities above a certain monetary threshold must be published in the OJEU. TED provides free access to business opportunities. It is updated five times a week with approximately 1500 public procurement notices from the European Union, the European Economic Area and beyond. Register on the TED website for free to get started or contact the Enterprise Europe Network for further advice and support.

Where to find Global Sporting Opportunities

Where to find Local Authority opportunities

It is worth finding out how your local authorities manage their tenders however we find that in the majority they use their own online portals, advertise in local papers and/or use an external company like Exor to manage their preferred supplier database.

Central Government

Try these for size

NHS

The Department of Health is divided into a number of business units for purchasing purposes, each with their own budgets.  We have selected a few ways to monitor different tendering and business opportunities

Specialist

Each sector often has its own specialist portals and we have put together a list of some of them

What do you think of our How to Find Tenders list – have you got a favourite to add?

Filed Under: Bids, Business Strategy, Find Tenders, General, Olympics 2012, Opportunities, Procurement, Top Tips, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tender Writing Insights: Managing Online Tender Portals

06/05/2011 by · 1 Comment

Recently, some of the Win That Bid team completed a large and complex bid involving the public sector portal ‘Bravo’. There are hundreds of online procurement portals around all with their own language and foibles. However, there are some basic principles that can help you when, with that deadline looming, you find yourself wrestling desperately trying to submit your online tender.

Access

Know your login details and ensure you have the correct level of user access

Having spent weeks or months with your head buried in the tender writing documentation, the time has arrived to upload your submission. And if you’ve forgotten your login details or do not have a sufficient level of access let’s hope you haven’t realised this too late i.e. out of working hours, during busy periods or just prior to the deadline. Online help will only get you so far so if it’s a human being you need to speak to then make sure you do so in advance.

Utilise quieter periods

Early mornings, late nights, weekends and Bank Holidays are ideal

The majority of your competitors will leave their tender writing and submission to the last minute. The risk here is that the portal will time out due to the sheer volume of documents being uploaded. The Win That Bid team who worked on this latest bid submitted documents as they were completed, and in some cases as far as two weeks in advance. They also made use of early mornings, late nights and the Easter holidays.

Upload larger documents first

Larger documents take longer

As larger documents take longer to upload start with them first. This is especially the case with heavy document based tender portals such as Bravo that may not have a limit on the amount of tender documents you are allowed to submit.

Save, save, check, check again and save

Don’t get timed out or caught out

Tender portals will usually time out after 15 minutes of being dormant. Make sure to hit save as soon as you’ve uploaded your latest documents.

Once you have finished uploading go back and check all questions have been answered and all documents have been uploaded. Often you can print the documents list from the portal and more than often you will find there is at least one document missing. Never assume a document has saved.

And if it’s all too much outsource your tender writing, bid and document management to the 2am wrestling experts at Win That Bid.

Filed Under: Bid Management, Opportunities, PQQ, Procurement, Proposal, Proposal Template, Proposal Writing, Tender Writing, Tenders, Top Tips, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , ,

Are you ready for the Bribery Act?

06/04/2011 by · Leave a Comment

The Bribery Act 2010 is due to come into effect very soon but are you prepared for the change it will bring?

Increasingly, public sector tenders require the supplier to explain their anti-bribery and anti-corruption processes and procedures. Despite a number of delays The Bribery Act is now due to come into force on 1st July 2011. The purpose of the Act amongst other things will be to:

  • provide a more effective legal framework to combat bribery in the public or private sectors
  • create two general offences covering the offering, promising or giving of an advantage, and requesting, agreeing to receive or accepting of an advantage
  • create a discrete offence of bribery of a foreign public official
  • create a new offence of failure by a commercial organisation to prevent a bribe being paid for or on its behalf (it will be a defence if the organisation has adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery
  • replace the fragmented and complex offences at common law and in the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889-1916
  • require the Secretary of State to publish guidance about procedures that relevant commercial organisations can put in place to prevent bribery on their behalf
  • help tackle the threat that bribery poses to economic progress and development around the world.

The Ministry of Justice published updated procedure guidance on 30th March 2011 that can be put into place by commercial organisations. The report advises that an organisation can form a case against the offence of failing to prevent bribery providing that they can prove adequate procedures are in place in the organisation. This is under section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010.

The guidance sets out six principles that will assist commercial organisations with planning, implementing, monitoring and reviewing their business to ensure it is bribery free.

The principles are:

  1. Proportionate procedures
  2. Top level commitment
  3. Risk assessment
  4. Due diligence
  5. Communication
  6. Monitoring and Review

After each principle there are suggested practical guidelines to help your organisation address them. This designates control to the organisations to review their business and undertake the relevant risk assessments to determine whether or not their procedures are sufficiently robust. If your organisation does not meet the required standard, you are advised to implement anti-bribery procedures as soon as possible.

The guidance presents a risk based approach to adopting the sufficient procedures and acknowledges that different procedures will suit different organisations depending on

  • size of the company
  • markets in which the business operates in
  • the nature of the company’s business partners and transactions.

If you are flummoxed with your obligations under this new act or are having difficulties with any aspect of your bids and tenders, Win That Bid is simply a phone call away.

Filed Under: Checklist, Policies, PQQ, PQQs, Procurement, Tender Writing, Tenders, Top Tips, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Five Part Series: How to Successfully Manage a Proposal

11/01/2011 by · Leave a Comment

2) Proposal Checklist – Preparing to write your proposal submission

Now that you have thought about how your company will handle the tendering process, it is time to think about writing the tender itself.  There are things you should consider, and information you should gather, before beginning to write so you create the best document you are capable of.

  • What do you know about your client?  This information can be extremely useful in knowing how to pitch your document.  Perhaps the client is looking for particular benefits, for example price or level of service.
  • Make sure you are not just there to test the market or to make up numbers.  You may even want to think about requesting your customers sign a non-disclosure agreement before presenting.  This will help to ensure any ideas or information you wish to protect remains yours.
  • If you are bidding for something the customer has previously received from someone else, what can you learn from the service provided by the current or previous supplier?  You are allowed to ask the customer about this and it may help lend more insight into how to fit your bid to their needs.
  • Make sure you have all the latest information from your team, are you up to date with all the work your they have been doing on the bid?
  • Have you collected all of the relevant documents and information you will need when writing your bid, in particular, your quotation?
  • Read all the requirements and follow the instructions to the letter.  It may surprise you to learn that lots of bids are rejected simply for not complying with the instructions.  (Or it may not surprise you at all, if yours has been one of them!)
  • Remember you’re in competition.  It may help to think about what you would consider if a company was bidding to you.
Filed Under: Bid Management, Bid Writing, Bids, Business Strategy, Checklist, General, Kick-Off Meeting, Procurement, Proposal, Proposal Writing, Tender Writing, Tenders, Top Tips · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Landscaping Contracts and how to win them

10/01/2011 by · Leave a Comment

With all the possible variables and changes involved in the work, contracts for landscaping can be tricky to get right.  Before you start it may be useful to do a ‘walk-through’ of the property.  Not only will you get a better idea of what the client wants but you can start to think about how you will approach the tender.

Of course, the landscaping industry has changed over the years.  One common concern is that since the introduction of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT) many public sector contracts are awarded on price above all else.  Work is often categorised as ‘unskilled’ together with services like waste and recycling.  Therefore, work tends to be outsourced meaning more of it is carried out by casual labourers instead of trained professionals.  However, many local authorities will assure you that, as they are answerable for quality, they do take training and qualifications into account.  So if you are thinking about public sector landscaping don’t underestimate the importance of organisations like ROLO and LANTRA, and even the ISO 9001s and ISO 14001.

Keeping an eye on opportunities is all important.  Landscapers could be considered to have an advantage here as the seasonal nature of work, particularly in the public sector, indicates when the busiest periods are.  For smaller companies though, looking for private sector and domestic work, making sure you’re aware of all the best opportunities is a little more difficult.  So don’t forget that services like ours are always there to help.  These are tough times for everyone but knowing where to look and how to bid will hopefully mean regardless of whether there are green shoots for the economy, you’ll be growing some of your own.

Filed Under: Business Strategy, General, Opportunities, Procurement, Top Tips · Tagged: , , , , ,

How to Successfully Manage a Proposal

09/12/2010 by · Leave a Comment

Each week we will be looking at a different element of how to effectively manage a bid to ensure your proposal submission is prepared in a timely fashion and is as good as it can be. In this first part of our five part series we will be covering the kick-off meeting with your bid team.

1) Proposal Checklist – The Kick-off Meeting.

Kick-off meetings are critical milestones that require careful planning. A good one will inspire your bid team, a poor one can demoralise it.

Prior to the meeting prepare an agenda and comprehensive kick-off package and be sure to invite the right people.

During the meeting encourage everyone to talk through their initial thoughts on the bid.  Read the proposal documentation together then discuss your general approach. Do the decision makers agree that this opportunity if you won it would align with your business strategy? Can you deliver it? Who is likely to be your competition?  When everyone is on the same page, going through this checklist will help make the proposal writing process easier:

  • Identify all of the documents and information you are likely to need when writing your proposal.
  • Allocate different roles to each member of the proposal team and following the meeting distribute the proposal template document including in it who will be responsible for which sections of the document.
  • As your strategy for dealing with the proposal becomes clearer make sure you consider how the bid will fit in with your other work.  Consider the amount of time and the number of personnel that will be devoted to the bid, estimate how much the proposal will cost you and allocate a bid budget. Decide whether you will need to hire consultants or expert bid writers.
  • Create a proposal schedule including deliverables and milestones. Decide the first set of deadlines during this meeting and according to this plan arrange when your second meeting will take place.  Ensure all team members are absolutely clear on when their work needs to be completed.
  • If there are questions about the proposal that can only be answered by the buyer, agree who will be the key contact and how they will manage this and communicate the answers to the team.  Your questions should be answered swiftly and if you have concerns regarding company autonomy you can ask them not to divulge your details especially if the response is likely to be published to all respondents.

Next time on Win That Bid’s blog – ‘Preparing to Write Your Proposal’

Filed Under: Bid Management, Business Strategy, Kick-Off Meeting, PQQs, Procurement, Proposal, Proposal Template, Proposal Writing, Tender Writing, Tenders, Top Tips, Win That Bid ·

latest LOCOG Procurement schedule

22/11/2010 by · Leave a Comment

Latest LOCOG Procurement Timetable

There are still tons of Olympic opportunities up for grabs.   Have a look at LOCOG’s latest procurement schedule to find out when it’s your turn to bid.  If you need any advice on tendering for the London games we’re always ready to help.

There are still tons of Olympic opportunities up for grabs.  Have a look at LOCOG’s latest procurement schedule to find out when it’s your turn to bid.  If you need any advice we’re always ready to help.

Category Date Opportunity
Artists, Performance & Events Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

Apr – June 2011

 ?     Sport production services

?     Sport creative design

?     Sport production (workforce)

?     Torch relay – staging

?     Retail – shopping bags

?     Orchestras

?     Gifts and promotional merchandise

?     Collectibles and awards

?     Professional artists and performers

?     Costumes and props
Facilities Management & Catering Jan – Mar 2011 ?     Catering equipment
Security Jan – Mar 2011 ?     Security contracts audit
Services Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

 ?     Accessible formats – BSL, Easy Read, Audio description

?     Broadcast monitoring

?     Artwork production for advertising

?     Website moderation

?     Workforce training venue (large)

?     Training delivery & materials
Sports Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

Apr – June 2011

 Modern Pentathlon, Horses, Fencing Equipment, Athlete Boats, Numbers-Bibs-Stickers, Buoys, Anemometers, Equestrian Show jumps, On Water Safety, GPS, Rowing Equipment, Equestrian Equipment.

Sailing Equipment, Boccia Equipment, Canoe Equipment, Beach Volleyball, Swimming Pool Equipment, Alcohol Test Units, Hockey Equipment, Athletics Equipment, Goal Ball, Handball Equipment, Scoreboards / Charts, Cycling Equipment.

Swim / Triathlon Boats, Whistles, Cones, Heat/Light Monitors, Tools/Repair Material, Ropes/Belts, Sports Specific Flags, Goal ball Equipment, Stationary, Consumables, Sewing Services, Coolers/Refrigerators, Triathlon Equipment.
Sports Medical Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

 ?     Dental Equipment and consumables

?     Optometry

?     Weymouth and football venues services.
Technology Oct – Dec 2010 ?     IT reseller agreement.
Transport & Logistics Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

 ?     Mobility vehicles

?     Village blinds and curtains

?     General tools and outdoor furniture

?     Fire equipment

?     Office furniture and safes

?     Sat Nav and tracking units

?     Press centre furniture

?     Driver scheduling and rostering

?     Traffic management consultancy

?     Driving license checks

?     Vehicle livery and graphics

?     Plant and machinery
Venues & Infrastructure Oct – Dec 2010

Jan – Mar 2011

 ?     Technology support structures

?     Portable water and waste

?     Alterations to existing buildings and CAT B fit out

?     Scaffold and superstructure systems

?     Site works and infrastructure

?     Temporary event fit out
Filed Under: Bid Writing, Bids, Business Strategy, Catering, Checklist, Cleaning, Creative Sector, General, LOCOG, Olympics 2012, Opportunities, PQQs, Procurement, Tender Writing, Tenders, Transport, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Do I need a Quality Management Policy?

20/09/2010 by · Leave a Comment

Do I need a Quality Management Policy?

When you’re starting up it can be hard to keep track of all the little things that don’t directly affect your ability to finish the job in hand.  Things like company procedures and policies can start to seem like extras, “I’ll get round to it one day”.  But one policy in particular is essential to all businesses, especially those considering tendering; a quality management policy or statement. There are two main reasons not to overlook quality management in any type of company, particularly when you’re starting up.  Firstly, a good policy will help the smooth running of your business and improve the job you do, which could actually make establishing your company easier.  Secondly, making a name for yourself is difficult, and to bring in business you will need to offer the highest standards of quality.  When you bid for a contract more and more organisations want the assurance of good service that a written quality of policy can provide.

What should a Quality Management Policy measure?

Your policy should aim to ensure that every job you carry out is the best you can deliver, so tailor it to suit what you do.  Look at individual case studies and write up a list of best practice.  How can you measure whether this is achieved every time?  Perhaps think about drawing up time lines or where you can add quality control checks.  You can do this for you business generally or concentrate on individual areas.  Keep in mind that the job of the policy is so you and your client can gauge how well your business is operating.

Official standards

A quality management policy is something you can do yourself but there are official standards available such as ISO 9001 and Investors in People.  ISO 9001, the International Standard of Organisation, is a family of standards that provide a framework from which your quality management policy can be created.  It has a worldwide reputation but the process can be quite rigorous.  Investors in People is a UK based organisation aimed at business development.  Having something like ISO 9001 can help you when making tenders, and is actually something many of the larger organisations demand these days, so you may want to consider whether applying could help your business.  Professional help could be a real advantage when devising your policy or working towards an ISO accreditation. Win That Bid’s compliance experts are ready to take you calls and help you with any quality or policy questions you may have. We can even facilitate the ISO process for you or write you a policy to ISO equivalent standards.

We’d love to know if there’s anything you find particularly challenging about the process, why not share your story in the comments section?

Filed Under: Business Strategy, General, Procurement, Top Tips, Win That Bid · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Fit to Tender Checklist – Getting Through the PQQ

09/08/2010 by · Leave a Comment

Companies often ask us where to start in the whole process so we have put together a checklist of some of the key items you will need to look out for become commencing.

We feel it is very important that a company should strategically plan to take part in the tendering world as a long term vision and not as a quick win scheme.

Whatever level of tendering you are operating at, whether for public or private companies, the higher the contract value the more rigorous the process is.

Do you have sufficient understanding and capability to give credible answers to the following in any Expression of Interest, PQQ, Proposal or Tender?

  • Administrative information
  • Business probity and professional conduct
  • Economic and financial standing
  • Health and safety
  • Quality assurance
  • Technical capability (eg operations, specifications, manufacturing process)
  • Customer care & service levels
  • Equal opportunities
  • Environment
  • References

Do you have the following documentation in one place?

  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • Organisation / company / group structure chart
  • Audited accounts for the last 3 years (with a minimum of at least 2)
  • Certificate of Employer’s liability insurance
  • Certificate of Public liability insurance
  • Health and safety policy
  • Quality assurance policy
  • Equal opportunities policy
  • Environmental policy
  • Documents supporting technical capability
  • Accreditation documentation
Filed Under: Business Strategy, Checklist, PQQs, Procurement, Win Bids · Tagged: , ,
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