write winning & successful tender bids
DESCRIPTION
The Cleaning Brief Guide to writing successful Tender bids. Breaking through the minefield of tender and procurement.TRANSCRIPT
IntroductionThe aim of this guide is to help you get to grips with the tendering and
procurement processes; including what you need to consider and how
to complete tender documents. From our knowledge we share what to
include, what to avoid, how to prepare professional tenders and
increase your chances of success.
Bidding can be a lengthy process and each tender submission different,
meaning there are no templates where 'one fits al l ' and as anything in
business, it is going to take commitment and time. That being said the
rewards of winning these contracts wil l greatly improve the growth and
success of your business.
Government ReformsAs part of the governments 'Business is Great' and the mission to make
it easier for small , ambitious businesses to expand and grow, central
government has opened up public procurement.
For years, small firms have found it difficult to do business with the
public sector because they have been pushed out by larger companies
or deterred by the excessive burdens imposed throughout the
procurement process.
Central government have made improvements to be rol led out across
the public sector, particularly in areas such as procurement by hospitals
and local government services where small businesses have a lot to
offer.
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The Government has accepted Lord Young's proposed procurement
reforms, which wil l provide simpler and more direct access for small
businesses to the £230bn of annual public sector spending in England.
The legislation wil l be used in 201 4 to:
· Cut down on process by abolishing Pre-Qualification
Questionnaires (PQQ) for low- value contracts.
· Mandate the use of a standard core PQQ for high value contracts
and ensure small business needs are taken into account in the
design of procurement processes.
· Make contract opportunities easier to find by making them all
accessible on a single onl ine portal.
· Make sure small firms get treated fairly by mandating prompt
payment terms all the way down a public procurement supply
chain.
To ensure that small businesses see the benefit of these reforms, the
Government :
· Wil l require al l publ ic bodies to report their procurement spend
and prompt payment performance with small businesses.
· Wil l prototype a new rating service for small firms to judge public
bodies on their procurement credentials and for public bodies to
rate their suppliers so that small businesses who win contracts
can start to build up their reputations - with a view to rol l ing the
system out more widely during 201 4.
· Launched a new trial service - Solutions Exchange- to help public
sector organisations to go to the market to ask for ideas and
solutions to problems before a formal procurement. The service
also provides opportunities for SMEs to pitch innovative
proposals to government.
Visit http: //solutions-exchange.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ and
scrol l down to 'Supplier' to find out more and register.
This is a trial service, sign up and provide the government with
the feedback needed to give you with the right service for your
needs.
· Extend the reach of the Mystery Shopper, so that it not only
investigates reports of unfair treatment, but also spot checks
public bodies to make sure that their procurement is small
business friendly. The results of Mystery Shopper investigations
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wil l be made more visible so that poor practice by public bodies
and their contractors can be challenged.
Go to: https://www.gov.uk/doing-business-with-government-a-guide-for-
smes#mystery-shopper-scheme for more information on the mystery
shopper scheme.
The government has produced some great guides on tendering for
public sector contracts including https://www.gov.uk/doing-business-
with-government-a-guide-for-smes with l inks to quick guides and video
clips from SMEs, their tips and how they have benefitted.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence
v2.0.
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Your tender or bid is a written presentation detai l ing how you can
meet a purchasing company's needs within a budget. I t has often
been referred to as “your company c.v.” or the 'si lent sales person'.
In the 'usual ' way of gaining contracts, we wil l often visit the premises,
l isten to our potential cl ients needs and tel l them how we can meet
them, how we differ from our competitors and provide them with a
quote, obviously there is more to it than this but that is a whole new
guide. Tendering is pretty much the same, only written and in a format
similar to your business plan or c.v. The advantage of tendering, aside
from the value of contracts, is that rather than having to answer all the
cl ients questions on the spot, you now have time to think about your
answers, no more 'I should have said. . . . . ' post walk through.
The Tender ProcessOnce you have found a contract you would l ike to tender for you would
general ly be sent a Pre-qualification Questionaire, however with the
new initiative being brought in to abolish PQQs for smaller contracts
and if you are new to tendering it is recommended that you start your
tender bidding with these smaller contracts to gain experience and
help build up your reputation. Just to note, 'smaller contracts' are
those worth under £1 00,000 However it is worth being aware of and
what a pre-qualification questionnaire or PQQ is as there wil l sti l l be
some organisations who wil l require you to complete one and at some
point you wil l be in a position to tender for the larger contracts. The
purpose of a PQQ is simple, it's a process to fi lter out those
organisations considered a lower level of risk than others due to
financial position or from processes that match the organisation
requirements.
The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire is sent to you when you express
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an interest in a contract and wil l ask for information regarding your
previous experience, financial position and references. You wil l have to
provide all the information requested to move forward to the next
stage. When providing detai ls of your previous experiences, be sure
they are relevant to the contract. The financial information requested
wil l be to ensure that if you were awarded the contract, you have the
resources to carry it out. I f you can provide references from a company
in a similar industry that would be a bonus, but don't worry if not, as
long as they are professional, good and fit any criteria al l wil l be well .
A sample copy of a PQQ can be found under the Resources chapter of
this guide.
Once you have completed your PQQ and if it is successful, you wil l
then receive an 'invitation to tender'. Within the invitation to tender you
are l ikely to find further instructions, a deadline date and a letter
requesting you to confirm whether or not you wil l be bidding for the
contract . I f you are provided with a self-addressed envelope or
address label,
envelope. You must use this when sending in your bid. You wil l also be
provided with detai ls of what the organisation wants, which sets out
what you need to provide and a draft copy of the contract terms and
conditions.
Final ly, a l ist of criteria explaining how your bid wil l be assessed, this is
usually cal led the 'evaluation criteria' and is an important piece of
information to help you understand how you can meet the
organisations needs, what is of highest importance to them and their
ideals upon quality and cost.
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PreparationIn order to save time before finding a contract prepare and keep
updated a fi le containing the fol lowing general documentation asked for,
this includes:
Company information, such as Contact detai ls, certificate of
incorporation, registered address, VAT number etc
Financial information, such as last three years auditable accounts if
applicable, profit and loss, management accounts
Technical information, such as insurance certificates, accreditations
and references.
Policies including health and safety, Environmental management,
training and recruitment, business continuity and equal opportunity.
This l ist isn't exhaustive and once you get started you wil l get an idea of
the documentation regularly asked for in your field, but preparing in this
way can save some considerable time and stress from chasing these
documents when you have a deadline to meet. Always check the
information requested and only send what is asked for.
PlanningBefore writing out your tender, it is always a good idea to famil iarise
yourself with al l the documentation and information you have been
given. You wil l need to make sure you can deliver the level of service
the organisation is asking for , within the set timeframes, for the length
of the contract and that you have all the resources you require. The
factors you need to take into account wil l largely depend upon your own
organisation, as well as the information you have been provided with.
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Look at the timescales given and draw up your plan around this.
Your plan should contain:
What information is being asked for?
When can you obtain al l the information?
What needs to go into your bid? Highl ight or make notes on the needs
set out by the organisation, how can you resolve them (spider charts
are a great tool for this).
What relevant detai ls can make your organisation stand out from the
rest? What is your unique sell ing point?
How long wil l you need to write up, check and edit your bid?
Is there anyone else who could help you ?
Is the organisation holding any meetings or information days you
should attend. These are great opportunities to receive clarification on
what is required and to check out the competition.
When planning and preparing your bid there are minimum standards
an organisation wil l expect you to meet, if you fail to meet these
standards then the l ikelyhood is that your bid wil l not even be read, let
alone considered. As harsh as this may sound, these purchasing
organisations may have hundreds of tenders to read throughout the
year. The minimum standards tend to be:
You understand and have responded to all the organisation's
requirements.
Your tender is tai lored to the exact requirements of the organisation,
explaining how the work wil l be carried out and how you wil l assist
them to meet their objectives.
You have fol lowed all the instructions given.
Your bid is written well , free of significant errors and easy to read
You can offer good value for money, not just the cheapest price.
Your bid is competitive
Your approach is professional and positive.
As stated earl ier the the purchasing organisation may read through
hundreds of bids a year and so their evaluation team are adept at
spotting a poorly produced tender.
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Aside from meeting the minimum standards, to ensure your bid
stands a greater chance of becoming a winning bid, it must:
· Provide supporting evidence of any claims made and any
additional documentation provided to be clearly referenced.
· Demonstrate commitment to contiuous improvement, best
practice and the organisation.
· Show experiences of how your organisation has put theory into
practice.
· Provide clear detai l of possible variations.
Tender PresentationQuality of writingGood writing skil ls are critical when writing your tender. Whilst you may
well be the best man for the job, if you fail to get the key messages
across or produce a tender that is unclear with no structure, the
organisation is unl ikely to consider you further.
Style of writingThe writing style of your tender must be:
1 . Interesting
Your bid must grab the evaluators attention and give them something to
remember. Provide good opening statements that get to the point, add
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a piece of 'lesser known' information relevant to them. What innovative
and interesting solutions could you propose?
2. Clear and concise
Write in a way that is easy to read and straight to the point. Don't waffle
on, just include what is necessary. Use plain English and be consistent
in your terminology and language use. Avoid the use of weak qualifiers,
keeping sentances short should help el iminate unecessary qualifiers
that exaggerate your statements but too easily become over used,
such as very and really. Also watch out for those qualifying words that
can weaken your statements, such as fairly, rather, mostly, general ly,
somewhat etc, be confident and assertive in your proposals. We do is a
stronger statement than we mostly do or general ly do.
3. Good punctuation and spell ing
I t would be a very sad reason to lose a contract because of significant
bad grammar and poor spell ing, with tools l ike spell ing and grammar
check, it is inexcusable. As well as making your bid appear hurried and
the potential for statements being misunderstood, poor presentation in
this way could be deemed as a lack of a commitment to the contract
and organisation.
4. Professional, with a personable touch
First and foremost, your tender is a formal and legal offer and should
be written in a professional way. The tone of the tender should,
however give the evaluator a sense of the people behind the
proposals. Don't be over famil iar and it isn't the place for comedy. Be
positive, confident, excited and believe in what you are offering and it
wil l come through in your tender writing.
The StructureOrganisations wil l either tel l you directly the order your tender should
be written in or wil l expect you to fol low the same order they have set
out in the evaluation criteria or invitation to tender documents. Set out
your proposals clearly ensuring the information you provide flows. Don't
jump from one point to another and back again. The structure of your
tender needs to make it easy for the evaluator to understand your
proposals, going off course makes their job harder, important
information can be missed and runs the risk of losing points. Fol lowing
the order set out in the invitation to tender documents is not only of
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benefit for the evaluator but wil l make it easier to create a smooth
flowing tender. An effective way to break up sections is to use
diagrams, charts or pictures to help clarify the points made. Be careful
not to use too many, as this can make a bid look cluttered and messy,
think of them as a welcome break from the black and white rather than
a bombardment of colour distracting them from the written text.
I t is a good idea when you have completed your tender to write and
include a summary of the offer you have made, the main points you
want the evaluator to take note of . This is cal led an 'Executive
summary' and should be no longer than one page. I t is the 'go-to' page
to enable evaluators to re-cal l who you are and what you are
proposing.
Responding to RequirementsI t is imperative to your success that your tender proposal answers all
the questions and requirements of the purchasing organisation. You
must present a solution to every need stated. Ask yourself How can I
satisfy this need or How can I answer this question? Can I or Can't I
isn't an option. I f you are unclear about any of the requirements or
questions asked, don't be afraid to ask for clarification. Each response
must:
Be clear, comprehensive and to the point
Demonstrate your knowledge of the area to be worked in, including
your experience and the skil ls you would bring.
What wil l you do to meet their needs? Don't just repeat their
requirements, explain how you wil l fufi l them and what you wil l do.
What benefits wil l you bring to the work? Think about your unique
sell ing point and how you can add to the benefits your competitors may
be proposing. What is your added value, making you stand out from
the rest?
How you wil l offer value for money? This wil l usual ly be covered when
answering the above questions. Remember, value for money isn't just
about the price.
Can you do what you have proposed? If accepted and your proposals
were put into a legal and binding contract could you fufi l them. Be
truthful about what you can do.
Attach evidence and information to support your proposals as an
appendix. This wil l ensure an easier read for the evaluator. I t al lows
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them to go through your proposals first and know where to go to
examine your evidence or for further information later. When an
evaluator first looks at your tender they want to know that you have
answered all their requirements and develop an interest in you before
delving further into the evidence and information. I t would be a great
waste of their time if they read through each proposal and it's
supporting evidence etc to get to find that a later proposal won't meet
their needs.
EvidenceWhen compil ing your evidence, make sure it is clear both to read and
how it supports you proposal. I t is vital that once you have impressed
the evaluator with your proposals, you have the supporting evidence
and examples to back it up. Don't leave anything to the evaluators
imagination. Consider what questions they wil l l ikely ask when reading
your proposal, look at your invitation to tender documents for clues to
the types of questions they are l ikely to seek answers to. You should be
able to back up every statement you make and provide relevant
examples to i l lustrate your points.
Costings and Financial information
When providing costs of the proposals you have made, you wil l usual ly
be required to complete a 'pricing schedule'. The pricing schedule wil l
specify what financial information is to be included. Depending on what
is required this could be an hourly rate, a rate per product or rate per
end user. When providing costs you must ensure;
you have provided complete costs, taking into account any on-going
costs and overheads.
You offer value for money and the evaluator has all the supporting
information to conclude this.
Al l the information is given in the requested format and your overal l
price has been set out in figures and words with the currency and
whether VAT is included made clear.
Provide detai ls of how long your prices wil l remain valid. Tender
decisions can be a lengthy process, so you wil l need to consider when
your costs tend to incur increases.
Consider entering a contingency for any unexpected costs or additional
work that may arise. Be sure to explain where and why you have
included this in your proposal
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I f this is your first tender bid don't be tempted to bid too low, thinking
you wil l get your foot in the door. The evaluator wil l either be suspicious
of your low bid, suspecting the level of quality you can provide or in the
event that your bid is successful, it wil l be extremely difficult to increase
your prices with this organisation in the future. Price your tender
realistical ly and at a cost enabling you to provide a top quality service
now and in the future.
Follow the instructionsThe purchasing organisation includes instructions for a reason. You
must fol low them, fai lure to do so is l ikely to lose you favour with an
evaluator. I f you can't/won't do as they ask at the bidding stage, how do
they know you wil l l isten to them once the contract has been given.
Your Well Presented TenderYour well presented tender wil l be enjoyable to read, easy on the eye
and of good quality. To make the most of your chance to win business;
Don't hand write your tender, always type it, using the same font style
and size throughout (arial 1 2 is a good option).This ensures the look
and feel of your tender is consistent and easy to read.
Provide an index, clearly numbered pages and clear labeling of
supporting information.
Present your tender in a fi le or have it professionally bound
Keep sentances and paragraphs short. Use bullet points to make points
clearer.
Check, double check and check again that al l your information is
consistent from start to finish.
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SummaryFor you to produce a successful and winning tender bid, it is essential
that it is:
· Of good quality throughout.
· Addresses and provides solutions to al l of the purchasing
organistations requirements and questions.
· Structured in the format requested .
· Competitive and clearly presents the value you wil l bring .
· Written and presented well
Checklist1 . Have all the relevant questions and requirements been answered.
2. Can your proposals be carried out and has the supporting evidence
been provided?
3. Is the supporting evidence referenced and clearly set out in an
appendix?
4. Is everything set out in the same font size and style?
5. Has the document been signed in al l the relevant places, double
check this always as far too often a tender has been dismissed
simply because the bidder has forgotten or missed where they
need to sign.
6. Do you have a duplicate copy, somewhere safe, for you to refer to
in the future?
7. Has your completed presentation been triple checked? Is there
someone else outside of the project that can read and check it
over for you? They may bring to l ight any questions you need to
consider further.
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Top Tips For Successful Bids1 . Plan each point ful ly, taking each stage one step at a time.
2. Read all the questions and requirements careful ly and answer them
ful ly. Make sureyour proposals focus on and cover every
requirement set out in your 'invitation to bid' documents,
specification and/or evaluation criteria.
3. Always provide supporting evidence or statements for your
proposals.
4. Study all documentation, ensuring you understand what is required
from and expected of you.
5. Fol low all instructions completely.
6. Provide all the information requested, I f for any reason you cannot
provide information, seek advice from the purchasing organisation
for an alternative.
7. Where possible, cross reference your proposal response to the
requirements or questions in the 'invitation to bid' documents.
8. What is the objective of the contract? You need to know and
understand this, keeping it in mind from preparation to completion.
Stay focused.
9. Don't let the documentation put you off, it is okay to ask for help.
1 0. Don't include promotional material inyour tender unless of course
you have been specifical ly asked to.
1 1 . What format has the purchasing organisation requested your tender
be in? Have you complied? Do not send in any other format
1 2. Don't use jargon - stick to plain English.
1 3. Return everything by the date and time given, not a second later.
1 4. Has everything that needs to be signed, been so. Check again.
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ResourcesFor a range of guides and resources to assist in your business including
how to cost your services visit:
http: //www.cleaningbrief.com/our-guides-and-services.php
To search for information about contracts worth over £1 0,000 with the
government and its agencies visit:
https: //www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
For the governments guide on tendering for public sector contracts visit:
https: //www.gov.uk/tendering-for-public-sector-contracts
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ExamplesExample 1 : Invitation to Tender
<insert date>
Tender for: <insert description>
Dear Sirs
Invitation to Tender
Purchasing organisation invites offers for the supply of <insert
description>
Your tender must be submitted in compliance with the fol lowing
documents which accompany this invitation to tender:-
Instructions to Tenderers
Form of Tender (including Certificate of Tender)
Specification of Requirements for a #
Contract Documents
I t is the responsibi l ity of the tenderers to ensure that offers are received
by 1 0.30hrs on <insert date>. Tenders received after this time shall not
be considered, but shall be opened, recorded, marked “Late Tender”
and returned to sender.
Please acknowledge receipt of this Invitation to Tender by sending a
facsimile marked for the ##NAME/TITLE to 01 224-27XXXX##,
confirming whether you intend to offer.
Yours faithful ly
<insert name and title>
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Example 2:Tender Acknowledgement FormTo:
<Purchasing Organisation Name,
Department and
Address>
(YOUR fax no XXXXX XXXXXX)
Date: <insert date>
Dear Sirs,
Re: Tender for:
We acknowledge receipt of your Invitation to Tender package.
We have received all of the documents l isted in the Invitation to Tender
without damage and in usable condition.
We have read the Invitation to Tender and wil l tender in accordance
with the requirements detai led.
OR
We do not wish to tender and accordingly return the complete Invitation
to Tender package with this letter.
Yours faithful ly,
<insert name and title>
For and on behalf of:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Example 3:Instructions to TenderersPurchasing Organistaion Tender for: <insert description>
Instructions to Tenderers
Form of Tender
Tenders must be submitted with the enclosed Form of Tender, and must
be supplemented
by all other information and authorities requested in these Tender
Documents.
Tenderers should note that al l attachments and appendices to the Form
of Tender shall
upon award of Contract be deemed part of the Contract.
Submission of Tenders
The original Tender plus one copy must be submitted in a sealed
package or envelope addressed as fol lows:
#Purchasing Organisation Name
Department &
Address detai ls#
Your submission should also prominently display the fol lowing message:
“TENDER
FOR:### COMMERCIALLY CONFIDENTIAL – DO NOT OPEN”
The name of the tendering firm must not appear on the envelope, nor
must it be visible
through the envelope.
The Tender must not arrive later than ##. The Tender shall be valid for
acceptance for a
period of 90 days from the date fixed for receipt of Tenders.
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Award and Preparation Costs
The purchasing organisation reserves the right to award the contract for
goods and services as detai led in this invitation as it sees fit, and may
reject any or al l of the Tenders received with no obligation to disclose its
reasons.
The cost of Tender preparation shall be borne in ful l by the Tenderer,
who shall have no
recourse to the purchasing organisation for this or any related expense.
Currency, VAT and Summation
The currency of the Contract shall be UK Pounds, and costings shall be
prepared on this
basis.
Al l sums entered in the Tender are to be inclusive of VAT.
All costs which may be directly or indirectly related to the satisfactory
completion of the
Contract and for which remuneration would be sought shall be clearly
detai led and summarised in your tender, or in accompanying
paperwork. No other additional charges which could reasonably have
been anticipated shall be accepted.
Delivery
The purchasing organisation is working to a target of service provision
before ###.
This date may become critical and influence our selection; please
consider this when
calculating lead times. Please include a detai led schedule which you
wil l implement in
order to meet the service requirement.
Instal lation and acceptance protocols and procedures are to be
provided.
Your offer must include all del ivery and on-site service costs including
adequate
insurances.
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Proposed Sub-contractors
Details of proposed sub-contractors must be supplied, with associated
workscopes.
Fitness for Purpose
The Tenderer shall be deemed to have reasonable knowledge of and
satisfied itself as to the nature of the purchasing organisations
requirement, and any conditions which may affect its tender to supply,
in order that the goods and related services offered shall be fit for
purpose (see note 1 2, Contact for Queries).
Training and Documentation
Details of on/off-site training required for ful l local operation to be
included, together with
Proposals relating to how this should be funded.
Alternative Proposals
1 0.1 You may wish to submit Alternative Proposals which include
preferential costings supply or alternative means of delivering
best value for money.
1 0.2 Alternative Proposals must be clearly marked so, and be
submitted as separate appendix to your main tender.
Change in Status of Tenderer
In the event that after the date of this Invitation to Tender and prior to
the award of any
Contract, the status or identity or circumstances of the Tenderer is
changed in any
material way, including but not l imited to merger, amalgamation, take-
over or any other
reorganisation, change of name, or involvement in any action relating to
receivership,
l iquidation, bankruptcy, winding-up or similar action, such change wil l
be notified to the
purchasing organisation immediately. Failure to comply with this may
result in Tenderers being disqualified, or in the event of any award of
Contract shall be deemed to be in breach of Contract.
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Contact for Queries
1 2.1 All questions relating to the Tender Documents must be
addressed in
writing to ## NAME AND TITLE, fax number 0XXXX-XXXXXX##.
Answers to technical queries shall be addressed in writing to
##NAME circulated as necessary.
1 2.2 The authorised contact for this Tender is ##NAME## and in no
circumstances should the substance of these documents be
discussed with any other member of the purchasing organisation
without the specific written agreement of the authorised contact.
Please note : The Purchasing Organisation reserves the right to refuse
a Tender which has not been submitted in accordance with the
instructions detai led here.
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Example 4:Form of Tender<Insert Contact Details>
For the attention of <insert name>
Dear Sirs
Tender for : <insert description>
Having careful ly examined the subject Invitation to Tender dated # and
the documents detai led therein:-
We confirm that we have ful ly satisfied ourselves as to the nature of the
requirements of the purchasing organisation.
We hereby offer to supply the services in accordance with your
Invitation to Tender and its enclosures as fol lows:
Instructions to Tenderers
Form of Tender (including Certificate of Tender)
Specification of Requirements for ##
In the event that our Tender is accepted we undertake to execute a
formal contract with the Purchasing Organisation embodying all of the
terms and conditions contained within this offer.
Unless and unti l a formal agreement is executed, this Tender together
with the Purchasing Organisations written or telefaxed acceptance shall
constitute a binding Contract between us.
We agree to abide by our Tender for a period of 90 days fixed from the
lodgement date of
tenders, and it shal l be binding upon us at any time before expiration of
that period.
We understand that you are not bound to accept the lowest or any
Tender received, nor assign a reason for the rejection of any Tender.
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We accept that any costs incurred in Tender preparation are for our
own account.
We understand that this shall be deemed to be our only and final offer,
and unsolicited re-tenders shall not be considered.
We confirm that the person whose signature is appended to this Tender
is a duly authorised signatory of our Company and has ful l and formal
legal authority to sign this Tender on behalf of our Company.
We understand that if our Tender is accepted we shall be reimbursed
for the services in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
Contract to be executed between us.
Certificate of Tender
We certify that this is a bona fide Tender, intended to be competitive,
and that we have not
fixed or adjusted the amount of the Tender in accordance with any other
person, body or
association.
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Authorisation
Signed:
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Name (Print):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Title:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For and on behalf of:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ful l address, including postal code, to which all communications relating
to this Tender should be despatched:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Telephone Number: -------------------------------------------
Facsimile Number: -------------------------------------------
List of Documents Included with Form of Tender:
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Example 5:Supplier Appraisal FormPurchasing Organisation Supplier Appraisal Form
Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS or typescript.
COMPANY DETAILS
Full Name
Full Address
Post Code
Telephone.
Fax.
E-mail .
Address of Headquarters (if different from above)
Telephone.
Fax.
E-mail .
Date your company was formed:
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Type of company
Incorporated # Partnership # Sole Trader #
Other (please specify)
BUSINESS ACTIVITIES
Describe briefly the range of services supplied by your company:
Give brief detai ls of the areas in which your company special ises:
How many people does your company employ?
Permanent staff:
Contract staff:
FINANCIAL AND GENERAL INFORMATION
Turnover in each of
20##-
20##-
20##-
the last three years: £
Wil l you authorise us to obtain bank references if required?
YES / NO
Name and address of your company’s bankers:
Please attach a copy of the audited accounts for each of the last two
years.
I f audited accounts are not available please state why in the box below
and attach any relevant financial information which is available.
32
Of what professional and/or trade associations, if any, is your company
a member?
EXPERIENCE
Who are your major customers?
May we seek references?
YES / NO
Company Contact Name.
Telephone No.
Which other similar purchasing organisations have you supplied
goods/services to, and when?
Purchasing Organisation Supply Date
Contact Name
Telephone No.
Describe any services undertaken during the past two years which may
be relevant to the proposed purchasing organisation services:
33
Does your firm have a national ly recognised quality monitoring system
in place? If so, please provide detai ls
.
Any other information you wish to provide and/or l ist of documents you
have attached:
Signed for the Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Name (block letters) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Designation/Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
34
Example 6:Simple Contract
For the supply of
between
The Purchasing Organisation
and
Your Company
Insert date
Section 1 : FORM OF AGREEMENT
Contract for the Supply of:
AGREEMENT made as of this day of 20##, by and between Your
Company having its principal office at Your Company Address
(hereinafter cal led the “Contractor”), and the Purchasing Organisation,
having its principal office atThe purchasing Organisations Address
(hereinafter cal led the 'Purchaser')
The Contractor wishes to provide a ######### to the Purchaser, and
the Purchaser wishes to purchase ########### from the Contractor,
al l as more particularly described in the documents incorporated here.
I t is hereby agreed as fol lows:
35
The Contract shall incorporate:
Section 1 : Form of Agreement
Section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price
Section 3: Specification of Requirements
Section 4: The Purchasing Organisations General Conditions of
Purchase
All of which shall be read as one document.
In case of confl icting statements the order of precedence is:
This Contract
The Purchasing Organisations General Conditions of Purchase
The Contractor’s response to the invitation to tender
The Contractor’s representative shall be ################,
telephone number: ##### ######,
facsimile number: ##### ######.
The Purchasing Organisations representative shall be ###########
telephone number: ##### ######,
facsimile number: ##### ######.
The services shall be as described in Section 2: Specification of
Requirements.
The Contractor shall provide the services to the Purchaser in
accordance with Section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price.
The Purchaser shall pay the Contractor the price in accordance with
section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price.
Signed for and witnessed on behalf of the Contractor
Signed:
-----------------------------------------------------
Witness:
-----------------------------------------------------
at:
-----------------------------------------------------
Date
36
Signed for and witnessed on behalf of
the Purchaser
Signed:
-----------------------------------------------------
Witness:
-----------------------------------------------------
at:
-----------------------------------------------------
Date
------------------------------------------
Section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price
Services to be Supplied
The services to be supplied are those listed as Items #### of Appendix
A to the Form of Tender
submitted by the Contractor on ####### (a copy of which is attached to
this Section as Annex 1 ).
Price
The Price shall be #### as detai led in Clause #### of Appendix A to
the Form of Tender submitted
by the Contractor, that is £#####.
Delivery
Delivery of al l services shall be made to the fol lowing address:
<insert address>
Services are required to commence by <insert date and time>.
is included in the Price.
Value Added Tax
The prices contained herein shall include Value Added Tax.
Terms and Conditions (including Payment)
All other Terms and Conditions set out in Section 4 – The Purchasing
Organisations General Conditions of Purchase shall apply to this
Contract, except that any terms or conditions contained in Section 1 –
37
Form of Agreement, or in Section 2 – Articles of Agreement and Price,
which differ from those in Section 4 shall take precedence.
Annex 1 to Section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price
(To be submitted as Appendix A to the Form of Tender by the Supplier)
(Blank page - to be completed by supplier and incorporated in contract)
Annex 2 to Section 2: Articles of Agreement and Price
(Service Agreements etc.)
(Blank page – to be completed by supplier and incorporated in
contract).
38
Example 7: Record of TenderPROJECT TITLE:
REFERENCE:
REQUISITIONER NAME:
TENDER MANAGER:
DEPARTMENT:
IS THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF CONTRACT LESS THAN £1 00,000?
(Purchasing Services must be consulted on all tenders of £1 00k and
above)
IS THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF CONTRACT £1 54,000 OR OVER?
(All contracts above this threshold must be tendered – by the
Purchasing Officer – in accordance with the Public Supply/Service
Contract Regulations. Approximately 90 days should be allowed for
this).
SPECIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS DRAWN UP INCLUDING
WHOLE-LIFE COST ELEMENTS?
ADVERTISEMENT OF TENDER NOTICE?
DATE: _ _ / _ _ / _ _
INVITATIONS TO TENDER ISSUED
DATE: _ _ / _ _ / _ _
NUMBER OF INVITATIONS ISSUED
DATE SET FOR RECEIPT OF TENDERS
_ _ / _ _ / _ _
39
NUMBER OF TENDERS RECEIVED
NUMBER OF LATE TENDERS
SUPPLIERS SHORTLISTED.
HOW MANY?
PRESENTATION / SITE VISITS ARRANGED?
AGREEMENT ON SELECTION
BID SUMMARY / RECORD OF SELECTION COMPLETED
CONTRACT AWARDED DATE: _ _ / _ _ / _ _
UNSUCCESSFUL TENDERS ADVISED OF CONTRACT AWARD
COMMITMENT ENTERED TO SYSTEM
CedAr REQ. NO:
CedAr ORDER:
SIGNATURE OF TENDER MANAGER
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN.
DATE _ _ / _ _ / _ _
40
41
42
The aim of this guide is to give you tips, guidance and confidence to
begin growing your business through the tender and procurement
processes. Whilst writing this guide, we wanted to simplify the
processes involved and help you to understand them and hope we
have achieved this. However, as with everything the best way to
simplify a process is to do it and so if you are sti l l feel ing overwhelmed
by all means, visit the government website l inks provided, watch some
of the videos but be wary of overloading your self with information and
then simply begin the process. I t is real ly the only way you wil l ever get
to grips with the system. Take the plunge and learn as you go. Once
you find a contract that would suit your business, don't be afraid to ask
for more information or clarification if you need it. I f your tender bid isn't
the winning bid, ask why not? The purchasing organisation must give
you a response within a set time frame, currently organisation must
provide a response within 20 days of your request. This information is
an important part of your learning process. Every contract you win
helps your business grow, every contract you don't helps you and your
business knowledge grow. So what have you got to lose. With al l the
new government initiatives there is no better time to begin Tendering.
I f you have any further questions you are very welcome to post your
questions to
Our facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/thecleaningbrief
Twitter: @cleaningbrief
or
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