1. Top Tips – Creating that Winning Tender
Florence Gregg, figpc ltd
Wednesday, 21st June 2017

2. Identify Opportunities
Register on the tendering portals
Do they provide automatic notifications?
If not, check them regularly
Use appropriate CPV codes
The 8-digit identifier
– Procurement consultancy services
If necessary, use a number of codes

3. Contracting Authorities
Thresholds (will change on 1 January 2018)
Supplies and Services N Ireland Ireland
Central £106, €135,000
Sub-Central £164, €209,000
Social and other special services
all public sector bodies £589, €750,000
Works
All public sector bodies £4,104,394 €5,225,000

4. Where is it published? Not publically advertised
It’s less than €25,000 / £30,000
Local advertising only
Between €25k/£30k and EU threshold
Advertised in OJEU
Over the relevant EU threshold

5. Your IT systems NI’s eTendersNI portal
Tender must be prepared on (and uploaded from) a single PC / laptop
The PC / laptop must have the latest version of Java
Plan for annual leave / illness etc.

6. Register for opportunity
Read the document immediately
Identify key dates
Clarification questions
Last time / date to submit
Submission time and date
Is this a tender you can win?
Has an indicative budget been given?

7. The Tender Process
Award
Selection
Eligibility

8. The Evaluation Process
Looks backward for evidence that you can deliver this type of contract
Eligibility criteria for rejection of economic operators
Selection of economic operators that are capable of fulfilling the requirement
Contract award on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender
Looks forward to how you will deliver the contract

9. Before you start writing
Read the document again
Highlight key information
Look for ‘strong’ words
Shall, will, must
Make sure your proposal deals with them
Look for other key words/phrases
Should, would, may

10. Make sure you understand
What is the tender for?
The Specification
How it will be evaluated?
Eligibility – standard questions
Selection – capability and capacity
Award – price, cost, quality

11. Plan your timeline Get key dates into diaries
Attend tenderer briefings (if offered)
Know who’s preparing what sections
Get all your information together
Check for consistency/accuracy
Allow for ‘gremlins’ at submission time
Don’t leave to the last hour!

12. Previous Experience Use strong, relevant, examples
Big ‘sexy’ examples aren’t always the best
Evidence your ability, capability, capacity to deliver the type of tender
If asked for referees, ensure that they
Are willing to give reference
It will be a ‘strong’ reference

13. Templates and Pricing Use of template answers Pricing
Have answers ready, however
Check that they are actually relevant
Are personalised to the tender/question asked
Pricing
Understand what is required
How it will be assessed
It needs to offer VFM and make you profit

14. Clarification questions
Ask if something is unclear
But be careful you don’t give away your unique ideas / solutions
Ask sensible questions
Monitor messages issued via the portal
If necessary, review / update your submission

15. Document upload How will documents be submitted?
Hard copy or electronically
Understand what’s involved
Some may require information to be keyed in rather than using ‘cut and paste’ or attachments
It takes time, so programme into your tender plan

16. Make sure you understand
What is the tender for
The Specification
How it will be evaluated
Eligibility – standard questions
Selection – capability and capacity
Award – price, cost, quality

17. Remember The buyers do want to award the contract
There are no ‘trick’ questions
Make it easy for the evaluators to understand your bid
It’s only one of a number received
Offer a practical solution that
You can deliver successfully
Makes you a reasonable profit

18. Be a winner!
Any Questions?