Public sector construction contracts are big business for construction companies of all sizes, from small growing firms up to the largest tier one suppliers.
The Federation of Master Builders estimates that the value of public sector construction is at least £37bn per year. That’s equivalent to 38% of all construction output annually, meaning that you can’t afford to miss out on public sector construction contracts.
The process of getting these contracts can be long and complex, requiring pre-qualification, an understanding of framework structures and much more to succeed.
With more than a decade in the construction industry – including strategic roles in public sector construction frameworks – our team has got together to provide some tips to help you get public sector contracts ahead of the competition.
Government procurement is, above all, process driven and you won’t succeed without understanding how it works.
First, you have to know where to look. Government portals like Contracts Finder and Find A Tender contain thousands of jobs across the country. Familiarising yourself with how to use the filters and search functions appropriately is a vital first step.
You will then need to look at whether the contract is on a framework, a dynamic purchasing system or if it is being procured ‘in house’. Following that,
Never underestimate the power of getting to know the client and their wider teams. These relationships are critical in getting your business deeper insights into what a clients key drivers are, which will ultimately improve the quality of your final proposal. Whether the client is the client themself or potentially a consultant representing their interests, they could even be a main contractor if you are part of the wider supply chain, don’t overlook the relationship piece ‘People buy from people’.
Each contract will have different requirements and factors including price, experience, ability to meet specifications, social value and more.
You will need to craft a concise, compelling proposal which shows how your company meets every criterion. Be sure to answer every aspect of the specification and take your time to ensure that you are telling the buyer exactly what they want to hear.
Other tips include providing recent and relevant evidence, avoiding vague statements and showing how you have supported the customer successfully in other similar projects.
Finally, don’t underestimate how important it is to demonstrate social value. The government’s Social Value Model means that their buyers have to consider social value as a key point of any proposal, awarding it between 10% and 30% of the marks for each proposal. That makes it vital.
Overall, finding and applying for public sector contracts can be a complex and time consuming process – time that growing businesses often do not have.
However, there are alternatives that do the hard work of searching and deliver the best leads to you on a plate so that you can use your time to concentrate on focusing on the relationship and writing the best possible proposal.
Whether you’re aiming to increase sales, expand into new markets, or make more informed and strategic decisions, PSC Pipeline can leverage our extensive database to provide crucial information that can drive your business growth, enhance your market presence, and enable you to make well-informed strategic choices.
We provide you with a weekly report of pipeline developments in your chosen region with a minimum value of at least £1m.
Our systems enable us to unearth many projects before they even show up through the planning portals so that you can get ahead of the competition, have more time to develop that winning strategy and secure the contracts that will supercharge your business.
