How to Win Contracts (Tenders)

How to Win Contracts (Tenders) By Mark Penny J&B Recycling Ltd

Who are J&B Recycling? • Winning Tenders, Do We Qualify? Successes and Failures • Sourcing Opportunities • PQQ • Invitation to Tender • Asking Questions • Writing the Tender • Post Tender

J&B Recycling Medium Sized company (145 employees and £10M turnover), operating a range of waste and recycling services across North East England and Scotland. Operation of Material Recovery Facilities (MRF), Transfer Stations, Plant and Vehicles . Management of Council facilities such as Transfer Stations and Household Waste Recycling Centres. Collection services, skip hire etc. Winner of Hartlepool Business of the Year Award and Environment Award in 2011 and Service Award 2005.

Two Material Recycling Facilities (MRF) Baltic Street MRF For the processing of Glass, General Waste and C&D type waste. Windermere MRF (Hartlepool) - £5M investment in 2008 For the processing of Mixed and Pre Sorted Recyclables (Kerbside and Commercial) Waste is sorted in automated plant to produce a variety of sorted single grade outputs.

Winning Tenders, Do We Qualify? Successes and Failures • Over last 4 years, J&B has submitted 32 tenders (ALL FOR SERVICES) • Won 12 tenders worth combined value in excess of £3.25 M per annum, plus £0.3M from one offs • 37% success rate when tendering • All are 3-5 year contracts apart from two short term site clearances • Two contracts extended for a further 2 and 5 years

Examples of Local Authority Success • Tees Valley • A range of contracts directly with Middlesbrough, Stockton and Redcar Councils • Joint Tees Valley contract for Bring Sites with all five Tees Valley local authorities • Little success with Hartlepool Council unless joint tenders • Scottish Borders Council SBC • Worked with SBC since 2006 • Includes transport in bulk of comingled kerbside materials from three council Transfer Stations to our site and processing at J&B Recycling MRF Fife Council • Worked with Fife since October 2010 to recycle plastic and cans • Collection from Council owned transfer stations in bulk • Sorting and Recycling of dual stream kerbside recyclables

Other Public Sector Success • Middlesbrough College (16,000 students) • Originally a four site campus. Now relocated to single city centre site • Total Waste Management, with 95% recycling rate Housing Hartlepool (now Vela Group - including Tri-star Homes) • “I am very impressed with J&B's service provision and in the commitment shown to Housing Hartlepool and our staff. We have created a very good relationship with mutual respect between the staff of both Companies” John Gill , Building Services Manager, Housing Hartlepool

Failures • Price versus Quality : 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, 50/50 evaluation • We have never lost a tender where we have been best on price! • We have lost quite a few where we have been best on quality though! • Same information submitted to different councils -1st on quality for one but 5th on quality for the other! • Human error - missing attachment. • Beware of cut and paste.

Sourcing Opportunities • Tender Notices - set up customised e-mail alerts via area, council, description code, threshold etc. • NEPO (free), North East only* • Sid4health (free) NHS platform, search only • Delta eSourcing , (subscription) • inTend (subscription) • Bip Tracker (subscription)* • Blue Light (free), national* • Public Contracts Scotland (free)* • TED, Official Journal of EU (free) Subscriptions can be £regional, ££UK or £££European levels. • Trade Press • Individual Council Websites

Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) • PQQs generally need the same information but often in a different order or format • Often does not include detailed specification for what is required by contract. Brief description in notice. • Beware the double negative for exclusion questions (pass/fail). • Has your organisation been served any prohibition notices? • Can you confirm that your organisation has not been served any prohibition notices? • ISO and or CHAS accreditation saves a lot of time • Build a bank of stock paragraphs and attachments to draw from • Pedantic on Health and Safety • May not be a PQQ, included in ITT

Invitation to Tender • Don’t be overawed • Maybe in two parts. Part one being PQQ type questions which can be pass/fail. • Be aware of evaluation scoring breakdown %. • Price • Methodology & Service Delivery • Innovative processes • Customer Care • Resources • Environmental Issues • Quality Issues • Community benefits and local deliverables

Asking Questions • Tender Portals • Stay anonymous • Read ITT and specifications thoroughly • Don’t give away ideas (information is made public) • Site Visits • Talk to competitors at group visits • Individual visits

Writing and submitting the tender • Ensure compliant bid, alternatives may not be considered without a compliant bid. • Don’t cross reference. Repeat information if necessary for different questions, or ask yourself if the earlier response was relevant? • Make it easy to read and find the answers • Don’t overload, keep it relevant • Avoid generic responses and information • Exclude promotional literature and unnecessary attachments • Take note of question deadlines as the answers may mean you have to alter your response

Post Tender • Ask for feedback, irrespective of result - they cannot refuse • If feedback is limited, ask for more • Learn from mistakes • Refine your technique • If you win, arrange a pre-start meeting and ensure adequate resources for roll out. • Make sure both parties have the same understanding as this is the most important phase.

Summary Strategy Restrict targets Planning Allow plenty of time for completion Submission Relevant information only Feedback Always ask for feedback if not provided Successful Roll Out Get off to a good start Good Luck

How to Win Contracts (Tenders)