Trends in tendering in the public sector

1. The open procedure Vs. the closed procedure

Traditionally in the bidding process there would be a PQQ (or SQ) as a preliminary stage to select suitable bidders to go through to a second stage: the tender or ITT. It is now quite common amongst contracting authorities to combine the PQQ and tender stage into one open procedure, whereby bidders only complete one document. There are pros and cons to both, as the open procedure may result in a larger document to complete, but despite this, it can be a quicker process overall than the traditional two stages.

It is important for firms tendering for contracts to be aware of the differences, and also to check tender documents carefully to understand if there is one stage or two. To make that final selection, there is often a last stage in a bidding process for interviews or presentations. Again, this is something important to note so that you can prepare in good time and increase your chances of success.

2. Anonymising tender submissions

Recently we have experienced a few contracting authorities requesting that each bidder anonymises their submission, so as not to influence the evaluator in any way. This can be a good method of evaluation as it increases fairness and transparency: however, from a bid writer’s point of view this can be challenging when writing about the company, and its experiences and previous contracts, as you are unable to use important details.

3. Shorter response times and longer evaluation periods

Information from Tussell found that in 2018 the average amount of time that Central Government departments gave firms to submit their tender was just 26.1 days! This equates to 15 working days, which is nine days less than the EU guidelines. This timescale seems to have shortened since 2015, when the average response time was over 30 days.

Therefore it is vital to monitor your contract pipeline effectively and waste no time once a tender is live. The key is preparation and ensuring you are ready to work on a bid as soon as you can to maximise your chances of success and eliminate rushing a last-minute bid.

At Executive Compass we monitor our clients’ contract wins and successes very carefully – as such, we have noticed longer evaluation periods, and delays and cancelled contracts becoming a regular occurrence.

To discuss how our team of professional bid writers can support you at any stage of the bidding process contact us today.