12 Mar How To Find And Register For Tenders
If you are new to the bidding process, finding tenders may seem complex. There are a multitude of sites that offer hundreds, or even thousands, of bidding opportunities at any given time, which can be overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with the tender sourcing process.
Finding the right tenders for your business is essential for bidding success. Applying for contracts that are inappropriate for your organisation may appear unprofessional, and can cause you to waste valuable time and money on responding to opportunities that you are highly unlikely to win.
In the worst-case scenario, you may secure a tender that you are unable to complete to the required standards, which could reflect poorly on your business and affect your reputation in your business community.
Being selective in the tenders you choose will prevent you from wasting valuable resources on opportunities that may be inappropriate for your business, and will ensure that your company is capable of fulfilling the needs of the contracts you bid on to a high standard.
In this article, we will address where to find tenders using online portals, digital publications, and print resources, and discuss how to choose bidding opportunities that are appropriate for your business.
By following this simple process, you can find tenders that your business will be able to complete to a high standard, helping you achieve long-term sustainable growth.
Where To Find Tenders
Most tender opportunities are published online. This is because it is easier and cheaper to publish the opportunities in this way, while buyers also receive increased distribution. This enables them to reach more contractors for a lower price than they would by publishing their opportunities in print.
However, it is still worth keeping an eye on printed resources, as they may contain opportunities that you would otherwise have missed.
Online Resources
e-Tendering Portals
E-tendering portals are quick and easy to access via a Google search, and offer contracts from a wide range of industries, making it simple to apply for multiple tenders in a short space of time.
Using an e-tendering portal, you can also subscribe to notifications, helping you track updates more easily. This saves valuable time during the application process and helps you keep on top of your bid management.
However, the number of tender opportunities on each e-tendering portal may be limited, according to the specific needs of each buyer. Therefore, we recommend that businesses create an account on multiple e-tendering portals to make the most of the opportunities available.
Note also that while many buyers will use an e-procurement provider to advertise their contracts, larger organisations – such as the NHS – have their own portals which they use to source expert contractors in their field.
Tender Aggregators
Tender aggregator websites advertise tenders from a wide range of sources, and may either focus on a specific sector, or show bidding opportunities from multiple industries.
While you will be able to view a brief description of the tender opportunities for free, you will likely need to become a paid subscriber to access the resources you need to apply for the contracts.
You can, however, find UK public sector contracts for free through the Gov.uk website’s Find A Tender and Contracts Finder services.
Buyer Websites
Larger organisations often advertise their contracts on their own websites. On these sites, you may be able to directly access the tender documents and templates that you need to complete the bid, or you might be linked to a tender portal – in which case you will need to subscribe to the portal to access these resources.
You can find buyer websites through a search engine such as Google – however, this can generate thousands of opportunities, many of which may not be appropriate for your business.
Therefore, use specific search terms that include your industry and location to effectively narrow down your search results.
Online Publications
This includes online newsletters and magazines, which are usually targeted at specific industries and sectors.
However, these publications – like other magazines – are often published infrequently, and may require you to pay a fee to access their opportunities.
Print Resources
Industry Publications
Many large industries have their own magazines and newsletters in which buyers publish their bidding opportunities. In addition, the articles in these publications may help you gain insight into the industry’s tender processes and assist you with identifying large buyers in your sector.
There will usually be a subscription fee for the newsletter or magazine to cover their printing costs, but this can prove to be a good investment, as certain tenders may have less competition from other bidders due to the decreased coverage these opportunities receive.
Newspapers
While most buyers use online portals, some businesses still use newspapers to advertise their opportunities. This method can allow you to discover contracts that have not been published online.
Choosing The Right Bidding Opportunities For Your Business
Having found your list of available tenders, you now need to choose which ones to apply for.
When doing this, you should consider the following factors:
Your Annual Turnover – Most buyers will require your business to be a certain size before they will award you a contract. If you do not meet the annual turnover requirements for a tender, you will not win the job.
Therefore, only apply for opportunities which you meet the turnover requirements for.
Your Skills, Qualifications, And Compliance – To win the bid, you will need to demonstrate that you have the skills and qualifications to complete the contract. This includes demonstrating compliance in the required areas.
If your business is not compliant, you will be unsuccessful in the bidding process. Therefore, you should either not apply for opportunities which you are not eligible for, or invest the time, effort, and resources to become compliant.
Your Capacity – You will need to ensure that your business has the capacity to complete the contract to a high standard. This includes financial resources, staffing, qualifications, and time.
If you cannot demonstrate that you have the required capacity in these areas, it is best to move on to another opportunity.
The Added Value You Can Provide – Demonstrating the ability to deliver added value could be the difference between winning or losing the bid. Consider what added value your business can deliver to the buyer, and be sure to emphasise this in your bid.
Want to find and win the perfect contracts for your business? Contact our expert team!
