News: Analysis
Pool of opportunity
If you want a shot at winning public sector work, the key is preparing a faultless
pre-qualifying questionnaire (PQQ) and tender documents. Kevin Dowd,
network operations manager of the National Skills Academy for Environmental
Technologies, offers advice for businesses looking to tap into the public sector’s
rich rewards
According to the Federation of
Master Builders (FMB) public
sector construction contracts are
worth more than £37bn per year
in the UK – suggesting a substantial pool of
contracts is up for grabs for the dedicated and
professional building services engineering
firm, particularly those with renewables
expertise.
The procurement process in the UK
has a reputation for being time-consuming,
but completing the lengthy paperwork
involved will certainly pay-off as securing a
public sector contract offers many benefits,
including: these documents is a useful process that
will help clarify the aims, strengths and
weaknesses of your organisation.
t t
t
t
t
A
t
t
t
Easier access to future contracts and
opportunities
Prompt payments within agreed contract
terms
A fair selection process
Raising the profile of your firm with big-
name clients.
Pre-qualifying questionnaires (PQQs)
Contracts can be tracked in a variety of ways;
through newspapers, trade magazines or on
websites, such as www.contractsfinder.
co.uk, which has information on jobs worth
over £10,000 with the government and its
agencies.
A business is then required to express
its interest through a PQQ, a document which
demonstrates how an organisation can meet
the requirements of a project. Assessment
is based on a pre-set criteria focusing on
an organisation’s financial position, ability
to deliver, quality standards, policies on
health and safety, sustainability and equal
opportunities.
Once a business has ‘passed’ a PQQ, the
document will stay eligible for a set period.
Even if you don’t win the contract, compiling
A competitive tender
If you’ve been successful at the PQQ stage,
you will be invited to tender (ITT). It is
important to carefully read the bid documents
and requirements laid out, ascertaining
whether your business is capable of delivering
the services stated in the brief.
To complete a tender you need to
complete the following tasks:
t
t
t
-
-
-
-
-
Carry out background research into the
requirements of the job and purchaser
Write the bid
Plan the delivery method
Identify partners where necessary
Keep informed and manage the bid
stages
Produce a professionally presented bid
Price up the job – this is tricky,
particularly in our current economic
climate where competition can be fierce;
proving too cheap or too expensive could
see your bid lose out to others. Carefully
consider the following:
Rates for staff and time
Rates for specific tasks (if applicable)
Fixed costs
Material costs
Travel and transport
A company’s training policies may also
come under scrutiny, so if your business is
associated with reputable training providers,
such as the National Skills Academy for
Environmental Technologies, it will go some
way to demonstrating your commitment to
quality training, legislative requirements and
industry standards.
You may also choose to include case
Waiting game: Securing public sector contracts
involves lengthy paperwork and administration,
but is well worth the wait, says Kevin Dowd,
network operations manager of the NSAET
studies or testimonials of clients you have
helped in similar projects, reaffirming your
company’s ability to deliver on-time and on-
budget.
Big business
Can your business rise to the challenge and
take on the larger, more lucrative projects that
the public sector and local authority arena
presents? Get yourself on a preferred supplier
list and put together convincing tenders to
help you realise the bigger profit margins and
raised profile that working in this arena can
bring.
The National Skills Academy has
produced guides to help support companies
when compiling PQQs and tendering
documents, which are available to purchase
from the NSAET website.
www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk | 13