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TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to The Tender Process
Mary EdwardsThe Blackbird Consultancy
2nd June 2015
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• Overview of the Tender process • Are you Fit to Tender? • Opportunities - where are they?• A few Tips
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What will be covered in this session
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Public Sector Procurement
• EU Directives
• UK Public Contract & Utilities Regulations 2008/Public Procurement Regs 2011
• EU Procurement Thresholds (January 2014)
• - £100k/£172k services
• - £4.3m works
• - £66k framework contracts
• Requirement for transparency
• Public money being spent
• Risk Averse
• Under scrutiny!
Types of Buying Process
• Restricted tender Process
(including framework agreements)
• Open tender
• Mini tender
• Purchase order - quotes
Spend increases
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The Tender Procedure(Restricted)Prior Indicative
Notice
Contract Notice
Pre-Qualifying Stage
Invitations to Tender issued
Contract Awarded
Contract Award Notice
Tenders submitted
Tenders evaluated
37 (min) days to respond or 30 days if e-notice used
40 days (min) to respond or 35 days with e tender documents
Within 48 days
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Framework Agreements
• A type of preferred supplier list
• Ideal for small businesses
• Mini-tenders and call–offs
• No guarantee of work
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Standing Orders • Are laid out in the Financial Regulations for any public body
• States rules for purchasing dependant on the value of the spend
• E.G Croydon Council
- £5k -£20k – Obtain 3 written quotes
- >£20k – competitive tendering exercise on London Portal
- >£100k – formal tendering
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Standing orders vs your business capability/strengthsIncrease in contract value
Over OJEU thresholde.g. up to £50Ke.g. up to £25K
e.g. less than £5K
Up to OJEU limit (£172K
approx)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your formal policiesYour proposal writing skillsAdded Value
Your marketing capabilityYour presentation skillsYour pricing
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Working Style Written Policy Documents
Relevant Skills & Experience
Business Probity
What is Fit to Tender?
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Working Style
Written Policy Documents
Relevant Skills & Experience
Business Probity
High Value/Long Lifespan/
High Risk Contracts
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Working Style Written Policies
Relevant Skills & Experience Business Probity
Low Value/”One off” Supplies/
Low Risk Contracts
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Are You Fit to Tender? • Business Probity• Certificate of Incorporation (if applicable)• Organisational Structure Chart• VAT Registration (if applicable)• Accounts• Bank details• Insurances• Ofsted Registration
• Policies & Accreditations• Health & Safety & Environment – including risk assessments• Quality – complaints procedure• Equality & Diversity• Safeguarding• Business continuity & disaster recovery plan
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Are You Fit to Tender?
• Skills & Experience • Case Studies• References• Testimonials• Client Lists• Business & Professional Members - e.g. NEYTCO
• Staff• CVs • Qualifications - NVQ• DBS checks
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Are You Fit to Tender?
• Working Style• Operations Manuals• Process Maps• Training• Software Systems e.g. data bases • Innovative Products and Services
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Where to find Opportunities
For opportunities over the EU thresholdhttp://ted.europa.euFor opportunities with the Government and its agencies > £10Khttps://www.gov.uk/contracts-finderLocal Authorities websites and https://uk.eu-supply.comhttps://www.londontenders.orgwww.businessportal.southeasteiep.gov.ukTrade Magazines - Nursery World
http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/tendershttp://readyforbusiness.org/2015/05/tender-opportunities-for-social-enterprise-smes-15
/NEYTCO http://neytco.co.uk/news
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What are Buyers looking for at the PQQ stage?
• All questions are answered, all information requested is submitted, all boxes are ticked and completed
• Legal/Business Probity• Financial/Insurance• Policies & Certifications – H&S/CHAS/I8001; Equality &
Diversity; Env/ISO 14001; Quality/ISO 9001• Commercial capability – contract/project management;
resource management; resource management; H&S, Quality & Env management/HR – recruitment & training
• Technical capability – technical skills & competencies; relevant experience; references; accreditations & sector specific memberships
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What are Buyers looking for at the ITT Stage?
• All the instructions have been followed• Documents & information requested has been supplied and
presented in the order requested• All service requirements have been addressed• The proposal is focused on the contracting authority and not
on the bidder• All the contract risks and risks to the buyer have been
addressed• Social Values have been addressed• Criteria evaluation has been addressed• Added value
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Common reasons for failing
• Bidding for opportunities that are not appropriate• Late submission • Non compliant – policies/finances/insurances etc• Not following the instructions of the PQQ/ITT/RFI/Grant application• Not focussing on the client • Not being mindful of the clients requirements – evaluation criteria/weighting• Not completely answering the question• Not supplying any or enough relevant evidence or using the same examples• In adequate experience• Not enough detail – leaving the reader asking questions• Not taking into account the competition• Not allowing enough time to prepare a great submission• Complacency – current incumbent don't provide more of the same!
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Top Ten TipsNo 1 – Understand your Market
Why?- Keep ahead of the competition- Industry expert- Offer value How ?- Blogs, industry and trade magazines- Research the current incumbents- Identify what your point of difference is- Identify potential clients/funders and form relationships- Nurture current client relationships
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Top Ten TipsNo 2 – Preparation is King!
Why?- Will always be ready to respond to an opportunity- Will not miss an opportunity- Minimise stress, time and money How?- Conduct an analysis to identify gaps in current
knowledge/documentation and information - Compile an accessible library of information and keep it up
to date- Sign up to portals that your potential clients use to advertise
opportunities
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Top Ten Tips No 3 – Be a Compliant Supplier
Why?- Risk rejection of submission- Waste of time & money- De-motivating How?- Read the documents – once, twice, three times!- Make use of clarification questions- List documents and information required- Understand the Instructions to Tenderers- Set up a project plan with timelines
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Top Ten TipsNo 4 - Focus on the Clients needs
Why?- Risk- Reputation- RewardHow?- Research the client- Understand their requirements- Align your services with their strategy and/or need- Identify the benefits – Financial & Social Impact- Articulate the benefits throughout your submission
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Top Ten Tips No 5 – Set up a Response Framework
Why? - Readability- All aspects will be covered- Easily evaluated How?- Analyse each question - Relate each question to clients
requirements/specification/strategy/objectives/evaluation criteria- Break each question down into sub questions- Highlight the key words- Draft responses in bullet points- Use key words in responses- Identify evidence needed – quantative and narrative
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Top Ten Tips No 6 – Presentation to be proud of!
Why? - Readability- Easy to Evaluate How? - Use sections- Paragraphs- Sentences- Words- Number & Refer to Attachments/Appendices- Photographs- GraphicsAdd personality !!
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Top Ten Tips No 7 – Client Centric Response
Why? - Readability- Client centric – it is all about themHow? - Refer to them in your response by name- Refer to their stakeholders by name- Make your response personal by using you, yours etc- Don’t tell them what they should be doing For each item discussed tell them- How the activity/service relates to their needs- How the activity/service will benefit the customer/service user- What outcomes, outputs and impacts will come from the activity/service- How capable or qualified you are in that area- How your solution relates to their evaluation criteria- Back up all your points with evidence from previous projects
DON’T LET THEM SAY – SO WHAT?
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Top Ten Tips No 8 – Add Value
Why?- Will make your Bid stand out - Will mean more points How? Identify what you can offer at no extra cost e.g.- Workshops and seminars for client personnel- Access to real time information via a portal- Employee secondment to community projects- Excellent performance monitoring - Sustainability beyond the lifetime of the project
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Top Ten Tips No 9 – Check Your Submission
Why?- Readability
How? - Plan sufficient time for checking- Read through and check for grammar and spelling- Get someone else to sense check it- Does your bid match the clients specification?- Does the text flow smoothly?- Check that all appendices are numbered and correct in body of
submission- Check that all forms requiring signatures are complete
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Top Ten Tips No 10 – Submit it on time
Why?- Less stress
How? - Don’t try to do everything yourself- Delegate jobs to others- Keep on top of the to do list- Make sure you are familiar with the portal- Aim to submit with at least 24 hours before deadline to
allow for technical problems
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Top Ten Tips No 11 – Ask for Feedback!
Why?- Learn and improve
How? - Respond to emails from the buyers- Always take the opportunity to receive more detailed
feedback- Always conduct a review with those involved in the process
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Questions?
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Thank you!!info@theblackbirdconsultancy.co.ukwww.theblackbirdconsultancy.co.uk