Ten top tips for winning tenders

Transcription

1 Ten top tips for winning tenders

2 The top ten tips 1. Include tendering in your strategic planning 2. Create a tendering culture in your organisation 3. Research and prepare 4. Know what tenders you want to win 5. Be tender ready

3 The top ten tips 6. Put together a team and create a plan of action 7. Plan your response and answer the questions 8. Follow the rules 9. Get a proof reader 10.Always get feedback

4 1. Include tendering in your strategic planning

5 Strategic planning Be clear about where you want to be as an organisation Have a plan of what you need to do to reach your goals Anticipate opportunities and challenges Incorporate a schedule for tendering as part of your strategic plan

6 Strategic planning Identify potential partnerships and develop them Establish appropriate relationships Contribute to service development Attend bidder days (Expect the unexpected)

7 2. Create a tendering culture in your organisation

8 Creating a tendering culture Make everyone in the organisation aware of the importance of winning tenders Share with staff (where appropriate) the plans for future activities Encourage staff to make improvements to the services provided (and record these) Emphasise the importance of providing a quality service and added value

9 Creating a tendering culture Make direct links between performance targets and tender conditions Adopt processes that allow successes to be recorded Provide opportunity for staff to be creative Support innovation and improved service provision

10 3. Research and prepare 10

11 Research Get to know your local commissioning authority (before the tender process) Become familiar with modern questioning Familiarize yourself with questions from other commissioning authorities Anticipate consequences of new legislation or policies 11

12 Planning Anticipate the answers you will need to give and ensure that you have the information required Know when (significant) tenders are expected and incorporate these in your annual plans Capture case studies and project details as a matter of course 12

13 4. Know what tenders you want to win

14 Know the market Be clear about the tenders you want to (need to) win Have access to online notifications of tenders in your area of activity Know what tenders are being offered in other areas (geographical or operational)

15 To bid or not to bid Can you win? Can you deliver? Does it make financial sense? Is it right for your organisation?

16 5. Be tender ready 16

17 Tender ready Create a generic PQQ/Tender folder Including: Charity documents Financial detail Project details Case studies CVs Policies 17

18 Charity Documents Governing document Registration/incorporation certificates Trustees Annual Report(s) Organisational charts Mission statement Vision and Values 18

19 Charity Documents Strategic plan Annual plan Key Performance indicators Insurances Quality Standards 19

20 Financial details Last three years accounts Trustees Annual Report (s) Annual budgets and forecasts Project budgets Bank details Accountant details Auditor details Pricing structure 20

21 Project details In respect of each project: Project name Client name Project Value Timescales Achievements Feedback and testimonials 21

22 Case studies Project & Person based (pick from your project list) Establish a consistent format Contract Details Requirement Problems encountered & overcome Outcomes achieved Testimonial from Client 22

23 CVs Include ALL key personnel (staff operational and management and trustees) Include ALL generic information (to be edited to suit specific tenders) Project specific Consistent format 23

24 Policies Health & Safety Quality Assurance Environment / Sustainability Diversity/Equal Opportunities Risk (including Risk Register) Reserves 24

25 Policies Safeguarding Behaviour Management Business Continuity Corporate Social Responsibility Data Protection & security.... others 25

26 .....and then create a PQQ/tender specific folder 26

27 6. Put together a team and create a plan of action 27

28 Putting together a team Be realistic in what resources will be required Allocate specific responsibilities Include partner organisations Create a plan of who does what and when In due course appoint a project team 28

29 Develop a timetable Set internal deadlines Set review points Allow time for editing Allow time for proof reading Allow time for redrafts Allow sufficient time to submit (There is never enough time)

30 7. Plan your response and answer the questions 30

31 Answer their questions Read the question Answer their question not the answer you used for someone else s question previously Answer their question use their language Answer their question know their culture 31

32 Answer their questions Read the question (again) Answer their question answer all the points they cover (points make prizes) Answer their question but include your added value 32

33 Added value Think vocation Think volunteers Think experience Think value for money Think collaboration and partnership Emphasise your uniqueness 33

34 Planning Know what you want to say Have a consistent format Use their words where possible Use positive expressions Look beyond words (if allowed) Don t waste your words Have one owner of the document 34

35 Tell them what they want to know (need to know) to rate you as high as possible Only the best submission wins

36 8. Follow the rules

37 The rules Word/page count Font Attachments Submission instructions

38 9. Get a proof reader

39 Proof reader Someone who has not been involved in the process

40 10. Always get feedback 40

41 Feedback Even if you win find out why and how 41

42 Remember Being good enough to do the job may not be good enough to win the tender 42

43 You only have to be 1% better than the rest 43

44 Questions Further information