Tendering Tips
- Search out opportunities – register on the eTendersNI web portal or click on our “tender opportunities” link.
- Don’t be afraid to ask us about the types of contracts we let and if there are any coming up soon. Often the most effective way to make contact is an initial email as our senior staff travel throughout Northern Ireland and are often out of their offices.
- Market your goods and services – seek out don’t sit back! We publish our tender opportunities via the eTendersNI portal. Please ensure that you register against the relevant CPV code to ensure you receive notification of opportunities.
- Don’t take on things you can’t do, be selective in the opportunities you bid for.
- Prepare in advance for tenders – develop a library of “bid documents” that you are regularly asked for in order to cut down your time and work in responding to tenders. This might include organisation chart, accounts / financial statements, insurances etc.
- Read tender documents carefully. If you don’t understand the requirement or something isn’t clear seek clarification from us. This can be done via the eTendersNI secure messaging system.
- Make sure that you understand the specification and in particular identify the mandatory requirements (these may appear as “shall”, “will” or “must”) if you can’t meet those requirements consider if it is worthwhile tendering – failure to meet a mandatory requirement will result in your tender being disregarded.
- Think about what the buyer wants. In your bid provide evidence that you can meet the buyers needs through your capability, capacity, experience etc. Make sure you show how your tender meets the specification and provide information in the format requested. Make sure you check and accept our terms and conditions of contract, for most tenders acceptance of our terms and conditions is a mandatory requirement.
- In your tender submission make sure you follow the instructions, submit in the requested format and that all requested documentation or samples are provided as required by the tender documents. Ensure you complete the pricing information very carefully and double check you have made no mistakes.
- Assessment criteria and their weightings show the relative importance of each area of assessment, make sure you provide sufficient information to allow us to assess each criterion. Don’t submit general brochure information, tailor your bid to our requirements, avoid cutting and pasting as it can lead to silly errors. Be clear and concise as well as relevant and if possible get someone to review your submission before you send it.
- Make sure your tender is with us on time. Tenders are returned electronically through the web portal do not leave it to the last minute to upload it into eTendersNI. The portal will close down the tender opportunity at the required closing date and time and you will not be allowed to complete your submission after this.
- Please ensure that you register on the Central Digital Platform (CDP).
- UKIMS registration is essential to access preferential tariff treatment when moving goods into Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework. To ensure continued compliance and avoid unnecessary charges, we strongly recommend that you register as soon as possible if you have not already done so. Full details and guidance on how to apply can be found on the official UK government website; www.gov.uk/guidance/register-for-the-uk-internal-market-scheme.
Understand the assessment process
- Please ensure that you register on the Central Digital Platform (CDP) in order to submit a tender as this is part of the assessment requirements.
- All tenders documents are important but the key information in relation to the assessment process are contained in the online Call for Tender (CFT) and the Tender Assessment Methodology (TAM).
- Don’t forget to review your own performance following a tender whether it is successful or not learn from what you did well as well as what you could improve upon.