Minimising the Cost of the Procurement Process for Suppliers

Florence Gregg

figpc ltd E: florence@figpc.co.uk

Tendering costs money!

Don’t use “scattergun” approach

Don’t submit a tender because you think you should ‘show interest’

Do pick the opportunities that you can win

© figpc ltd May 2010

Preparation work:

Have templates and documents ready Health and Safety Environmental Equality and Diversity Insurance certificates - current

In full and in summary Make sure they’re signed and up-to-date

© figpc ltd May 2010

At the beginning:

Identify opportunities that you could win Read the documents

Look for key words Must, shall, evidence, demonstrate,

similar

Look for key dates Identify tasks - who doing what

© figpc ltd May 2010

Understand:

What is required How the tender will be evaluated The completion instructions

“Not more than 3 A4 pages” “Using Arial 11” “3 projects completed within the last 3 years” “Similar scope, complexity”

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Drafting responses

Aim to complete at least a week before submission date

Make it read as/look like a single document Read and answer the questions asked

Personalise your response Make it relevant to the client Beware of ‘cut and paste’

© figpc ltd May 2010

Tender submission

Have time to check and re-check docs Make them look professional Don’t leave your submission to the last

moment Don’t stuff that’s not asked for! E-tendering – double check before clicking

on ‘Submit’

© figpc ltd May 2010

Presentations

Make sure you’ve read the submission! Take the team

Let them all speak Don’t argue with the panel Follow the instructions

10 minute presentation means 10 minutes Understand their purpose

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Afterwards

Read the standstill notification You’ve ‘won’ – wait to celebrate! You’ve lost – read the standstill letter

New – relative advantages and characteristics Decide what you want to do

Seek a ‘traditional’ debrief Understand how to do better next time

© figpc ltd May 2010

Any Questions?

© figpc ltd May 2010