Government Online Tender Information Service

What is the Government Online Tender Information Service?

The Government Online Tender Information Service is a comprehensive tender service for the supply of high and low level contracts. Tender advertisements and associated documents are sent by email to subscribers of the service. It is available separately or as part of a subscription to Government Online Information Services.

What Types of Contracts are Advertised?

Almost every conceivable type of contract are advertised, at all levels. Example contracts are displayed on our Tender Advertisements' page.

What Tender Sources are Utilised?

Tenders derive from the Official Publications Office of the European Union and more than 600 additional sources. The latter include local and national newspapers, regional purchasing consortia, Central Government Departments and Agencies, the Ministry of Defence, government procurement portals, local councils, educational institutions, housing associations and utility companies, charities, and many other organisations.

Why Subscribe to the Government Online Tender Information Service?

The Government Online Tender Information Service can offer a excellent balance between automated and manual searching procedures. Over the past 5 years we have developed systematic processes that enable extremely accurate methods of locating high and low level contracts, reducing to a minimum the errors that can take place when relying on contract titles or CPV codes (Common Procurement Vocabulary Codes, used extensively in European tenders), or when manually searching an online database. It is a well-known fact that a contract title may not accurately define all the categories included in a tender advertisement, and that one contract may require such a large number of CPV codes - or a combination of them - that it's neither practical nor ultimately necessary for the buyer to write them in a tender. Searches, therefore, have to encompass contract title, CPV code, and contract description in order to be fully accurate. And in the case of tenders with multiple lots, multiple descriptions need to be checked. But that does not exhaust the complete range of available contract opportunities: There is such an enormous variety of low-medium level contracts that to ignore them is to lock one's company out of huge volumes of business. With European tenders starting at £153,376 for Services and £3,834,411 for Works, the number of low-medium contracts advertised is truly vast. Most companies will want to have the chance to bid for all levels of work, which is why the Government Online Tender Information Service offers such an excellent solution as a provider of high and low level contracts. We have access to a wide enough range of information sources to accommodate the requirements of most companies large or small.

What Types of Organisations Advertise Tenders?

Central Government Departments and Executive Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, Regional Government, Local Government, the Ministry of Defence, the Police and Emergency Services, purchasing consortia, the NHS, schools, colleges and universities, housing associations, transport and utilities companies, charities, and others.

What Size of Organisation Wins the Greatest Number of Tenders?

Small to Medium Sized Enterprises win the greatest number of tenders. Most companies are unaware of this fact, and mistakenly believe that only global corporations are the victors in the tender stakes.

What If I Operate a Small Company?

A company's size does not determine whether it can secure public sector business or not. The essential points are whether it can fulfil the work for which it bids, whether it can demonstrate that it can do so in contract or tender documents, whether it can meet the criteria set by the buyer, and, finally, whether it presents itself effectively during the bidding process. A good quality company with good quality services simply needs to be able to show it will be an excellent supplier in a way that will satisfy third party observers. The UK public sector has committed itself to increasing the number of small companies working in the government marketplace by drawing up the 'Small Business Friendly Concordat' (Local Government Association and Small Business Service 2005).

What Proportion of High and Low Level Contracts are Advertised on a Regular Basis?

Approximately 80% of advertised contracts are high level and 20% are low level, with a realistic margin of error of 5%. This calculation is made by comparing European with non-European contracts advertised during a typical week. The number varies from category to category, with some being split 50-50, others 70-30 and still others 90-10. There are even some categories that are almost always of either a high level or a low level.

How Do I Register my Company on an Approved List?

There are several ways to answer that question, but one of them is to say that Approved Lists of Contractors are often advertised, and so it is possible to secure a place on an Approved List by meeting the criteria of set contracts. Another is to register your company on the internal procurement systems used within the public sector.

Can the Tender Service Help my Company Locate Subcontracting Opportunities?

Yes. Subcontracting opportunities can either be advertised in an actual tender, or companies looking to supply their services to contract winners can monitor Contract Award notices and then approach them for subcontracting work.

Does the Service Include Guidance on the Tender Process?

We can supply extensive guidance on the tender process, covering meeting policy requirements, answering the Company Questionnaire, choosing when to bid, structuring tender documents, pricing, post award procedures, and so on. These documents are included free of charge as part of the Tender Service subscription, with the aim of bringing companies up to speed as soon as possible.

Have Any of Your Subscribers Secured Business by Using the Government Online Tender Information Service?

Yes, repeatedly. From registering on Approved Lists, to selling a handful computers to educational institutions, to refurbishing government properties, to building websites, and to securing subcontracting opportunities, we regularly have companies that win business by using the Government Online Tender Information Service. Several of our clients normally win tenders each month. An outline of recent successful bids is given on the page Client Successes.

How Does It Work?

After your subscription a short Company Questionnaire will be sent by email to the person who has made the order. The Company Quesionnaire can be completed very quickly, but acts as the guide for creating the Tender Profile for your company. It will determine what contracts you need, and will greatly assist in ensuring that the Tender Service is as accurate as possible. The Tender Profile can be altered at any time to meet your requirements, and as soon as it has been returned we will implement your company's details into our search procedure and begin to supply contracts within 24 hours. We will even perform a search of our current tender archive to locate any recently published contracts that are still live, and that may present significant business opportunities for your company. In that way you will begin to reap the benefits of your subscription immediately.

What's the Cost?

The cost is £600 per year. That works out at approximately £11.53 per week.

How Do I Subscribe?

To subscribe please click on the link below, enter your address details, and then follow the online instructions. Payments can also be taken by telephone, by calling 0161 610 3831.

Subscribe to Government Online Tender Information Service