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Public Transport Tenders: A Guide to Sourcing and Winning Bids

Posted on by John Hudson

After reading this guide, you’ll be more prepared to win public transport tenders

Due to COP26 and the move for more green transport options, we expect to see more public transport tenders.

With this guide on securing public transport tenders, you’ll be on your way to winning those contracts.

What’s different about public transport tenders?

If it’s rail, bus, or anything else, public transport tenders are short in their timeframe, especially after the pandemic.

Where before contracts would range over years, now it’s usually 18 months long.

Also, the diversity of contracts within public transport tenders can be dizzying, with for instance rail contracts including:

  • Engineering
  • Construction
  • Refurbishment
  • Cleaning
  • Carriage removal
  • Maintenance
  • Essential materials
  • Specialist training
  • Management of services.

The first step is conducting your research into the industry and looking into the specific requirements of the contract.

How do you source public transport tenders?

You could search through the government websites; however, their search engines have a certain flaw. CPV codes. We’ve found through experience that these codes are inaccurate and incredibly inefficient in finding tenders.

But there’s another way.

Our service, Hudson Discover. Specifically, our Transport Tenders portal.

Every day, our portals are manually updated and researched by our team of Opportunity Trackers. We don’t use CPV codes, which means you can filter your search via keyword, budget and location.

These findings can then be sent to your mailbox, once you subscribe.

For your queries around public transport tenders or any industry within logistics, Transport Tenders is an efficient solution.

 9 tips for winning public transport tenders

  1. Read the question carefully

It is important to read and understand exactly what the question is asking.

Then, you can highlight the core requirements and derive relevant sub-headings from this.

  1. Respond in full to the question

Again, using sub-headings will help you significantly with this, ensuring that each requirement is fully addressed.

Make sure you demonstrate your understanding of the service required by providing recent and relevant information.

Where does your company add value?

How would they serve the public transport tender?

  1. Don’t assume the buyer already knows about you

Address your company’s capabilities, strengths and resources as if they are unknown.

How are your resources appropriate for the buyer’s specific needs?

  1. Provide specific examples

Ensure you are providing specific case studies, relating directly to the key requirements set out by the buyer.

  1. Embrace duplication 

It is important to answer each question in full – even if it sometimes seems repetitive.

Repetition can reinforce your company’s experience and capabilities.

  1. Submit a complete response

Don’t risk being disqualified because you neglected the quality check. The best thing to do is to make a clear, defined submission checklist of the required tender documents.

  1. Make the right impression

Your bid is not only about the quality of your responses, but also about the impression you give the buyer.

Every instance of contact will be your chance to impress the buyer!

When you’re asking clarification questions on the portal, make sure your spelling and grammar is top quality.

Remain professional and ensure that every question you ask is original and not repeated.

Asking the right questions helps build the best bid for your organisation.

8.  Use time wisely and plan your deadlines  

The buyer can’t view any documents on tendering portals until the deadline has passed, so use this time!

Quality aside, technical issues won’t be looked upon favourably, and the time invested will have returned nothing.

Most systems are open to a draft bid submission, which you can then finalise with any information you’re waiting on.

It might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised just how many failed submissions there are due to poor time management.

Keeping on top of the following components will help to improve your chances of success with public transport tenders:

A good rule of thumb is to factor in enough time for any potential unexpected delays. This extra time should allow for any last-minute changes before you submit the tender response.

Ultimately, time management is key to bid submissions – it’s no different if you’re bidding for public transport tenders.

  1. Feedback

If you’ve lost a bid, the contracting authority can elaborate on why.

It’s wise to check the reasons behind the successful bid winning the contract. You can then cross-reference this with your bid and see where you went wrong.

Not many know this, but it’s the government’s legal obligation to provide feedback. Any feedback that’s given puts you one step closer to winning your next bid. And public transport tenders are no exception.

In Summary

After reading this blog, you have a greater idea of what it takes to source and win public transport tenders.

Although you’re a bit more familiar with the tender process, you might still be looking for some bid writing support.

Writing isn’t everyone’s strong suit and that’s ok. Outsourcing your tender to bid specialists can help you secure your next contract.

At our sister division, Hudson Succeed, they pride themselves on being bid writing experts.

They hold an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience.

They offer four levels of bid writing support to suit every business need.

You may not need the whole bid written for you; you may simply want someone to proofread your response before submission. They can help with that too.

Our services include:

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written a tender response and want someone to double-check it for errors, then Tender Mentor is for you. One of their Bid Writers will proofread it for any grammar or spelling mistakes. They’ll also check it’s in line with the specification before you submit.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect tender for your business, but don’t know where to start – send it our way. Their Bid Team will take care of it all for you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown. They’ll let you know what they need from you and even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Ready

Their Tender Ready programme is designed for those who are completely new to the tendering process. This programme works with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully. The programme also includes bid writing support and a 12-month Discover subscription to a portal of your choice.

Tender Improvement

If you’ve already been tendering for work, but aren’t seeing success, their Improvement programme can help. During the programme, their Bid Writers will assess your previous submissions and supporting documents. They’ll then give you feedback and guidance on how to improve.

Both Tender Ready, and Tender Improvement offer:

  • A 12-month subscription to the sector-specific portal of your choice.
  • Access to our Global Bid Director and Senior Bidding Professionals with 60 years of bidding experience.
  • A dedicated Bid Consultant with the programme, lasting up to three months.
  • The development of an organisation-wide bid library. This includes 3 case studies, 5 company CVs and 8 policies.

Try their free live demo to see how their portals work for you!

A Guide to Winning a Tender Transport Contract

Posted on by John Hudson

How do I win a tender transport contract?

If you’re bidding for a tender transport contract, you may be wondering what you need to know about them. There are lots of tender transport contracts out there such as courier services or train tenders .We’ve put together a guide on tips to win a tender transport contract.

The tender procedure

If you’re not familiar with the procedure when it comes to a tender transport contract. Here is a breakdown of how it goes:

There are typically two types of tender procedures used by buyers to procure the goods or services they need. They are:

Open tendering procedure

Step 1: An invitation to tender is released (ITT)

A tender transport contract can be done via an open tendering procedure. This procedure is often used to procure more ‘simple’ goods or services. Any supplier can apply for the contract when the invitation to tender(ITT) is released. Suppliers must submit a response as to why they should be awarded the contract.

The buyer then evaluates the responses and decides who should be awarded the contract. If tendering in the public sector, the contract is awarded to the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). This is when the buyer is seeking to get the most value for money. This doesn’t necessarily mean being the cheapest bidder. Other factors come into play such as:

  • Quality
  • Accessibility
  • Ability to deliver on time
  • Environmental factors
  • Technical ability

Restricted procedure

This next procedure is used for more complex goods or services and is split into two stages.

Step 1: The buyer releases a PQQ/SQ  

A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ) need to be completed by prospective suppliers.

PQQs and SQs are essentially box-ticking exercises. You will need to include a copy of your business relevant policies and procedures for tenders for transport services. Contract examples will likely be required so a buyer can assess your capabilities. Your economic financial standing will also be assessed. This is to ensure you’re financially able to deliver the contract.

Step 2: Eligible businesses are issued with an ITT

After a supplier meets the minimum eligibility criteria, they will be issued with an ITT. They can then produce a more detailed response to quality questions and give their pricing. Tenders will then be evaluated, and a successful supplier will be awarded the contract.

Top tips

Read the tender documents

 Our first tip to winning a tender transport contract is to make sure you read through the tender documents thoroughly. Make sure you can deliver what the buyer is asking for.

Managing your journeys

When transporting people or goods you need a way of managing your journeys. The last thing you want to turn up late for all your pick-ups and drop-offs. It makes you look unreliable which doesn’t look good to a buyer.

Here are some things to think about:

  • How do you coordinate your journeys?
  • What technology do you use?
  • How is your system efficient and does it save you money?
  • How can you prove to the buyer you’ll be on time?

Provide evidence

Evidence is key to proving to the buyer what you’re capable of and how you meet the requirements. The buyer will want to see evidence of similar projects you’ve worked on. They’ll be looking for your methodology and how you dealt with any challenges faced.

You should be looking to provide at least 2 – 3 relevant case studies from the past 3 – 5 years. The case studies you attach should be relevant to the contract at hand. If the contract is to deliver school transport services, you should use case studies relevant to that. You should always back up your points with evidence.

Demonstrate a robust quality service

If you’re looking to secure a tender transport contract, make sure you can demonstrate a robust quality service.  Transport buyers are looking for a supplier who can provide outstanding quality and performance standards. Demonstrate how you track and monitor your service. What management information and reporting systems do you use?

Answer all the questions

Leaving answers blank or half answered isn’t going to sit well with the buyer. And it certainly won’t win you the bid. If a buyer is asking for 500 words for an answer that’s exactly what they are expecting. Submitting 200 words just won’t cut it. The answer won’t give the amount of detail the buyer is looking for and won’t answer the question in full. Be sure to consider all points of the question and do your best to reach the word count.

Time Management

Time management is an essential skill if you want to secure a tender transport contract. The tender process is long and complex, so you need to allow yourself plenty of time for the whole procedure. The writing and submission process will take up a considerable amount of time.

It’s wise to put a plan together if you’re going to devise your time throughout the process. The last thing you want to do is rush the bid as it will only add to the pressure.

Proofreading

The final step you need to take is making sure you’ve proofread your bid before submitting it.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to double your bid response once complete. This can be quite time-consuming so be sure to allow plenty of time to complete the task thoroughly.

You should be checking for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. When working on a long document it can be hard to spot them whilst working. That’s why it’s important to go back to your work and check again. It will look unprofessional if you submit your response full of errors. You will lose marks as it will be hard for the buyer to read.

In conclusion

We hope you’ve found this guide to a tender transport contract useful. Remember to take onboard our tips for winning your next tender. If you still need help our team are on hand to assist.

Need assistance when writing a tender transport contract?

You may not have the time or resources in house to write a winning tender response in house. Outsourcing to tender writing specialists can help you secure your next contract.

Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, provide four levels of bid writing support services. Our Bid Writers have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re new to tendering or need your response proofread – we can help.

Tender Ready

Tender Ready is the perfect programme for those who are completely new to tendering. You’ll have access to an expert Bid Consultant to answer any questions that you may have. You’ll also get a year’s subscription to our Transport Tenders portal.

Tender Improvement

If you have already been applying for tenders but aren’t seeing success our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Writers will go over your previous submissions and provide feedback and guidance.

Tender Writing

Have you found the perfect courier delivery contract for your business but are struggling to start? Send it over to our Bid Writing team and they can write the whole response for you. If you use our Tender Writing service, they’ll even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Mentor  

Our Bid Writers can look over a bid response you’ve already written, checking it for errors before you submit. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes to go over your response and our Tender Mentor service can help.

Where can I find tenders for logistics services?

If you’re wondering where to find tenders for logistics services, you’ve come to the right place. Transport Tenders hosts hundreds of new tendering opportunities from the logistics industry across the UK.

A subscription to Transport Tenders could increase your chances of securing school transport contracts. With the time saved and numerous opportunities found, Transport Tenders can feed seamlessly into your business development strategy. With a subscription to the portal, you receive:

  • Unlimited access.
  • A dedicated Account Manager.
  • A free 20-minute phone consultation.
  • A daily email bulletin.

This way, you can save your precious time and focus on the more pressing matters on your plate.

Below are previous tender transport contracts sourced on our Transport Tender portal:

Transportation Services

IDA Ireland – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

Home to School Transport

Cumbria County Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

Passenger Transport Services

Northumberland County Council – North East – Budget: Undisclosed

Home to School Transport

Cumbria County Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

Pupil Referral Unit Transport

Cumbria County Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

Book a free live demo today for a quick tour of our portal. Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke bid writing services.

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite can save you even more time, helping you identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two time-saving tools can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate.

Contact us for more information on how we can help your business grow.

7 Tips to Help You Win Your Next Train Tender

Posted on by John Hudson

How to formulate a train tender response

Knowing what to write for your train tender response can be a challenge. However, our 7 tips can help you see success when applying for your next train tender.

So, what type of train tenders are there? There are many reasons why a buyer will release a tender and train tenders can cover a number of subsections. They could be looking for a supplier to provide, stock and maintain train equipment, or replacement materials. Other train tenders could be used for:

  • Engineering
  • Maintenance
  • Cleaning
  • Construction
  • Refurbishment
  • Carriage removal
  • Management of services

Recently, you’ll find train tenders that encourage de-carbonisation solutions. For example, charging and battery-powered equipment for trains. This is because of the De-Carbonisation Network Strategy that’s in place. This strategy is in accordance with the UK governments initiative to remove all diesel trains off the track by 2040. This initiative is for both passenger and freight diesel services (not including diesel-hybrid trains).

Below are 7 tips to help you win your next train tender

  1. Read the tender documents carefully

Before you commit to responding to an invitation to tender (ITT), you should first read the tender documents carefully. They will state all the buyers’ requirements, terms and conditions. Even if it’s an 80-page document, you should read it all before you progress. You need to ensure you can meet the requirements. If you can’t, it won’t be worth putting the time and resources into a response. You should always assess whether to bid or not to bid.

  1. Answer the question in full

You should answer every question on the train tender you’re applying for. Half-finished or missed questions will put you in the bad books and likely have you eliminated. It will give off the impression that you aren’t capable of delivering the contract. If the question is asking for a 1,000-word response, simply writing a couple of bullet points won’t suffice. The evaluator is looking for a detailed response to the word/page/character count given. The same goes for going over the count, this will demonstrate you can’t follow instructions.

Top tip: breakdown the question. If the question has 3 sub-questions within it – break it down. Use those points as sub-headings to ensure you’ve answered every aspect of the question. This will also allow the buyer to see you’ve answered the question in full.

  1. Be innovative

Demonstrating innovation should now be a crucial aspect of your train tender response. As mentioned above, the UK government are keen to reward invention and innovation. This is particularly applicable for rail contracts to improve passenger experience, decarbonising the rail network.

Are you offering a more innovative solution than your competitors? Buyers would like to know that you are offering something unique in the marketplace.

  1. Expect to include details of previous contract examples

Your response will need to include 2 – 3 contract examples of contracts you’ve completed within the last 3 – 5 years. These case studies should be similar in scope, calibre, and complexity to the contract you’re applying for. A buyer wants to be reassured that you have the necessary experience to fulfil the contract.

Furthermore, you may be required to back up any statement you make with concrete evidence. This could include the contact information from the past contracts to ensure you’re telling the truth. Within these case studies, you should include how you overcame any unforeseen challenges. This will demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and flexibility.

  1. Consider added value

 Depending on the buyer, you should consider how you will add value to the contract. For public sector contracts, this is referred to as social value. It’s now obligatory for all public sector contracts to have a minimum social value weighting of 10%.

Here, a buyer wants to see how you will enable them to get the most for their money. You should consider the social, economic, and environmental aspects while carrying out the contract. What is your business promising to lessen the environmental impact? Are you giving anything back to the local community? Your business’s developmental goals should maximise and promote good social values. It pays to do some research into the buyer. You can then see what social values are important to them and use that for your response.

Remember that promises made in your train tender is likely contractually binding. Therefore, you don’t want to be making any promises you can’t keep. The social value model aims to:

  • Create new jobs and skills
  • Support COVID-19 recovery
  • Tackle climate change
  • Improve economic inequality
  • Give back to the local community

  1. Be persuasive

Your train tender bid response should be persuading the buyer that you’re the best company for the job. You should be direct, clear, and persuasive. Ask yourself, what would you like to know if you were the buyer? At the end of the day, buyers care about the quality of your written response, even if cost is weighted more. Stick to the formatting guidelines and demonstrate why you should win the contract over your competitors.

  1. Proofread your response before submitting

The final thing to do before you submit your train tender response is proofread. This is an integral step you need to do to ensure your response is the best it can be. It’s easy to miss mistakes when you’re completing a multi-page response. The last thing you want to do is submit a bid with easily avoidable and correctable grammar or spelling mistakes. It could give the impression that you’re lazy and not bothered about the quality of your written response.

This can easily be avoided by leaving a day or two before doing the final read through. Additionally, you can get someone else to do a proof as a fresh pair of eyes can spot anything missed. Printing off your response as a hard copy can also help you spot any errors. This is why it’s a good idea to finish your bid response well before the submission deadline where possible. It will allow you plenty of time to edit without stressing two minutes before the cut off.

Need support when writing your next train tender?

If you’re still unsure about where to begin when formulating your tender response, we can help. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, provide four levels of bid support writing services. Our Bid Writers have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or need your response proofread – we can help.

Tender Writing

Once you’ve found the perfect train tender for your business, why not send it to Hudson Succeed? Our Bid Writers will let you know what they need from you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown. They’ll even submit it on your behalf.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready programme is perfect for those who have never tendered before. A Bid Writers will work with you to make sure you have everything you need in place to tender successfully. The 4-week programme offers your business:

  • A 12-month subscription to Transport Tenders
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding professionals
  • An organisation-wide Bid Library, including 3 case studies, 5 CV’s and 8 policies
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

If you’ve been tendering but aren’t seeing the results you want, our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Team will assess your previous responses and tender documents, working with you to improve for future submissions. The Tender Improvement package also includes the above perks from Tender Ready.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written your tender response and need someone to double-check it for errors, Tender Mentor can help. The Bid Team will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar or spelling mistakes. They’ll also ensure that it’s in line with the specification before you submit it.

Where can I find a train tender for my business?

Finding the right tendering opportunity for your business can take a large amount of time out of your day. There are many websites that post multi-sector opportunities but finding the right one for you can take time. However, you’ve come to the right place.

Transport Tenders hosts hundreds of new tendering opportunities from the logistics industry across the UK. Our Opportunity Trackers manually source and upload leads from both the public and private sectors. You can filter the results by budget, location, keyword and more. This means no reliance on inaccurate CPV codes, streamlining the process.

Below are previous train tenders sourced on our portal:

Interim Rolling Stock and Maintenance Provision

East West Railway Company – Location- London Budget: £44,000,000

The Provision of Fault Free Train Running

First Greater Western Ltd – Location- South West Budget: £400,000

Design, Manufacture, Supply and Support of Train Simulators

First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Ltd – Location- London Budget: £1,100,000

Bilston and Crescent Rail Replacement

West Midlands Combined Authority – Location- West Midlands Budget: Undisclosed

DHSC International Freight and Logistics Solutions

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – Location- London Budget: Undisclosed

A subscription to Transport Tenders offers your business:

  • Unlimited access to hundreds of logistics leads and tendering opportunities from public and private sectors.
  • A dedicated Account Manager to help answer any questions you may have about a train tender.
  • A daily email bulletin of all the logistics tender’s uploaded that day helping you stay ahead of the game.
  • 20-minutes of free phone consultation with one of our Bid Writers.

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

Book a free live demo today for a quick tour of our portal. Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke bid writing services.

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite can save you even more time, helping you identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two time-saving tools can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate.

Contact us for more information on how we can help your business grow.

A Guide to Tenders for Logistics Services

Posted on by John Hudson

What to expect from tenders for logistics services

Securing tenders for logistics services can be confusing if you’ve never tendered before. You may be wondering what’s required and where to find them. This blog will contain some helpful tips on what to expect from tenders for logistics services.

Tenders for logistics services are used when a buyer is looking for a specific good, service or product. They’re essentially outsourcing the solution to their problem. A tender will be released and then hopefully suppliers will compete to win the contract.

Tenders for logistics services can range from courier delivery contracts to Irish Rail tenders. Both the public and the private sector release contracts to tender.

The tender procedure

There are typically two types of tender procedures used by buyers to procure the goods or services they need. They are:

  • Open tendering procedure

Step 1: An ITT is released

Tenders for logistics services can be done via an open tendering procedure. This procedure is often used to procure more ‘simple’ goods or services. Any supplier can apply for the contract when the invitation to tender (ITT) is released. Each supplier will submit their response detailing why they would be the best for the job.

The buyer then evaluates the responses, and the contract is awarded. If tendering the public sector, the contract is awarded to the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). This is when the buyer is seeking to get the most value for money. In this situation, the tender is evaluated on more than just price. A number of things are taken into consideration such as:

  • Innovation
  • Quality
  • Accessibility
  • Ability to deliver on time
  • Environmental factors
  • Price
  • Technical ability

 

  • Restricted procedure

For a restricted procedure, a buyer will want to shortlist the bidders to ensure they can deliver the contract. This process has two stages and is used to procure more complex goods or services.

Step 1: The buyer releases a PQQ/SQ  

A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ) need to be completed by prospective suppliers. At this stage, any supplier can fill out these questionnaires, but not all of them may meet the eligibility criteria. A buyer will include this stage to ensure that a supplier is well experienced and is qualified.

PQQs and SQs are essentially box-ticking exercises. You will need to include a copy of your business relevant policies and procedures for tenders for logistics services. Contract examples will likely be required so a buyer can assess your capabilities. Up to three case studies can be asked for from within the last three to five years. They should be similar in scope and complexity to the contract at hand. Your economic financial standing will also be assessed. This is to ensure you have enough funds to deliver the contract.

Step 2: Eligible businesses are issued with an ITT

After a supplier meets the minimum eligibility criteria, they will be given an invitation to tender. They can then formulate a deeper response to quality questions and give their pricing. Tenders will then be evaluated, and the contract awarded to the successful supplier.

Need assistance when writing your next tenders for logistics services?

You may not have the time or resources in house to write a winning tender response in house. Outsourcing to tender writing specialists can help you secure your next contract.

Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, provide four levels of bid writing support services. Our Bid Writers have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re new to tendering or need your response proofread – we can help.

Tender Ready

Tender Ready is the perfect programme for those who are completely new to tendering. You’ll have access to an expert Bid Consultant to answer any questions that you may have. You’ll also get a year’s subscription to our Transport Tenders portal.

Tender Improvement

If you have already been applying for tenders but aren’t seeing success our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Writers will go over your previous submissions and provide feedback and guidance.

Tender Writing

Have you found the perfect courier delivery contract for your business but are struggling to start? Send it over to our Bid Writing team and they can write the whole response for you. If you use our Tender Writing service, they’ll even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Mentor  

Our Bid Writers can look over a bid response you’ve already written, checking it for errors before you submit. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes to go over your response and our Tender Mentor service can help.

Where can I find tenders for logistics services?

If you’re wondering where to find tenders for logistics services, you’ve come to the right place. Logistics Tenders hosts hundreds of new tendering opportunities from the logistics industry across the UK.

Our Opportunity Trackers manually upload leads from both the public and private sectors. You can filter the results by keyword, budget, location and more. This means you don’t have to rely on inaccurate CPV codes anymore.

Below are previous tenders for logistics services sourced on our portal:

Express Freight Service

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – Location- London Budget: Undisclosed

Installation of Lynx Helicopter

National Army Museum – Location- London Budget: £16,000

RFI NHSE Covid-19 Vaccination Programme Distribution

NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit – Location- East Midlands Budget: £40,000,000

SCC APC The Supply of Transport for School Meals

Surrey County Council – Location- South East Budget: Undisclosed

Collection and Delivery of Blood Components, Samples, Tissues and Cells

Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service – Location- Scotland Budget: Undisclosed

  • Unlimited access to the Logistics Tenders portal. Increase your chance of success.
  • A dedicated Account Manager on hand to help you will all logistics tenders.
  • A free 20-minute phone consultation. Chat to one of our team about a contract you’re interested in. We can provide expert advice, insight and guidance to support your tendering efforts.
  • A daily email bulletin of all the logistics tenders published that day helping you stay ahead of the game.

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

Book a free live demo today for a quick tour of our portal. Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke bid writing services.

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite can save you even more time, helping you identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two time-saving tools can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate.

Contact us for more information on how we can help your business grow.

3 Things to Consider When Applying for Vehicle Fleet Maintenance Contracts

Posted on by John Hudson

Vehicle fleet maintenance contracts explained

Vehicle fleet maintenance contracts can be a tricky field to navigate if you’re new to it. However, it’s worth making the effort as they can secure a pipeline of work for your business.

The Department for Infrastructure is one public sector organisation that releases vehicle fleet maintenance contracts. Securing a contract for a public sector buyer will guarantee your payment. This can be reassuring, especially if you’re a new business.

The questions that a vehicle fleet maintenance contract will ask will vary depending on the buyer’s requirements. They can include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Account management
  • Vehicle order process
  • Service maintenance and repair
  • Complaints handling and resolution process
  • Continuous improvement
  • Supply chain management
  • Vehicle sourcing
  • Vehicle distribution and movements
  • Fleet management system
  • Vehicle disposal
  • Accident and claims management
  • Vehicle conversion and modification
  • Driver support services
  • Breakdown and recovery
  • Vehicle downtime management
  • MOT management
  • Fuel card management
  • Mileage management.

3 things to consider when applying for vehicle fleet maintenance contracts

  1. Framework agreement

You will often find vehicle fleet maintenance contracts as part of a framework agreement. A framework agreement is a multi-supplier agreement for goods/services. Suppliers can have access to ongoing work whenever the buyer needs it. Framework agreements can run for years at a time with the possibility of an extension.

A benefit of being on a framework means suppliers don’t have to go through the whole tendering process each time. Often, a framework agreement is split into Lots for a specific good, service or geographical location. This means as a supplier you don’t have to be able to supply the whole agreement. You need only apply to the location or good/service you specialise in.

An example of a vehicle fleet maintenance framework agreement lots:

  • Lot 1 – provision of fleet maintenance services
  • Lot 2 – provision of fleet management services.

  1. Social Value

Social value is an every-important section within almost every tender response. It’s no different for vehicle fleet maintenance contracts. The social value of the project is vital if tendering within the public sector. It now has a mandatory weighting of 10% within the quality response. In some cases, it can be as large as 30%.

Social value is the economic, social and environmental aspects of a response. What is your organisation promising to lessen the environmental impact or give back to the local community? Your company’s sustainable development goals should maximise and promote good social values. You shouldn’t put anything down for the sake of it, buyers want to see you making commitments you can keep.

The social value model aims to:

  • Create new jobs
  • Level-up the UK
  • Tackle climate change
  • Reduce waste
  • Encourage economic growth
  • Encourage COVID-19 recovery
  • Promote skills
  • Promote equal opportunities.

  1. Experience

When writing your vehicle fleet maintenance contract response, you will usually be required to provide case studies of your experience. The buyer wants to know that you are qualified and have the necessary experience required to fulfil the contract. You may be asked to provide three past case studies of work you’ve completed that’s of a similar calibre. Typically, they must be within the last three or five years.

You must also back up any statement of claim you make with concrete, auditable evidence. If you claim to be the best in the market, you must back it up with evidence. Avoid phrases such as ‘we have undertaken numerous projects that are similar in scope’. It doesn’t reflect well on you; they’ll want to know exactly how many, questioning your knowledge.

Need help writing your next vehicle fleet maintenance contracts?

 Our team of Bid Writers at Hudson Succeed know the trials and tribulations of writing a winning bid. We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and don’t always have the time to spare.

Our Bid Writers have an 87% success rate and over 60-years of bidding experience. We offer four bid writing solutions to suit your tendering needs.

Tender Ready

Tender Ready is the perfect programme for those who are completely new to tendering.

Tender Improvement

If you have already been applying for tenders but aren’t seeing success our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Writers will go over your previous submissions and provide feedback and guidance.

Tender Writing

Have you found the perfect vehicle fleet maintenance contract for your business but are struggling to start? Send it over to our Bid Writing team and they can write the whole response for you. If you use our Tender Writing service, they’ll even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Mentor  

Our Bid Writers can look over a bid response you’ve already written, checking it for errors before you submit. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes to go over your response and our Tender Mentor service can help.

Where can I find vehicle fleet maintenance contracts?

Transport Tenders portal hosts hundreds of new opportunities in this industry from across the UK. Our Opportunity Trackers manually upload hundreds of live tenders daily from both the public and private sectors. You can filter results via keyword, budget, location and more. You no longer have to rely on inaccurate CPV codes! This means you’ll never miss out on an opportunity to grow your business again.

Below are previous vehicle fleet maintenance contracts sourced on our portal:

DfI Roads and Rivers – Fleet Maintenance, North-West and Greater Belfast Areas

Department for Infrastructure- Northern Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

DfI Roads and Rivers – Provision of Fleet Maintenance for Commercial Vehicles over 3,500 KG

Department for Infrastructure- Northern Ireland- Budget: £1,900,000

East Lindsey District Council Vehicle Fleet Maintenance

East Lindsey District Council- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

Fleet Maintenance

Corby Borough Council- East Midlands- Budget: £240,000

Tender for the Provision of Fleet Maintenance

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council- International- Budget: Undisclosed

A subscription to Transport Tenders could increase your chances of securing delivery contracts. With time saved and numerous opportunities found, Transport Tenders can feed seamlessly into your business development strategy. With a subscription to the portal, you receive:

  • Unlimited access to the Transport Tenders portal. Increase your chance of success.
  • A dedicated Account Manager on hand to help you will any and all logistics tenders.
  • A free 20-minute phone consultation. Chat to one of our team about a contract you’re interested in. We can provide expert advice, insight and guidance to support your tendering efforts.
  • A daily email bulletin of all the logistics tenders published that day helping you stay ahead of the game.

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

Book a free live demo today for a quick tour of our portal. Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke bid writing services.

Irish Rail Tenders

Posted on by John Hudson

What’s happening with Irish rail tenders?

Have you been staying up to date with Irish rail tenders? If not, you may be interested in learning about some of the latest developments in the sector. We’ve put together this blog so you can find out more. This could be helpful if you wish to become a supplier.

Investment in new trains for dart and fleet

 41 new railcars

In October 2019, the government approved an order for 41 new railcars. This is to cater to the growing demand and expansion in rail services under the National Development Plan 2018-2027. The 22000-class-railcar carriages will bring the overall size of the fleet to 275 railcars.

This €150 million investment will bring these new railcars into service in the Greater Dublin area in late 2022. This will increase commuter capacity by 34% at peak times. These railcars will benefit:

  • Northern Commuter services (Drogheda/Dundalk to Dublin)
  • Western Commuter services (Maynooth/M3 Parkway to Dublin)
  • South-Western Commuter services (Heuston Commuter and Intercity services, and Newbridge/Hazelhatch to Grand Canal Dock).

Electric/battery-electric hybrid vehicles

A major development for Irish rail tenders was the tender process to order the largest and greenest fleet. This was the largest fleet in Irish public transport history made of up to 600 electric/battery-electric powered vehicles. It was over a 10-year timescale in a bid to ditch diesel. It will see up to 80% of all heavy rail journeys in Ireland, set for a potentially emissions-free future.

Graffiti removals

Most recently Irish rail tenders have had major graffiti incidents to deal with. Graffiti removal experts were required in order to cut costs caused by removing trains from service whilst they were cleaned.

Graffiti incidents have affected Irish rail tenders. They have not been able to deliver their full fleet of trains, particularly at peak times. Not only is the service affected for the users, but it also affects finances too. This is because money is lost when the service isn’t running and money is spent on removing the graffiti.

Electrical vehicle fast charging point at stations

Recently, Irish rail tenders required a contractor to manage fast charging points for electric vehicles at its railway stations. As the use of electric vehicles is increasing, Irish rail required the installation of charging points. Irish Rail currently has 43 standard charging points at station car parks across its network.

Irish rail tenders have had some major issues to deal with over the last couple of years. However, they have also celebrated success.

What do I need to include in my bid?

If you’re thinking about bidding on Irish rail tenders, it’s worth knowing what you should be including in your bid.

  1. Health and safety contracts

You must demonstrate how you can deliver the contract whilst meeting the necessary health and safety standards. These are generally stated within the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) specification.

  1. Financial turnover

Your company’s financial turnover will be assessed in the PQQ stage. It consists of annual turnover, financial ratios and insurance.

  1. Experience

No matter the industry you’re tendering for, you should always provide case studies of your experience. The buyer wants to know how you have dealt with similar situations in the past and what your methods are. You should always back up what you’re saying with evidence.

  1. Qualifications and accreditations

When tendering for rail contracts you will require certain qualifications and accreditations.

  1. Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)

This is when the buyer awards the contract to the bidder with the most value, not necessarily the cheapest bid. Other factors may include accessibility or quality.

  1. Quality of your response

Your bid response is all about quality. You don’t want to submit a bid that is of poor quality. Your response should be direct, clear and persuasive. You must provide a detailed response whilst remaining clear and coherent.

Need help with a rail bid?

Our team of Bid Writers at Hudson Succeed know the trials and tribulations of writing a winning bid. We know you’ve got a lot on your plate and don’t always have the time to spare.

Our Bid Writers have an 87% success rate and over 60-years of bidding experience. We offer four bid writing solutions to suit your tendering needs.

Tender Ready

The Tender Ready programme is perfect for those who are completely new to tendering.

Tender Improvement

If you have already been applying for UK rail contracts but aren’t seeing success our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Writers will review your previous submissions and provide feedback and guidance.

Tender Writing

Have you found the perfect rail contract for your business but are struggling to start? Send it over to our Bid Writing team and they can write the whole response for you. They’ll even submit it on your behalf!

Tender Mentor  

Our Bid Writers can look over a bid response you’ve already written, checking it for errors before you submit. Sometimes you just need another pair of eyes to go over your response, that’s where Tender Mentor comes in.

Where to find rail contracts in the UK

So, know you know what you can do to get the best out of your bid. Next, you may be wondering where to find UK rail contracts?

Most tendering opportunities are posted across thousands of websites and portals across the UK. Searching for the right one for your business can turn into quite the headache.

Luckily for you, our Transport Tenders portal hosts hundreds of new opportunities in this industry from across the UK. Our Opportunity Trackers manually upload hundreds of live tenders daily from both the public and private sectors. You can filter results via keyword, budget, location and more. You no longer have to rely on inaccurate CPV codes. This means you’ll never miss out on an opportunity to grow your business again.

Below are previous Irish Rail tenders sourced on our Transport Tenders portal:

Arup IÉ 001 – Dart + Coastal – Advance Bridge Clearance Topographic Survey

Ove Arup & Partners Ireland (on behalf of Irish Rail) – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

CME Building Maintenance

Iarnród Eireann – Irish Rail – Republic of Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

Coastal Infrastructure Protection Programme – Multi-Disciplinary Consultant Services

Iarnród Eireann – Irish Rail – Republic of Ireland- Budget: £20,000,000

Installation, Testing and Repair of Electrical Services & Sub Systems

Iarnród Eireann – Irish Rail – Republic of Ireland- Budget: £12,500,000

Supply of Modbus TCP Remote I/O module (Lot 1) and Railway Computers (Lot 2)

Iarnród Eireann – Irish Rail – Republic of Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

How To Get Courier Contracts in the UK

Posted on by John Hudson

Everything you need to know about how to get courier contracts in the UK

If you’re wondering how to get courier contracts in the UK, we can help. The courier industry has grown significantly in the last year and online deliveries are on the up. We’ve put together a blog for everything you need to know about how to get courier contracts in the UK.

Important points to consider

You may be wondering how to get courier contracts in the UK. Below are some points worth considering when it comes to tendering:

  • Investment in technology

Technology is always growing and changing the way people and businesses operate. Whilst technology is shaping all industries, there are big changes in the logistics industry. More companies are being asked to provide evidence of their use of technology and what it can bring to buyers. Some examples of technology becoming more common in logistics include:

  • Vehicle tracking software

 This is vital for couriers, as you are delivering goods from one place to another. No matter the size or value of the goods, this is a great piece of technology to invest in.

Buyers will ask for evidence of how you record how products are collected and delivered on time. Using a tracking system will show that you monitor and track all items in transit effectively. It also shows how you monitor your delivery times. This software is crucial in seeing success over your competitors. If you’re unable to demonstrate this, you may lose marks.

  • Route optimisation software

This is a great way of how to get courier contracts in the UK. This is a great tool to reduce fuel costs and carbon emissions. The buyer wants to know how you’re going to deliver items on time, factoring in traffic or other delays.

We are all becoming more aware of how our transport contributes to our overall carbon footprint. By having route optimisation software in place, you can show how you’re actively reducing your emissions.

If you deliver in busy cities such as London and Manchester, you’re more likely to face congestion. This becomes a major challenge when delivering goods.

  • Elastic logistics

Simply, this term means the ability to expand and shrink logistics capabilities to align with current demands.

For example, this may involve products in demand or market fluctuations. For example, during the coronavirus outbreak, the demand for face coverings and hand sanitiser significantly rose.

A buyer wants to know how you will keep up with any market advancements or trends. You should have software in place to help you keep up with trends and demands.

Now you understand important factors of how to get courier contracts in the UK, how can you be successful?

Managing your journeys

As you’re a courier service, you need to demonstrate how you’re able to manage your journeys effectively. Some things to think about include:

  • How will you coordinate your journeys?
  • Will you use any technology to help with journeys?
  • How is your system efficient and will it save you money?
  • How will you deal with delays?
  • How will you record delivered or collected items?

Read the tender documents carefully

If you don’t read through the tender documents thoroughly, you may misunderstand what the tender is asking for. You need to make sure you can meet the requirements. If you can’t, it isn’t worth bidding. Once you have read the documents you can decide whether or not you’re going to tender.

Answer the question in full

Leaving any questions blank or half answered doesn’t look good to the examiner. Not answering the question in full or at all will tell the examiner you aren’t capable of delivering the contract. If the questions are asking for a 4-page answer and you submit 1 page, you haven’t answered the question fully. The examiner is looking for a detailed answer. If you’re struggling to answer the question, break it down. If the question has 5 points to it, break it down into 5 smaller questions. This will help you answer the question better and consider all points.

Research your competitors

Understanding who you are up against when it comes to tendering allows you to plan your tendering approaches. Research your competitors and see what technology they use or what their Unique Selling Point (USP) is.

Proofreading

The final step of how to get courier contracts in the UK is proofreading your bid. Although the writing process is done, the work isn’t over yet. Before submitting your bid, check it and check it again. It’s easy to miss mistakes when typing a long document. The last thing you want to do is to submit a bid full of spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. You could lose marks which could have easily been avoided. Ask someone else to take a look at the document to see if they spot anything you may have missed.

Transport Tenders

Still looking for ways of how to get courier contracts in the UK? A subscription to Transport Tenders could help. With time saved and numerous opportunities found, Transport Tenders can feed seamlessly into your business development strategy. With a subscription to the portal, you receive:

  • Unlimited access to the Transport Tenders portal. Increase your chance of success.
  • A dedicated Account Manager on hand to help you with any and all courier contracts in the UK.
  • A free 20-minute phone consultation. Chat to one of our team about a courier contracts in the UK you’re interested in. We can provide expert advice, insight and guidance to support your tendering efforts.
  • A daily email bulletin of all the logistics tenders published that day helping you stay ahead of the game.

Transport Tenders is a time-saving tool that allows you to focus on running your business, while we source tendering opportunities, directly relevant to your service offering. It’s because we’re passionate about business growth. Every company should have the chance to succeed – and we know that Transport Tenders will fit perfectly into your business growth strategy.

On Transport Tenders, we post contracts for:

Book a free live demo today for a quick tour of our portal. Get in touch to learn more about our bespoke bid writing services.