The cleaning industry is a very competitive industry and winning new cleaning contracts takes time. One way to win new business is through the tendering process. Tendering for new business is time consuming and a complex process, but it is a necessary component for a successful cleaning business.  This blog will provide you with information about the tendering world and what you need to do to be successful.

Write your own tender response or use a professional?

Deciding whether you will write your own tender response or use a professional is a big decision.  Writing a tender response is time consuming and unless you are organised and have all your information ready to go the odds of you meeting the deadline and submitting a compliant tender is slim. Investing in a professional tender writing company may be the difference in you winning the contract or losing the contract.  Dawtek have been writing successful tender responses for the cleaning industry for over 10 years and know what is required to submit a winning tender response. 

If you are just starting out and don’t have the cash flow to pay for the services of a tender writing company, Docuhub has created a suite of tender templates which will really help you. Included in our Cleaning Tender Package is a comprehensive tender guide that will help you through the tender response process.

Tips for Tendering

Join Tender Notification Sites

If you want to bid for cleaning contracts to ensure you don’t miss out on any contracts on offer you need to join a tender notification site. There are many sites who offer this service.  We recommend Cordell they offer value for money to their clients and also provide free templates to use for tender responses.

Attend Pre-Tender Walkthroughs

Attend all pre-tender meetings and walk throughs whether or not you have any questions. The pre-tender meeting can give you an idea of your competition and any special items not highlighted in the RFP. The question-and-answer session can open your eyes on significant issues in your favour or help you to decide whether you might not be ready to respond to that tender just yet. The pre-tender meeting can change your response's focus so make sure you attend.

Supporting Documentation

Before you even consider bidding for cleaning contracts you must know that there are a number of supporting documents that most cleaning tenders request, including: Health and Safety Policies and Procedures, Quality Policies, Environmental Policies and Procedures, Corporate Governance and Customer Service Procedures just to name a few. Unless you have this in place you will not be short listed or considered for a contract. The good news is that Docuhub have already written these for you. We have created a Cleaning Package that includes tender response templates and all your supporting documentation tailored specifically for cleaning businesses.

The Bottom Line

Ensure that your business can meet all the requirements requested in the tender before spending the time and money on your tender response. There is much to consider when making this decision. It is important to determine if it is worth responding to the tender, as the process can be time consuming and requires an investment of resources that cannot be recouped if there is no chance of winning the business.