What Types of Contracts are Advertised?

Almost every conceivable type of contract are advertised, at all levels:- Requests for Quotes, One-off Purchases, Select Lists and Approved Lists, Low and Medium Level Contracts, High Level Tenders, Framework Agreements, PFI opportunities, Market-Testing Exercises, Competitive Dialogue, Contract Awards (for subcontracting or collaborative working). 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 700 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?

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?

A Company Questionnaire will be sent by email upon subscribing to the service; this will be used to define CPV codes and keywords for contract searching, and for ascertaining the contact details of the individual who is to received the tender notifications. We will provide suggestions to help complete your search profile. A search for all current live contracts held in our contract archive will then be implemented, and you will be able to reap the benefits of the subscription the same day.

What's the Cost and How do I Subscribe?

The cost is normally £600 per year. However we're now offering a special discount so it's £500 for the first year and then £600 for the second year. To subscribe now please choose one of the two preferred payment methods below and follow the onscreen instructions.