Property Maintenance PQQ and tenders and filling the property void

Writing a tender for property maintenance (including void works) requires a special focus. The PQQ writing stage will mean you have to have the usual items in place, insurances, health and safety, environmental and quality certifications and so on. However, there will probably be a need to produce narrative responses around things like planning, safeguarding, defect management and response times for call outs and emergency out of hours.
At PQQ stage these questions can usually be adequately managed via your PQQ library of model answers, or even by simply providing the “expected” answers. But what about the tender?

For example, if you are asked a question about your customer liaison processes in a tender what are you going to write that sets you apart from all of the others? Too often companies fall into the trap of creating a stock response and fail to realise that “”everyone else” will be writing the same. You need to describe your differentiator, why should the client select you, what makes you different from the other half a dozen (or more) companies that are submitting a tender? It is not sufficient to talk about ISO systems, skilled people, experience and knowledge. All of the companies that progressed through the PQQ stage will have all of that, perhaps more than you do! So what if you do have dedicated Tenant Liaison Officers?(TLO) Lots of firms pin their hopes on describing elements of their business, that these days, just gets you in completion but do not win it for you.

Another typical question in property maintenance tender would be about emergency responses and protecting the vulnerable. You have an on call roster, a dedicated phone line, a safeguarding policy and provide temporary heating and lighting if it cannot be repaired. Marvellous, so does everyone, so why should I choose you? All of that gets you in the race but once again it does not win it.

You must make your tender writing compelling. Ensure that the evaluator fully understands what you can offer and what makes you different from all of the others. If the response is 1,500 words a 1,000 word response full of the same tired descriptive narrative will not win. Think differently, focus, pinpoint how you add value and make sure it hits home.

While we are talking about value you must determine what your client values. There is an old saying that value is rather like beauty, it is in the eye of the beholder. If you are bidding into a Housing Association, find out what they value. Is it diversity, sustainability, customer care, creating jobs or something else? Whatever it is, you must discover it and include it in your PQQ and tender. If the response is around emergency call out and the Housing Association values customer care you should write or include something slightly different than if they valued diversity or sustainability.
How do you develop a response around using a local supply chain for a voids maintenance contract? The local branch of a national chain? No, it doesn’t really make you stand out does it?

What about your IT systems, disaster recovery plan or mobilisation plan? Do they may you stand out? If not, you are simply not going to win. With just a little imagination and work it is easy to make yourself stand out. There are a number of cost effective strategies you can employ that will make you stand out from the other bidders. All you need to do is spend the time and apply certain methodologies and you can write a winning tender bid time and time again.