Warning: sprintf() [function.sprintf]: Too few arguments in /home/excompass/domains/executivecompass.co.uk/public_html/rss/blog.php on line 47

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/excompass/domains/executivecompass.co.uk/public_html/rss/blog.php:47) in /home/excompass/domains/executivecompass.co.uk/public_html/rss/blog.php on line 53
2012-05-15 Executive Compass tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,1970-01-01://rss/blog.php tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-05-15:/business/md-blog/1/new+financial+year+anticipates+influx+of+new+opportunities+and+pqqs 2012-05-15

As we enter the new financial year, and immerge from a relatively quiet spell in terms of public sector contract opportunities and PQQs, it could be said that this lull is the calm before the storm.With the budget out of the way and all government spending in order, we can certainly expect an incursion of new opportunities across the board in the coming weeks, meaning more PQQs and Tenders to tackle.The average number of high value, UK public sector contracts published on TED Tenders Electronic Daily has risen steadily over the last week, and we hope to see even more opportunities emerge in the very near future. With the construction industry also showing positive signs of growth, we can undoubtedly expect more of these opportunities to be construction related.Procurement lsquopipelinesrsquo were also published a few weeks ago giving details of public sector contract opportunities worth over pound70 billion. These opportunities cover 13 sectors including construction, property, facilities management and police services, giving potential suppliers prior notice, allowing them to prepare for when such contracts are published.In anticipation of this influx of PQQs, we would encourage businesses to prepare for the surge by making sure they have all of the relevant and vital elements in place. Having things like your policies, procedures, business continuity plans, staff CVs and accreditations all up to date can significantly speed up the process of completing a PQQ document. Being prepared will allow you to apply for more opportunities more efficiently and give you a better chance of securing a contract.However, we cannot simply expect these opportunities to fall in our laps. Make sure your company does not miss out on any opportunities actively source contracts by visiting online portals regularly, such as your local authority. Or for larger, worldwide contracts you can visit TED, as mentioned above.Giving it your all on one or more PQQ or tender at a time can be hard, stressful, time consuming and potentially detrimental to your business. Outsourcing your bid writing can be more costeffective in the long term, can leave you and your staff to focus on your core business and can also ensure that you do not miss out on any key elements that could be lsquomake or breakrsquo for the contract win.If you need any extra assistance tackling a PQQ or tender and to increase your chances of winning, give us a call on 0191 265 5461 or email infoexecutivecompass.co.uk for a free, no obligation quote or simply some advice.Amanda Tate, Head of Marketing

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-05-08:/business/md-blog/1/what+to+expect+in+a+pqq 2012-05-08

The prequalification questionnaire or PQQ has changed dramatically since its introduction in the 1900s and has continued to evolve as technology and contracting authoritiesrsquo demands increase. However, the idea behind the PQQ remains the same they are designed to exclude companies and significantly reduce the number of firms that are invited to tender. The whole PQQ process is a process of negating risk for the client or contracting authority. A PQQ will typically ask forbullCompany detailsRegistered addressName of person responsible for completing the PQQCompany Registration NumberVAT NumbernbspbullFinancial detailsBank detailsBank addressnbspbullBusiness activitiesWhat you actually do and the services you offernbspbullReferences from previous clientsOften you will find that when completing a PQQ that this is a simple data section.In some PQQs you will have the opportunity to write a small amount of narrative this is where you should always attempt to demonstrate added valuenbspbullInsurance detailsThe specifications of the PQQ will stipulate that a minimum level of limit of indemnity must be held for both public and private liability insurance often you will find that you are agreeing to have these levels in place by the time the contract is awardednbspbullDetails of any recognised quality management certificatesWhen completing a PQQ, it is highly recommended, if not essential, to manage the level of quality in the productsservices you deliver. It is even better if you have had your quality management system externally audited and certified.nbspbullCopies of your Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and Environmental Management nbsp policiesThese are the three most essential policies that you will need to have at hand when completing a PQQ. These all need to be signed, dated, have a date of next review and make reference to compliance with all the most recent relevant Acts.nbspbullProfessional and business standing of the organisation and its directorstrustees, for nbsp example, details of any criminal records or bankruptciesThis is a large part of risk negation for the contracting authority. If you realise that you have a criminal record or bankruptcies when completing a PQQ, this is not the end of the world contact us if you are not sure how to turn a negative into a positive.nbspbullExamples of relevant experience in the service area of the contractWhen completing a PQQ this is often the first opportunity to make your company shine. You should always make sure your examples are relevant and make sure you include any innovations or added value you brought to the contract, this could include a cost saving initiative.nbspbullFirst indications of how you propose to deliver the service.This is another good opportunity to make your company stand out when you are completing a PQQ. You donrsquot want to throw everything you have at this section, you should always hold something back for the ITT. It is also very easy to go over the word count in this section, so always be wary.nbspThese are the basic elements that you will, more often than not, encounter when completing a PQQ. If you are struggling to get through to the ITT stage of the contracting process, contact us today and we will be able to complete the PQQ for you and show you how to make your company really stand out. John, Bid Writer.0781 441 8575

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-05-01:/business/md-blog/1/the+importance+of+good+policies+and+procedures 2012-05-01

Policies and procedures play a very important part when completing a PQQ or tender. Having the relevant documents in place can make the difference between passing and failing the PQQ stage and being invited to tender.With such importance placed on your companyrsquos policies, it is advisable to have these ready and up to date before you register your interest in the contract and start the tender process. This will save you a lot of time and effort and make filling in the PQQ less of a struggle.It is not definite which polices you will be required to provide on a PQQ, this varies depending on the document itself and the related contract. The basic policies that you may be required to provide are Health and Safety policy Environmental policy Equality and Diversity policy Quality policyIt is not only valuable to have these in place but it is also very important that they are as detailed as possible. A lot of companies will often source boilerplate policy templates from the internet and call them their own, which will be very simple, generalised, one page documents. If you are going to be tendering towards a public sector contract your policies must be detailed and tailored to suit your company. They must also be indate, have a renewal date and must be signed by the relevant officer or company MD to deem it appropriate for public sector tendering. If your policies are unfit for their purpose, you company is seen as a risk and will not be considered for the job.Other policies and procedures that you may be required to provide include Bribery Policy Confidentiality Policy Lone Worker Policy Training PolicyIt is best to have as many policies in place as you can that apply to your business or services. If you have a predefined vault of information, then you are ready to tackle any PQQ that comes your way and will give you a significant advantage over other competitors that may not have this in place. It will also give you more time to consider your answers for other sections of the PQQ that require more detail.Accreditations can also speed up the process of completing a PQQ. More than often you will be asked if your business has any accreditations such as CHAS Contractors Health and Safety, Gas Safe, Investors in People or ISO. If your business is approved by the relevant accreditors you may not need to provide examples of your policies as you will already be compliant with the requirements of the contract, which will also give you a significant advantage.If you are unsure how to write a good policy, or do not have time to create one to an exceptional standard in time to submit your PQQ, please visit our website for further details and get in touch.Amanda Tate, Head of Marketing,

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-04-24:/business/md-blog/1/subcontracting+an+option+not+to+be+ignored+when+tendering 2012-04-24

When writing a tender, companies are often faced with having to hire subcontractors to have a chance at winning the contract. Not all companies are comfortable or willing to do this, as it increases the overall risk factor.However, there are a lot of contracts out there, especially in the construction sector, that state you must subcontract a percentage of the work locally, and this forms part of the scoring criteria. If the contract is slightly out of your depth or you are producing a bid as a company outside of the local area, subcontracting some of the work to local companies can be an effective and valuable way to improve your chances of producing a winning tender. If you are one of these companies, I have put together a list of benefits here that will hopefully sway your judgement or even change your mind about incorporating smaller, likeminded contractors into your bid, and, more importantly, help you to secure a contract that your company needs to make that step change.Shared Expertise lsquoTwo minds are better than onersquo by sharing the workload you gain extra tools, machinery, knowledge and expertise that you may not have inhouse.Specialism amp Quality ndash Subcontractors are often smaller companies and are specialists in their field they may have that extra skill that you donrsquot have, or donrsquot have time to acquire.Workforce They will add to your current workforce to create a larger, more efficient and skilled team.Shared risk ndash Even though there are risks in subcontracting, having extra help will make sure that your companyrsquos resources are not overextended, and the risk that you may lack the capacity to get the work done is removed.Locality ndash If you are applying for a contract outside your geographical area, local subcontractors can give you the extra local knowledge you may need. They can also reduce your carbon footprint on things like travelling as they are already in the area ndash which will gain you extra points on sustainability.Economic benefits ndash Subcontracting to companies in the local area will direct money back into the local economy, which is often a requirement of the contract. This can also increase your companyrsquos credibility locally.Coverage ndash Expand your geographical coverage this will able you to complete work in any area across the UK.Price ndash Drive down the pricing in your Tender document by sourcing cheaper, local contractors.Leadership ndash Subcontracting still leaves you as the main contractor and decision maker ndash you are still in control.When executed properly and dealt with thoroughly, subcontracting can benefit your business considerably and in turn make the job easier for you whilst you are still in full control.So, if you are in a subcontracting predicament and have never had to think about it before, hopefully these benefits have helped you in some way and you will now be able to complete that PQQ and get on the route to winning that tender that you may otherwise not have considered.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-04-17:/business/md-blog/1/progress+of+a+trainee+bid+writer 2012-04-17

nbspProgress of a trainee Bid WriternbspIt has been six months now since I started as a trainee tender writer for Executive Compassreg, and I thought this would be a good a time as any to post a small update on my progress so far. Why, oh why, did I not take that job at McDonalds I could be flippinrsquo patties right now in a greasy production line rather than thumbing my way through an invitation to tender for the provision of translation servicesI have been well and truly thrown in at the deep end over the past few months, and I have learnt a tremendous amount in this time. I would hazard a guess that I have learnt more about business in the past 6 months then I ever did in my 3 year degree, though this wouldnrsquot be a fair representation of my time spent studying. University certainly has provided the building blocks I needed to start down the path of becoming a fullyfledged bid writer, and I have worked to build on these blocks as I have been immersed in the world of tender writing.I have been working alongside Michael and Neil, shadowing them as they work through submissions, absorbing as much as possible as I see the tender being put together in front of me. I have also been left to my own devices in managing my own clients and completing PQQs on their behalf, with Michael and Neil reviewing my completed documents to ensure that their quality is of a level they themselves would be happy to submit. I have been getting my hands dirty recently, writing policies for a client, under the watchful eye of Michael and to date I have successfully completed writing a Health amp Safety Policy, Environmental Policy, Equality amp Diversity Policy and A Business Continuity Plan Writing all of these is proving to be an immensely informative part of my training.I also have the opportunity to shadow Michael as he travels around the UK delivering training workshops to companies of all shapes and sizes from all industries, which is a real eye opener and not only a great way to learn about the processes that should be adopted for successful PQQ, Bid and Tender writing but also to see the master at workThere is still a long way to go until I am ready and able to singlehandedly tackle an ITT or PQQ submission which is where I want and hope to be in the coming years, but the work that I am currently doing is challenging, interesting and, best of all, enjoyable I find myself looking forward to the next challenge that is given to me.Roll on 2012 I donrsquot know about you, but Irsquom very much enjoying it so far

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-04-10:/business/md-blog/1/effective+tender+writing 2012-04-10

The secret of effective tender writingI am always being asked about how to improve individual and team tender writing skills. Is there one thing that I can do to make my tender submissions win Do you have one golden ruleThe short answer is no The analogy I use for tender writing is baking a cake. There are many ingredients you need to use, there is the quality of your ingredients, a number of processes must be used, there are tools you must take advantage of, the oven must be at the correct temperature, the cake must look nice and, of course, whoever is to eat your cake must prefer the flavour you have decided to bake over that of the other competitors.You can see quite clearly that if just one of those elements is missing or incorrect, the cake will not be as good as it can be.If you think of your organisationrsquos processes and systems as the ingredients to the cake and your innovation and creativity as the ldquosecretrdquo ingredient it may help you to bake your tender Too often tender writers rely on descriptive narrative especially bid teams in large firms and rely on boilerplate text their cake tastes like all of the others, or worse, it tastes bland and stale.Some firms do not have their own bid team instead they give out sections to functional heads or anyone they feel is the resident expert. I have never yet come across a company that has consistently been able to make this method of tender writing work. It doesnrsquot even work very well for PQQs but for tenders it really is a nonstarter. Too many cooks, cooking in different kitchens with different ingredients and a dozen other meals to prepare. The cake has no consistency, lacks substance and is ugly.The cake analogy is a really good one. It is easy to see that only one thing needs to be out of place and the cake is spoilt. It is EXACTLY the same as tender writing.If you create a tender that the evaluator does not like, if it does not meet their needs, then you have wasted all of your time. If you have shared out the various elements of your submission to team members with a dozen other things to do and who are not measured on bid success then do not be surprised if you do not win the contract.There are lots of people within your business who can write a tender for you, but it is no good simply writing it you have to win. When you are creating a bid for a contract it should not be a desk clearing exercise. It should be the single most important thing you have to do. A client complained recently that we were driving too hard, asking too many hard questions, nothing was good enough. Then one of them said, ldquoImagine if they were working for our oppositionrdquo. The mood changed, they realised that to ldquobake their cakerdquo and win the competition it needed 100 focus. Even 100 focus is not enough. You need to clearly articulate your business proposition without ldquooverbakingrdquo it you need to be creative but also you need to give them the cake they want not necessarily the one they were expecting.So, I suppose I need to contradict myself. There is one thing that can help you stand out from all of the other tender writers read the specification, this will make sure that you actually give them the cake they want and need. Very often businesses do not read the specification. Without that how can you select your ingredients, your kitchen and your method of working and above all, your chefNeil Neil is the Head Chef for Executive Compassreg

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-04-03:/business/md-blog/1/how+social+media+is+changing+procurement 2012-04-03

nbspHow is social media changing procurementChanges in public sector procurement are advancing at an alarming rate. An increasing number of PQQs and Tenders now require electronic upload onto portals. Wiith no printing needed it saves many, many trees In a relatively short length of time the tender process has changed from a complete printed process to a paperless one with the introduction electronic uploads and portals. Norfolk Council have taken the initiative and are leading the way in procurement innovations. They have recently utilised the microblogging site, Twitter, in an attempt to make it easier for smaller business to be made aware of, and bid for, public sector contracts. The idea is that they will post new contracts onto the site to make them more accessible. The council Tweeted about 18 contracts for passenger transport services within the Norfolk area. The tweet was posted to the Councilrsquos 5000 corporate Twitter followers and since then has been retweeted numerous times.The councilrsquos communication department is working in conjunction with their procurement team in order to ensure that the information Tweeted is correct and contains the necessary information to register interest. This joint venture between council departments is the first of its type and, depending on its success, could be rolled out across multiple councils nationally. The overall aim of the scheme is to reduce the amount of paperwork that goes between councils and suppliers this innovation offers a simple way of informing SMEs of the contract and the details without the need for paper dialogue. The response and feedback so far has all been positive, with many businesses within Norfolk declaring this type of interaction a success and saying this type of imitative is well overdue. The government has identified SME businesses as a means of bringing the country out of recession. Many larger firms are struggling to cope with the demands of the recession, suffering from diminishing margins owing to their large hierarchy of command and traditional bureaucratic structure. Their traditional views favour managing the business and often not enough focus on the deliverables. The bureaucracy in large firms makes them slow to react and can mean they make decisions which lead to them missing out on new opportunities, or suffer as they struggle to adapt the traditional routes to which they are familiar. The spontaneity of SME firms allows them to adopt new working practices and remain innovative in the ways in which they market their productservice and the ways in which it is delivered. Large numbers of SME businesses are also benefiting from government initiatives and tax breaks to combat the recession. Some would say that the adoption of social media into the Tendering process is long overdue, but with tight controls and restrictions imposed about the information contained within the contract notice, it is no wonder that it is only emerging now. If you would like any further information regarding procurement or the ways in which to source PQQ information, please do not hesitate to get in touch

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-03-27:/business/md-blog/1/tender+writing+tweets 2012-03-27

As those of you who receive our newsletter will know if you donrsquot and would like to, click here, we have recently hired a new member of staff, Amanda Tate. She is responsible for the entire grouprsquos marketing and one of the first things she has successfully implemented is our new company Twitter account Go AmandaIf you would like to see our new Twitter account, you can find it herehttpstwitter.comExecCompassIf you follow us on Twitter, expect to see posts on PQQ writing tips and tricks, tender writing tips and tricks, regular tweets of blog and news articles on our site, and also major news from the public sector procurement sector. We may even post links to freebies that we share with our subscribers like the addition of a free Bribery Policy to the downloads section of our site, which we shared through our company newsletter We will also post common evaluator complaints and common pitfalls when completing a PQQ or tender. Basically this Twitter page should be a valuable resource to any company that tenders for contracts. Furthermore, if we ever stumble across any contract notices that are of a particular interest or magnitude, we may not be able to stop ourselves from tweeting those tooRemember, if you are having trouble being successful in tendering towards public sector contracts, and these little tips are not enough to get you through to an ITT, maybe you should contact us today to find out more about our PQQ and Tender writing and Training Services.

tag:,2012-03-20: 2012-03-20

At the end of 2011 the European Commission delivered proposals for finally reforming the laws surrounding public procurement in the EU. There have been many changes that have been hailed or condemned by buyers across the EU, but what do these changes mean for bid writers These changes are to be adopted by the end of the year and will then be implemented by 30 June 2014.Contracts may now be awarded on the basis of the lowest cost quoted by suppliers this may affect the demand for PQQ and bid writers in some industries, but this will not be used across all procurement. The service industry will still require talented bid writers to deliver their bids and tender for public sector service contracts.The proposals also stressed provisions to increase accessibility to public sector contracts for small to medium enterprises. This will mean that authorities will have access to a larger list of suppliers, but it will also make the tendering process more competitive. This in turn will create an increase in demand for top quality bid writers who will be able to complete companiesrsquo PQQs and write their tenders to the highest standard, in order to help them to stand out from the competition.Strict deadlines will be imposed for the tender process. The whole tender process may be shortened to just 120 days, which will mean that bid writers will have to be able to put their bids together over a shorter time. This will mean there will be an increase in calls for short notice PQQ, Bid and Tender writers and for outsourcing companiesrsquo bid writing requirements as they simply do not have time to complete all of their tenders due to this shorter turnaround.Overall, it seems that the new procurement laws to be implemented mid2014 will have a somewhat mixed effect on bid writers. They may cause an increase in demand for bid writers or an outsourcing solution to a companyrsquos bid writing requirements as the stresses of the new laws may have a negative effect on inhouse bid writing teams. They may also increase the demand for high quality submissions as competition increases with the inclusion of more SMEs in the public sector. It may be time to get yourself ready for more public sector opportunities over the next year if you are an SME. We offer training days that are designed to make your company ready to start winning public sector work we will evaluate your previous submissions to see what part of your bid is letting you down and work together with your entire company to realign your companyrsquos strategy towards winning more public sector work. Contact us today if this is something you think your company would benefit from.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-03-13:/business/md-blog/1/top+reasons+for+not+being+awarded+a+contract 2012-03-13

There are many reasons why you may fail to be awarded a contract, some of these are better known than others. We have written about these lsquopitfallsrsquo in the past but for some of you itrsquos time to be reminded Here is a list of 4 common mistakes that are made when writing a tender or filling in a PQQ1.Technical overloadYou may not believe it, but it is possible to be overly technical in your responses for a PQQ or tender though admittedly this can sometimes depend on what the contract is for. Some writers inside organisations believe that stuffing their responses with as much technical knowhow as possible will win them the bid. However, ignoring or failing to recognise the fact that by the time you have been invited to tender ITT, the contracting authority will have more than adequately satisfied that you are able to complete the task in hand. Its quality assurances that you can give that they want to hear about. 2.No ThemeEvery bid needs a theme and it needs to be stuck to. It brings a greater convergence of your bid if it can be centralised around one key commitment. Do not, under any circumstance, contradict yourself. It confuses the client and can also lead them to question other areas of your bid or PQQ You do want your bid to stand out from the crowd, but not for this reason.3.Too much copy amp pasteLarge public and private organisations have staff employed solely for the role of reviewing your PQQ amp Tender submissions they do this day in and day out. So with this in mind, you will not be surprised to learn that they can spot copy amp paste from a mile off And so can we We have had past clients try and take old submissions that we have written for them, change the client name and the odd bit of information so that it fits the scope of the contract they are applying for. They then come back to us wondering why they didnrsquot advance to the ITT stage or win the tender. Well this is why If you canrsquot write your own high quality narrative, donrsquot just copy and paste come to us and we will write you a winning PQQ or tender submission.4.Lack of or no client focusWhen reviewing past submissions for our customers we never cease to be amazed at how they can often forget who they are writing it for. The PQQs or tender submissions were all far too company orientated and nowhere near focussed enough on the client or contracting authority. When it comes to a submission, disregarding the technical section, it needs to be client orientated. Remember, if what you are writing will not interest the client or any value, then it really has no place inside your submission.All of the above points are of the upmost importance when writing a tender or filling out a PQQ, we have to consider all of these every single day and so should you when writing a bid. We deliver training days that are designed to educate you on how to complete submissions and how to correctly encapsulate your business inside your business whilst keeping the focus on the authority or client. We can also write and submit the PQQ or tender document for you if you do not feel up to, what can be a very daunting task. Contact us today if you are interested in our training or PQQ and Bid writing services.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-03-06:/business/md-blog/1/pqq+writing+for+domiciliary+care+services+ 2012-03-06

PQQ writing for domiciliary care services Our PQQ writing team specialises in writing domiciliary care PQQs and tenders.We know how hard it can be completing a PQQ for the domiciliary care sector and we realise how important it is to progress to the tender stage.The provision of Domiciliary Care is classified as a Part B Service under the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. This means that the provision of Domiciliary Care Procurement will follow the rules and principles set out for the commissioning of Part B Services under those Regulations. You must follow a structured process when completing your PQQ. The term Domiciliary Care Services encompasses the provision of a range of personal care and support to individuals living in their own homes. Domiciliary Care services funded by the Council are provided to individuals who are identified as being eligible for Community Care services following an assessment of need. The object of the PQQ process in domiciliary care is to assess the responses to the PQQ and select Potential Providers to proceed to the next stage of the procurement. Normally when you complete the document, potential providers will need to demonstrate an ability to provide care services to vulnerable people in their own homes.A typical domiciliary care PQQ might be laid out as followsbullContact informationbullOrganisation informationbullConsortiumsbullSub contractingbullFinancial informationbullProfessional and business historybullInsurancebullCompliance with Public Contracts RegulationsbullHealth amp SafetybullQuality assurancesbullDisputesbullPersonalisationbullEquality amp DiversitybullTechnical capabilitybullTUPEbullReferencesbullList of service areasbullDeclarationIt all appears a little daunting at times, but our specialist domiciliary care PQQ writers will be able to guide you through even the most complex PQQ. Our expert PQQ writers have so much experience that they are able to easily provide responses to the standard and more problematic domiciliary care questions. Typical questions our teams can respond to in a PQQ includeExperience and expertise of undertaking contractsservices of a similar nature, with particular reference to lsquoService Deliveryrsquo.Does your company currently use would be able to have in place at the start of the contract a Real Time Monitoring system that can provide the Council with evidence of a actual delivered time in minutes b evidence of the care worker in attendance c planned v. actual time delivered d Consolidated actual time delivered for invoicing purposes Does your company operate a proactive approach inviting customer opinions feedback and mechanisms for collating reporting amp acting upon the feedback in your current contracts Confirm you comply with your obligations under the TUPE regulations and describe your previous experience. The PQQ writers at Executive Compassreg fully understand all of these questions and can deliver powerful responses.Traditionally, Domiciliary Care services have been delivered to the individual in their own home, but with the advent of the Transforming Adult Social Care policy agenda, and the development of Personalisation, this is changing. To successfully deliver both Transformation and Personalisation, the Council must ensure that service users are given increasing levels of choice and control over how and when their care and support is provided. To support this increased choice and control, Councils require successful tenderers for their Domiciliary Care service contracts to offer services to individuals which actively support them to, for example, access mainstream community facilities and which more generally promote their independence and wellbeing. In this regard, the service to be delivered will have similarities to that offered by an employed Personal Assistant. This will increasingly require a more flexible workforce, and more flexibility in how this workforce is deployed. Our domiciliary care PQQ writers can help to ensure you progress to the next stage.Call us nowLast minute domiciliary care tendersLast minute domiciliary care PQQ

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-02-28:/business/md-blog/1/common+misconceptions+about+public+sector+contracts 2012-02-28

Common misconceptions about public sector contracts.Many delusions surround the area of public sector procurement and this article seeks to bust some of these True or False Here are some common misconceptions cleared up.The company that quotes the lowest price will always win the contract ndash FALSEPrice is a very important part of tendering towards a contract, but it is certainly less so in the public sector. Itrsquos all about value for money, so you need to be able to demonstrate additional value in the quality section, or find a bid writing consultancy that can do that for youTendering for a contract is expensive ndash FALSEFilling out a PQQ or tender document can cost as little or as much as you want it to you can take on the whole task yourself, which will only cost you time, or you can use dedicated inhouse staff who will be requiring a wage. Another option would be to outsource your bid writing requirements, which you may find saves you time and money both very valuable resources.If anyone can write a PQQ or Tender then surely itrsquos easy ndash FALSEYes, anyone can write a tender or fill out a PQQ, but if yoursquore finding it easy then Irsquom afraid you are probably not doing it right and you will not find yourself winning contracts any time soon. If anything, a poorly written tender is a detriment to your company as it can create a negative image of your organisation for the contracting authority. Leave it to the prosThere is no point in even bidding theyrsquove already got a buyer in mind ndash FALSEAlthough this certainly isnrsquot unheard of, itrsquos certainly much less commonplace in the public sector. There are regulations in place that means the tendering process has to be a fair competition, so anyone can win the contract if they can prove they are the best candidate. One way of doing this would be to hire a bid writing consultancy that will be able to make your business truly shine, and this will be reflected in your proposal.Irsquom not a local company, so there is no point competing ndash FALSEThis should never happen in public sector contracts, and if you find that you have lost out on a contract purely because of your location then you have grounds to complain, as it is illegal for local councils to award contracts because of geographical location Local Government Act 1988 Section 17.There are many common misconceptions around the area of public sector procurement, which can make it a daunting place to try and win work. Using a Bid amp Tender writing consultancy like ourselves can relieve you of the stress of filling in a PQQ or Tender document, and create truly winning submissions. So if you have a PQQ or Tender that needs completing or you think that you or your company may need training in the area of public sector procurement, please do not hesitate to get in contact.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-02-21:/business/md-blog/1/tender+writers+in+newcastle+upon+tyne 2012-02-21

Public Sector Tenders in Newcastle upon Tyne And beyondAs PQQ writers and Bid writers based at Executive Compassreg HQ in Newcastle we are often left scratching our heads as to why we donrsquot receive more enquiries from our local area. The bulk of the business that we receive, writing PQQs and tenders, is for companies based in London. Some may say that this makes sense as this is the business capital of the UK, and because of the sheer mass of boroughs and councils inside the greater London area. We have seen quite a few contract notices since the start of 2012 for in and around the Newcastle area, yet we still havenrsquot received a single enquiry from our fellow North easternersSeveral contract notices have been put on the European portal, which we check daily for our clients, in and around the area of Newcastle. We have listed some belowUKMorpeth actuarial services Publication Date 09022012 Deadline for return of PQQ 08032012Short description of the contract or purchasesTenders are invited by Northumberland County Council from suitably qualified organisations to provide actuarial services to fulfil the role of ldquofund actuaryrdquo to Northumberland County Council Pension Fund, as required by the LGPS regulations. The work undertaken on behalf of the Council is to add value to its pension management, and ensure that the Council complies with the relevant pension fund legislationUKNewcastle repair amp maintenance services of building installations Publication Date 09022012 Deadline for return of PQQ 05032012Short description of the contract or purchasesNorth East Procurement NEP are procuring a framework agreement for the provision of planned maintenance and investment works to social housing properties. This will be a 4year nonbinding framework agreement for the provision of property repairs and maintenance. The works shall include, but shall not be limited to, the replacement and upgrade of kitchens, bathrooms, heating and boilers, electrical works, windows and doors, and whole house internals.UKMorpeth environmental issues consultancy services Publication Date 31012012 Deadline for return of PQQ 29022012Short description of the contract or purchasesThe Council is seeking to appoint a Framework Agreement of competent suppliers to provide specialist and technical advice for the development of renewable energy projects within Northumberland. UKGateshead travel servicesPublication Date 28012012 Deadline for return of PQQ 07032012Short description of the contract or purchasesThe North East Procurement Organisation NEPO is inviting responses from tenderers for the provision of travel management services. This includes rail travel, air and ferry travel and hotel booking and associated services. UKMorpeth weedkilling services Publication Date 27012012 Deadline for return of PQQ 27022012Short description of the contract or purchasesNorthumberland County Council is seeking to appoint a contractor, or contractors, to provide Weed Spraying Services in three geographical Lots covering the County of Northumberland. The contract is predominantly for the application of herbicide to footways, edges, and obstacles to the side of footways.If you feel that your company may be able to provide one of these services in this area then please do not hesitate to get in contact with us today we will guide you through every step of the tendering process. From PQQ to contract award, we will be there to support and educate you along the way. If you are unfamiliar with the public sector, one of our training days may be of interest to you. Our training days are unique not only do we educate you on the procurement process and how to navigate through the tricky jargon inside the PQQ and tender documents, but we also review your company policies and can improve them and gear them more towards the public sector. Executive Compass is a PQQ, Bid amp Tender writing consultancy based on the quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne serving the whole of the UK. If you are a company in the North East that is currently not having much success winning public or private sector contracts, then we will undertake a free review of your PQQ or tender documents that didnrsquot get you through. We will review the documents in order to identify your weakest areas in order to see how we can help improve your submissions.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-02-21:/business/md-blog/1/pqq+success+construction 2012-02-21

PQQ Success ConstructionnbspExecutive Compassreg achieved a double PQQ writing success for a Welsh construction Company, adding to our already growing list of 2012 successes the prequalification questionnaires included both residential and nonresidential works. The PQQ process can be complex and a little timeconsuming, but as this was an existing client we were able to draw on our previous knowledge and leverage all of their unique attributes to storm through the PQQ submission and achieve a 100 mark on both documents.The PQQs were heavily weighted on experience with 3 relevant contracts for some PQQs these are listed as contracts of similar value. Many prequalification questionnaires are very broad when asking for information regarding case studies. We have provided a sample below of the type of things the evaluators are looking for. Provide a brief description of up to 3 relevant contracts you have successfully delivered in the last 5 years that show experience that is relevant to the requirement. Please take into account the work range anticipated for Social Housing work, including internal refurbishments, and kitchen and bathroom refurbishments, within the probability that the premises will be occupied while work is undertaken.You do not necessarily have to show experience of having delivered the same works and services previously but your evidence should show you have the capability to deliver them.Provide details ofbullClientbullWorks andor services deliveredbullHow it is relevant to the requirementbullHow the contract was delivered successfully include testimonials where possiblebullChallenges met and solutions providedbullLessons learnt which have been useful for other projectsbullContract valuebullPrincipal supply chain partnersbullPeriod over which the contract was deliveredAdditional Guidance It is advantageous if the supplier can demonstrate relevant experience and understanding of working with various design teams inhouse, nominated and contractorrsquos design teams, higher marks will be awarded to companies where this can be demonstrated.The PQQ required us to demonstrate relevant experience and understanding ofbullDesign amp build contractsbullCollaborative workingbullPartneringbullAchieving best value for the client from the supply chainbullDelivery to time, cost and qualityThe evaluation was based on information against the four key areas of Economic and Financial Standing Capacity and Capability Management Sustainability and Health and Safety.These PQQs are part of a large framework that involves both residential and nonresidential works across South Wales. Note that the guidance notes explicitly state that higher marks are awarded for companies that are able to demonstrate the various elements. This is the difference between passing and failingWe have developed such a powerful and innovative approach to completing a PQQ that there was never any doubt about them progressing to the tender stage. It is interesting to note that once again we scored 100 for our responses on partnering and collaborative working and yet we still meet people who are unable to differentiate between the twoIf you would like to share in our success, simply give us a call or email us using infoexecutivecompass.co.uk

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-02-14:/business/md-blog/1/tender+writing+getting+the+process+right 2012-02-14

Tender writing getting the process rightThinking of starting to submit responses to calls for tenders Or maybe you have been tender writing for a while, but yoursquore not getting the results yoursquore really looking for.Either way, itrsquos time to make sure you have the right processes and procedures in place to be prepared for submitting PQQ and tender responses.Documentation for tender submissionsIt is vital that you have the right documentation in place before you write a word of a tender proposal even before you start scanning the Official Journal and trade publications for tenders for which you can apply. As a minimum, you needbullPolicies for completing a PQQ ndash written out, full and detailed policies on Health and Safety, Environment, Equalities, Training hellip anything which might be required. There is nothing worse than trying to cobble together policies in a rush when you suddenly need to submit one with tender documentation.bullCertificates of insurance, bank references, etc.bullStatements about what you provide, whether thatrsquos goods, services, brokerage make sure you have wording in place which says what you do, how, and the benefits.bullInformation on key staff itrsquos no use getting Alanrsquos voicemail when you need to check his qualifications to list in an appendix. Get standardised CVs on file ndash and make sure theyrsquore updated.Itrsquos a good idea to set up a database of standard terms, descriptions, job roles and policies. No, you wonrsquot just cut and paste these each time you write tender documents, but they act as a springboard, and as a way of ensuring consistency and brand management in whatever you send out. Even if you use a tender writing company, you need to have this information ready to give to them so they can do their job.Staff to work on tender submissionsDonrsquot leave writing your tenders to the office junior ndash your PA might be better at putting words together and understanding every detail of your business. The marketing manager is another good bet but whoever is writing your tender submissions should havebullA good, thorough understanding of your business from top to bottombullAn understanding of your market, your competitors and what differentiates youbullAn ability to highlight and pinpoint the benefits, not just the featuresbullThe ability to write clearly, with perfect grammar and spellingbullAttention to detail and organisational ability you need to get documents together, on time and accurateIt may be that you have to split the role, so that one person pulls all the information together and another checks the document, checks the writing, compiles the set of documents and sends them off. Or, if you donrsquot have people who fit these descriptions, outsource the whole process to a company like Executive Compassreg. The process for writing tendersYou should have a standard procedure in place which goes something like thisbullRead documentation and note requirementsbullPull together information from standard database and appropriate sourcesbullWrite tender documentsbullReview tender documentsbullRewrite, edit and ensure all information is in one placebullBind, print, burn discs, record data on memory sticks, etc.bullSend out electronically or in the postEach of these items must have a time slot and due date ndash and the final due date must be well before the submission date to allow for slippageTender wrting services in a hurryPQQnbspwriting services in a hurryGoogle bot last visit powered by Gbotvisit

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-02-07:/business/md-blog/1/bid+writing+team 2012-02-07

But we already have a bid writing teamHere at Executive Compassreg we receive a vast number of enquiries from SMEs every month that simply seem to be uneducated and misinformed about the tendering process. Some come to us with a PQQ and quite rightly hold up their hands and say they simply do not know how to even start going about writing a PQQ, which is where we come in We often fill out PQQs, Bids and Tenders for smaller organisations that do not have the resources to complete and win public sector contracts themselves. On the other side, there are many larger organisations that have an inhouse bid writing team that regularly apply for, complete and win contracts, but these organisations need to conduct a costbenefit analysis to determine how effective and efficient their inhouse PQQ and bid writing team really is. Very few companies with this internal team of writers actually sit down and calculate how much it costs for each contract for which they compete. Sometimes the team will not even win the contract for them. Here at Executive Compassreg we offer a viable and cost effective means of outsourcing your bid writing requirements.Having a permanent team in place inside your organisation can be detrimental in more than one way. Much of the time, it simply is not cost effective to have a team of writers inside your organisation. You will be paying for this team every month of the year, for both the times they are writing a bid and the times in between contracts. You will also have to pay for the work they do towards contracts that they do not win at Executive Compassreg we offer a resultsbased price, where you retain a percentage of the total cost until you receive notification that you have won the contract.They are also going to be rehashing the same material, contract in, contract out as they have spent so long sitting inside the same organisation, they often fail to see the bigger picture. A bid writing consultancy such as ours is not only able to bring a fresh set of eyes to your organisation and submissions we donrsquot just rely on the company information you provide when completing your PQQs, ITTs and other Tender documents we also have our own techniques to create a strong persuasive narrative designed to win over the contracting authority. Our response strategy is different to that of an inhouse team, and our responses are designed to score maximum points and we have an auditable success rate.Executive Compassregnbsp are not only a fantastic means to outsource your PQQ, bid and tender writing requirements we can also come into your company and identify the areas that may have caused your downfall previously. We can strategically realign your company and point it back into the right direction to win more public sector contracts. We are not only expert bid writers across all industries but we are also extremely adept at public sector procurement processes. We know exactly what the contracting authority are looking to see in your responses to questions asked inside a PQQ, bid or tender we know what should be included inside all of your core policies, which accreditations you should have in place and how to make your company compliant to get onto these registers. We can rewrite your policies to make your organisation 100 compliant for public sector contracts.If you are still hesitating, why not challenge us to put our money where our mouth is and see whether we really are the fantastic outsourcing opportunity we claim to be. You will not be disappointed with the results

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-01-31:/business/md-blog/1/make+sure+you+are+ready+to+write+a+tender 2012-01-31

Make sure you are ready to write a tenderWhen you attempt to complete a PQQ for public sector contracts it is very important that you have everything in place before you even receive your tender document.It is important for you to have a plan of how you are going to tackle tendering for the contract, and you will see that there are many things to do before you start completing your PQQ, or you may find yourself tripping up at the first hurdleOne of the first things you should do is make contact with your local authority, making sure they know of your company and that they hold you in good stead before they receive your completed PQQ. Every little helps, and having this connection with the authority beforehand may be what sets you out from the competition. It is also vitally important that you read through the contract specifications very carefully as you may find that you are ineligible to tender for the contract, as is the case for many SMEs. Quite often a company can only qualify past the PQQ stage if their turnover for the previous year is greater than four times that of the total bid value. In order to prove to the contracting authority that you are indeed eligible to tender towards this contract you will need to have your company accounts and insurances up to date and ready for viewing, and some contracts require you to be a member of particular regulatory bodies. An example of this would be requiring you to be ISO90012008 certified, which is commonplace for the public sector construction contracts often require that all tenderers are members of CHAS Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, if they use subcontractors. There are also many policies and much supporting evidence that will be asked of you during the PQQ or Tender stage of bidding towards a public sector contract. It is important that you already have these collated and organised properly, otherwise you will be wasting a lot of time that could be spent writing and making sure your responses to the questions asked of you in the PQQ or tender document are answered as best as they possibly can be.You may think that you already have your necessary policies in place, but here at Executive Compassreg we often find the policies that our clients have are out of date, do not have a signature on them, or are just of a substandard quality for tendering towards public sector contracts. Your Health amp Safety, Environmental and Equality amp Diversity policies, for example, have to be compliant otherwise you will not advance past the PQQ stage. We write and review policies daily and can write and format yours for you so that they are perfect for getting through the tendering stage for any contracts you might be going for.You may find all of these prerequisites immensely timeconsuming to collate, and once you have gathered your documents and evidences together you may not have enough time to complete the PQQ itself, or you may already just be at your witsrsquo end. Here at Executive Compassreg, we take away the stress of writing tenders for public sector contracts. We review and write policies to the highest of standards and we can also write your PQQ and Tender document for you. We have recently hired an inhouse designer who can format all your documents and policies and put them into a unique template specific to your organisation, using your logos, certifications and company colours. So donrsquot hesitate to contact Executive Compassreg today for the stress free way to win public and private sector contracts. Dont forget that we also write last minute PQQ and tenders.PQQ wrtiing servicesnbsp

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-01-31:/business/md-blog/1/writing+tenders+in+2012 2012-01-31

Writing tenders in 2012We have started 2012 with the news that we have been successful with a number of our PQQ and tender writing submissions from late Autumn.It is always pleasing when we receive good news, but January has provided one contract win after another. This categorically proves that the tender writing method that we have developed is successful and is improving with every submission we do. One of our recent tender writing submissions scored 29.4 out of 30. Obviously, we cannot give all of our secrets away, but one of the main things to remember is that bid and tender or proposal writing is very different from your standard letter writing or report writing. This is probably the greatest mistake most firms make when they write a tender. The object of a bid or tender is to persuade the bid or tender reader to buy from you or to allow you to progress to the next stage of the bidding process. Too often, writers simply describe their business or their systems and processes and forget to demonstrate added value and a reason to buy.You see, writing a bid or tender proposal is almost the opposite of how you would normally structure your writing.Itrsquos no good leaving your best information until the last minute you need to be convincing and compelling from the very first sentence. Present the information that they want up front and get them interested. Itrsquos a bit like a press release, although you hope they will read further than the first paragraphYes, you are still going to have to explain your methodology and how you will deliver the work, but if there is anything about your bid that you really want them to know, anything about it that is special and gives it that extra competitive edge, then you should tell them at the first available opportunity. Clearly explain to the buyer what you can do for them, what the benefit of it is, what it means for them, and only then tell them what the approach is.The objective is not to deprive them of necessary detail or to be disingenuous, but to give them what they want, in the order in which they want it. You must provide a reason to bother reading the finer grained detail thatrsquos where the devil is. Think about why the evaluator is reading it in the first place. They are evaluating what you are proposing in order to do two things get through the formal evaluation process completion of scoring forms and make a selection. Unfortunately the former is often the primary reason, especially in local authorities and similar. However, you need to remember that a number of very large organisations are now using the same process and systems for bid and tender submission and evaluation.When your bid documentation is being examined, the evaluator is looking for the best or worst way to score you that the rules allow and why they shouldshould not select you. Donrsquot give them reason to deselect you grab their interest, hold it by telling them whatrsquos in it for them, and you will increase your chances of success. Do not hide your light under a bushel. Shout it out, catch their attention and win that bidIf you need help or assistance with your PQQ writing or submitting a tender call Executive Compassregnbsp now.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-01-24:/business/md-blog/1/tender+writing+continuity 2012-01-24

The Importance of disaster recovery planning when moving offices.We moved to a larger office this weekend second time in ten months As specialist tender writers our timing had to be exact. The nature of PQQ and tender writing means that we always have a deadline looming, usually half a dozen and so there is no good time to move. IT is everything to us and so we planned meticulously, what could go wrongIt is not just tender writers though IT systems are becoming increasingly critical for the continued smooth operation of an organisation, or even the economy as a whole. It is hugely important to make sure that these systems continue to operate in the event of a disaster or planned or unplanned event. Many larger companies can spend up to 4 of their IT budget on disaster recovery planning, with the idea in mind that this will prevent larger costs in the future, such as the company as a whole not being able to continue to operate due to a loss of IT infrastructure and data. Statistics show that, out of companies that experience a severe loss of IT, 43 will never reopen and 51 will end up closing inside the following two years. Only 6 are shown to survive in the long term, so this shows just how important it is to plan and plan again for the possible event of a disaster, even if it is for something as small as moving officesThere are 3 types of control measures that you should be aware of for disaster recovery1.Preventative measures ndash controls aimed at preventing an event or disaster from happening in the first place2.Detective measures ndash these are put in place in order to detect or discover any unwanted events that may disrupt your business3.Corrective measures ndash these are controls that are put in place that aim to correct or restore an IT system after an event or disasterAt Executive Compass we are completely IT based, all of the work we do when completing a PQQ and writing a bid requires the use of a computer for word processing, email and template design. In the event of a disaster it is essential that we have control measures in place in order to facilitate the continued operations of our business. We moved into a new office at the end of last week hurray, and as part of the big move we also took the opportunity to upgrade some of our hardware, with new desktop PCs with higher specs needed for compiling larger tender documents. If we did not have the control measures we have in place, then this could and would have seriously affected the continued smooth operation of our business.We use a variety of backup programs including those we have had specifically designed for the job. These can be described as both a preventive and corrective control measure. We use them for all of our clientsrsquo documents and this proved unbelievably useful during the move. All of work is stored on the specialist servers and once we had the new hardware set up all we had to do was install this onto the new machines and it began to synch back up with all the other desktop units. We have also made use of UPSs uninterruptable power supplies, which protect all of our machines against surges and power cuts. The USP can power a machine in the event of power disruption, so if we wanted to we could have even continued to work on our computers whilst they were being moved from our old office to the new one We also all use company mobile phones that have proved immensely useful during the move as there was a small latency between our old phone lines being deactivated and our new phone line being turned on. We were also able to use our phones as a temporary modem for our computers whilst the internet was being switched over so our operations were never truly interrupted at all.We have also kept hold of our old hardware, so that in the event of any of our new machines failing we will still have these to continue to work on.

tag:www.executivecompass.co.uk,2012-01-17:/business/md-blog/1/making+progress+with+pqq 2012-01-17

Making progress with PQQsLast year Sir Francis Maude released a statement saying quotWe will make it easier for UK SMEs to sell to Governmentquot and promised many reforms to the procurement process such as making PQQs easier to complete for SMEs. He tasked Stephen Allott with giving SMEs a quotstrong voice at the top tablequot, and since then has said that work is progressing steadily to create the fairer playing field that many small businesses crave.He has admitted though that the sluggish pace at which it is progressing has meant that many organisations are still unable to engage in tendering for public sector contracts, as they continue to struggle to complete the laborious and lengthy prequalification questionnaires and meet the stringent financial requirements. Over the course of the year he has continued to receive complaints from ldquoall over the countryrdquo, and one of the most common problems complained about to central government and the wider public sector is the matter of PQQs, which is apparently ldquoone of the top issues that keep coming uprdquo. Another complaint that he has been receiving is that SMEs are getting increasingly frustrated that they do not have an opportunity to pitch new innovative products and services directly to public sector departments. The Crown Commercial Representative for SMEs agrees that, while eprocurement has progressed and made it possible for ldquomuch fairer competitionrdquo for commonly requested and standardised items, the problem indeed remains that currently there is no forum to pitch or have ldquoa meeting to explain to a buyer what it is yoursquove got and why they might not have thought of buying itrdquo. Allott explained that there are newpremarket engagement practices that do exactly that, enabling SMEs to pitch informally their new innovative products to a panel of buyers. However Allott went on to say, ldquoWe cant guarantee every single one a meeting... but at least it does enable central government buyers to see some of the more innovative things in the marketplace that they might not have known about.quotAllott has said that the original figure of giving 25 of business to SMEs has been backed by ministers who have been motivated by the potential to capture additional value by sourcing more skilfully, including looking at SME suppliers.In an effort to illustrate some of the progress that has already been made, he made reference to a recent contract award worth pound1.1bn to a travel SME based in Yorkshire called Redfern Travel. He went on to say that his biggest challenge moving forward for SMEs is the cultural change that will have to be incited among the 6,000 procurement professionals in central government. Allott said, quotIts my job to speed them up. I come to work every day to try to make them speed up. The scale of what is being undertaken here is something we need to be respectful of. There has been good progress recently with new contracts, commitment shown at senior levels and stuff being done differently, but there is lots more to doquot.