Ride the Wave: Smart Bidding, Jubilee Library, Wednesday 3rd December 2014

Smart Bidding, the second in the Ride the Wave series of events hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, was designed to provide information to help people from local businesses who are thinking about, or in the process of submitting a tender. Held at Jubilee Library on Wednesday 3rd December, attendees heard advice on successful tendering from a panel of procurement and business specialists.

The event outlined some of the most common problems that can occur when submitting a tender, as well as suggesting ways to ‘bid smart’ and avoid making mistakes during the all-important application process. 

Cliff Youngman, Corporate Procurement Manager at Brighton and Hove City Council, kick started the event by outlining the basic principles of submitting a tender, emphasising three key elements: fairness, equality and transparency.

Referring to plans for the future restructuring of the city council, Cliff detailed the aims of a new procurement strategy developed in 2013, designed to focus on working closely with some of our smaller businesses. 

During his 10 minute presentation, he emphasised that the key to any successful tender is value for money and urged business owners to think carefully about what they can offer before making any commitments. 

Stressing the importance of accuracy, relevance and clarity, he urged all prospective applicants to ‘make themselves known’, ensure all documents are up to date, and avoid making assumptions when answering application questions. 

‘Attention will be paid to the quality of the service provided, so make sure you can deliver what you are offering.’

Erica Russell, the second panellist and Head of Insight at business growth specialists BSK also stressed the importance of clarity when submitting a tender. She urged attendees to make sure they read the contract thoroughly to ensure they have a complete understanding exactly what it is they are looking to tender on, and how long the process will take.

‘Before submitting a tender, read it, think about it, then read it again. Set yourself a timescale and stick to it.’

Like Cliff, Erica stressed the importance of striking a balance between cost and quality.

‘Understand who your competitors will be, consider the impact on business and cash flow, and be specific. Think about what key things you can offer the client.’

When writing a pitch, Erica urged applicants to mirror the way the tender is laid out, paying careful attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation to avoid any unnecessary mistakes. She advised potential bidders to think of the application as their own personal CV and suggested enlisting a ‘critical friend’ to provide feedback submitting a final draft to the client.

The event’s third panellist, Julian Wood, gave his perspective on pitching to a large public institution. Currently the Public Procurement Manager at The University of Brighton, Julian drew upon his 14 years’ experience in public sector procurement to offer advice on how to write a winning pitch. 

‘When filling out the application, don’t leave anything out. Respond to all sections of the documents and build up a complete understanding of the evaluation criteria before you start.’

Like the previous panellists, Julian also stressed the importance of asking for help and feedback.

‘If you are contacting the client directly, make sure you know who you need to speak to and don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you aren’t successful, find out why.’

Fourth and final panellist, and author of Time Management for Dummies, Clare Evans, focused her presentation on creating a better work/life balance when looking to tender. She advised potential bidders to pay careful attention to the timescale of the application and prioritise each part chronologically. 

To avoid any errors, Clare suggested blocking out specific periods in the day for tendering, allowing ‘slack time’ before each deadline, and making sure you have enough resources to deliver what is required.

‘Identify the best use of your time, effort and money, and if necessary, say no.’

As well as offering tips on time management, Clare also warned against some of the risks involved in the tendering process. 

She pointed out that although there is usually some flexibility with regard to the turnover of the provider, risk often tends to outweigh reward, and so caution must be exercised since there are currently no national procurement guidelines.

In addition to the expert panellists, tips also came from Eva Eriksson, successful bidder and Chief Executive of the Grace Eyre Foundation, a Sussex-based charity has been working to support people with learning disabilities for more than 115 years. 

Like the panellists, Eva cited accuracy, quality and organisation as key elements of a successful tender. To strengthen an application, she suggested providing examples of past achievements, explaining how they are relevant, and demonstrating how you intend to deliver in the future.

Attendees also heard from Business Support Navigator Laura Evans (www.c2cbusiness.org.uk) who gave a short presentation about the service she offers to businesses trading in Brighton and Hove. Free and open to businesses, charities and social enterprises, the service acts as a signpost toward mentoring, funding, and networking opportunities, helping businesses to find the support they need. 

Lastly, attendees heard from Robb Cunningham, Project and Communications Manager for the Green Growth Platform. Working in partnership with the University Of Brighton, the platform provides sustainability focused training and networking events for any SME in Sussex with an environmental angle.

Blog written by freelance journalist Sophia Purcell https://sophiamariepurcell.contently.com/. 

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