Tender help

MRES · Sep 20, 2008

I have only been trading 12 months and upto now I have not taken on any contract work or anything of substantial size.

Last week I got an invite to tender from a medium sized construction company on a church refit. After viewing the site and having a meeting with the project manager I know I have the capacity to take on the work and I have started to prepare my quote. I am bidding against two other contractors of whome I do not know a lot about.

Any help would be appreciated on how to present my quote to the Quantity Surveyor at the construction company as it will be him that makes the decision on who to hire.

I understand the lowest quote is not always the way forward and that a correctly presented quote with content can go a long way with a QS.

I have a few ideas on the presentation of the quote these been:

section 1 - table of contents
section 2 - Description of the quote ie materials to be used, manufacturer of materials, installation methods etc personel qualifications ie JIB registered men etc etc a breakdown of the quote in 1st fix and 2nd fix terms & conditions.
section 3 - submit drawings showing circuit numbers etc and circuit schedules for DB`s
section 4 - copies of insurance certificates
section 5 - Governing body certificate (NAPIT) and some of the 'bumf' to go with it.
section 6 - Risk assessments & Health and safety statement

This is a could be a critical turning point for my small business and would appreciate as much info/help as possible.

Thanks in advance
MRES

Bane · Sep 20, 2008

Hi MRES.

Welcome to the site. Can't help you but just wanted to say good luck and hope all works out well for you.

Someone will be online to help you soon, many guys on here with this type of experience.

MRES · Sep 20, 2008

Hi Bane

Cheers !!

tony.towa · Sep 20, 2008

HiMRES,

First off welcome to the site and well done in getting the opportunity to tender on a project like this.

Tendering can be a bit of a minefield and daunting the first time, however once you have done one you have the basis for any others that come along.

I have, over the years, been involved in several tendering situations and will certainly help you if I can. I have a set format for what is included and the order in which they are laid out. If you pm your email address to me I will send you an email on how I have presented these in the past and the reasons for the way I have done it.

I am not saying my method is perfect however it has been successful. Combining some of my thoughts with the help and advice others on this site will give will allow you to produce a document which is not only right for you but also impressive to the customer.

This is your first official contact to the customer and, rightly or wrongly, he will form a judgement on your operation from what he receives from you.

Tony

MRES · Sep 20, 2008

Thanks Tony, PM has been sent.

wattsup · Sep 20, 2008

Seek out the tenderer, send him free weekend tickets to New York for two people..(you got these for free from your merchant and no good to you.. blah blah blah) Next add approx £1800 on your price/quote..Bingo, the job is yours.

I thought it always worked like that?

MRES · Sep 20, 2008

That will be my contingency plan !

PAUL M · Sep 21, 2008

wattsup said:
Seek out the tenderer, send him free weekend tickets to New York for two people..(you got these for free from your merchant and no good to you.. blah blah blah) Next add approx £1800 on your price/quote..Bingo, the job is yours.

I thought it always worked like that?

and what happens if he takes the tickets says thank you very much but doesnt give you the job?

wattsup · Sep 22, 2008

>>>and what happens if he takes the tickets says thank you very much but doesnt give you the job>>>

Oh my...well he/she never gets free ticket to New York again. Is that hard to understand?

PAUL M · Sep 22, 2008

seems like an expensive strategy to me and a bit desperate but each to his own i suppose.

MRES · Sep 22, 2008

Could give him some XL tickets, heard they are going cheap

tomweston · Oct 30, 2008

MRES.

drop me a line at [email protected] I may have some exemplar documents you may be able to use.

Yours tome weston

johnnyb · Oct 30, 2008

mres.
You are right about presenting a good honest quote, but many many times that we have presented, basically a full and detailed quote and found that we were only making the numbers up, is unreal, and all your time and effort counts for nothing.
What we do is, ask if any other contractors are quoting have we all been given the same spec, as you could be quoting top of the range equipment and the others may not, and guess what, they will get the job, i will guarentee it.
Work the job out, and give an initial figure and then if you are there and there abouts, when they come back to you, then you can give them how you arrived at the said quote figure, you have not shown your full hand from the off-set, as you, and this does happen, you may well have done all the graft for someone else.

matt456 · Oct 31, 2008

Depending on the site you may also need to add plant on i.e. scaffold tower for inside, cherry picker for outside lights. Although it may not be that geared up on health an safety. They are expensive to hire and you should bear them in mind just in case.
matt