How to demonstrate Social Value in a bid
What can you give the Authority for free that is of high value to them and low cost to you?
This is a growing area for marks and one that should not be underestimated. An example of Social Value could be:
A contract for house clearances means there are caged vans in the area every day. Fly tipping is an eyesore and potentially a health hazard so the Authority will want to act fast to remove it. The house clearance company put in their tender response that they are happy to respond to emergency fly tipping for free, so they respond and remove the waste. The Authority benefits as they have a problem removed, the house clearance team have access to vehicles and a regulated route for waste disposal and the impact on their paid activities is minimal. Low impact on the supplier and high value to the Authority.
How to submit?
Over 95% of tenders are via a portal. This means an audited route for questions and a clear process for data uploads.
- Read the portal requirements, some may penalise you if you do not follow the instructions with potential exclusion
- Work out what restrictions the portal will have on your response. Is it plain text only? This means none of your pictures will be included. Is there another way to share them?
Has your timetable got you submitting on the last day and the last hour? What happens if your internet fails or you pour coffee on the PC? Aim to submit at least a day early, most portals will allow you to withdraw and resubmit as many times as you like until the close
About the contributor
Stuart Naylor
Applying for tenders is usually seen as ‘hit and miss’ and ‘takes up loads of your time’ if you’ve viewed the activities from afar. There’s not many occasions that you would invest money into a gamble so why on tenders?
It’s about the creation of opportunities and knowing which ones are going to be your best bet. Makin sure they are in your ‘Sweet spot.’
We provide professional Bid Management services for those that want the convenience of having someone else manage the processes and also development, training, coaching and mentoring to help you and your team members learn new techniques and build them into daily behaviours.