How to Tender for
Building Work
Knowing and understanding how to tender for building work is crucial for any supplier wishing to bid on building contract opportunities within the public construction sector. Tracker gives you access to the tools and services you need to secure the right building work construction tenders and stay ahead of the competition.
Free Tender Search
This guide unpacks what building work is, how to find relevant contracts, and how we can help your business at every step of the tendering process.
Read on to find out how you can start bidding more effectively on build contracts with Tracker.
What is a Building Work?
Defined by Regulation 3 of The Building Regulations 2010, the term ‘building work’ generally includes the construction of new buildings, the expansion of existing buildings, building alterations and maintenance, and changing what buildings are used for. This term also covers the installation of ‘controlled services’ such as a boiler and ‘controlled fittings’ such as a replacement window. The renovation of thermal elements such as roofs and external walls also falls under building work.
The Building Regulations 2010 sets the required standards for building work and is in place to ensure the public’s health, safety and welfare are protected in and around buildings.
When public sector buyers, such as government organisations, seek to procure goods, works, and services related to building work, they will publish a tender notice inviting suppliers within the construction industry to bid for the work. Building work and construction tenders can also be published by private sector buyers, expanding the market pool and creating more business opportunities.
Types of Building Tenders
As this is a form of construction work, building work tenders fall within the construction sector and thereby follow its procurement process. The type of tendering process a buyer chooses depends of the required expertise, the nature of the contract, and the complexity of the project. There are three main types of tendering public sector organisations can choose from:
Open Tendering
Open tendering is the main procurement process used by public sector organisations and private sector buyers. During an open tender process, the buyer will publicly advertise the project, allowing any contractors who wish to supply the required goods, works or services to bid.
Selective (Restricted) Tendering
With a selective tender procurement process, only selected contractors chosen by the buyer are invited to bid on the project or contract. As a shortlist of qualified contractors is drawn in advance, bidding participation is restricted to only allow competent and skilled suppliers to apply.
Negotiated Tendering
Negotiated tendering involves the buyer approaching a single contractor and requesting them to deliver the work. A negotiating tender may be chosen for highly specialist contracts or for extending the scope of an existing contract. This form of procurement involves two stages — pre-contract negotiations and post-contract negotiations.
Other common types of building construction tenders can include tendering using a single-stage or two-stage process, and framework agreements.
How Does the Tendering Process Work?
Before you can start engaging in public sector procurement, it’s important to first have a decent understanding of the procurement process. Depending on project value and buyer requirements, the procurement process can become lengthy, complex, and difficult to follow.
We have outlined and expanded on how to tender for new builds below to help grow your understanding, streamline your process and set you on the path to success:
1. Finding the Right Building Work Construction Contracts for Your Business
Every day, thousands of building work construction tender opportunities are being published by public sector buyers on tender portals and government websites. As a result, finding the right building work construction contract for your business can become a time-consuming process.
To help you save time and resources, Tracker offers the following specialised procurement tools to help you find and secure the best building work construction contracts for your company:
Tender Alerts: Be the first to know about the latest construction tender opportunities by having them sent straight to your inbox on a daily basis.
Opportunity Search: Get access to published tender notices on all procurement portals.
These tools provide you with the foundation you need to effectively tender for construction contracts.
2. Getting Tender Documentation
The contract notice of the project you wish to bid on will specify where you’ll be able to access the tender documentation. It is important to make sure you read through all the tender documents or tender specifications from the buyer first before bidding.
These documents will state specific requirements, the scope of the contract, and which tender process will be used. The type of tendering process used will determine the structure of your bid as well as whether or not you will need to complete a Selection Questionnaire (SQ) (previously known as a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)).
Thoroughly reading through all the tender documentation is crucial to ensure a complete understanding of everything involved in the project. Pay special attention to the evaluation criteria and weightings that buyers will use when choosing favourable tenders.
3. Preparing Your Tender Response
Preparing a good tender response is a skill that requires time, practice, and perseverance. Before you start writing, be sure you have given yourself enough time to properly research the buyer, as the more information you have, the better your bid will be.
Structure your construction tender response in a way that highlights the benefits your business can offer the buyer by solving their problems, as well as where you can add value. Focus on showcasing that your skills and experience can fulfil the buyer’s requirements.
Here are some of the procurement tools we offer to help businesses prepare high-quality bids:
Spend Analysis: Find out who your competitors are winning construction work with, what buyers are awarding contracts, and how they are spending to gain insight into the construction industry and your own costings.
Archive Data: Gain access to historical contract awards and use this information to shape your bid proposals.
Above all, you want to ensure you meet all of the buyer’s requirements. If you don’t, your bid will be rejected immediately.
4. Tender Submission
Before you submit your construction tender proposal, be sure you have answered all of the tender questions correctly and that there are no spelling mistakes. It’s helpful to have your response proofread by several people to ensure there are no mistakes.
It is essential that contractors submit their bids before the deadline. Any late submissions, even if by a few minutes, will face automatic disqualification.
Tracker also offers additional tools and services such as Award Data, Market Intelligence, Procurement Consultancy, Bid Manager, and Market Leads to help you improve your tender process and chances of success.
Wondering how long the tender process will take or what the requirements are for a tender? Read through our wide selection of resources, case studies, reports and more to find the answers you’re looking for.
Tips for Winning Building Contracts
Due to the highly competitive nature of the construction industry and public sector, winning building work contracts can be difficult, but is not impossible. Knowing and following the following best practices is a great way of ensuring you stay one step ahead of your competition in the long run:
Thoroughly read through all tender documents
Work through the Selection Questionnaire in detail
Visit the project site if possible
Engage early
Submit a proposal that is on time and on budget
Focus on your strengths
Feature any sustainability and social value that you offer
Sticking to this guideline is a good way to ensure that when you find the right building work construction tenders for your business, you have a greater chance of securing them.
Building Work Construction Tender Opportunities in the UK
Construction covers an extensive range of goods, works and services in the public sector, and because of this, new building work construction tenders are regularly published to keep up with demand. Due to the size of the construction industry, sub-contractors are also regularly sought after, creating even more opportunities for businesses looking to tender within the sector supply chain.
All the tenders in this industry are often published by government agencies, local authorities, educational institutions, healthcare facilities and commercial enterprises — each with their own projects.
For example, government hospitals may publish building work construction tenders to procure handyman services for infrastructure maintenance. While public universities may seek to find a contractor supplying building equipment for upcoming major works contracts for a new faculty.
The best building work tenders are at your fingertips with Tracker. Request a free personalised demo today and see first-hand how we can help your business find and win the right tenders.
Find, Bid For & Win More Building Tender Opportunities with Tracker
Tracker is Europe’s largest database of contract information and intelligence and is the only single business intelligence tool that provides access to contracts as well as market and competitor insights. As we work in partnership with all major government purchasing authorities and departments, our procurement services are trusted by governments around the world.
With us, you have everything you need to gain an advantage over your competitors as well as find and secure more high-quality and high-value building work construction tenders.
Tracker’s Commercial Projects Tool
With so many construction tenders being published in the private sector, Tracker’s Commercial Projects tool can help you as the contractor stay updated on the latest commercial tenders and private construction tender opportunities.
Boasting a dedicated team of researchers, Commercial Projects provides you with reliable private sector leads straight to your inbox with daily email alerts.
Now that you know how to tender for building work, it’s time to take the next steps. Sign up for a Tracker Core or Tracker Pro package online today.
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