Repair and Maintenance Tenders

Common topics and themes

Based on our experience, common and recurring topics an organisation may wish to consider before and during bidding include:

Approach to planned preventative maintenance (PPM)

Buyers will want the bidder to demonstrate how they will develop and complete programmes of PPM, ensuring the availability of their assets is maximised, or that minor repairs are proactively identified and addressed before they escalate. As part of this, the buyer may want to consider how PPM programmes are planned and allocated to resources, and how appointments are made with residents (where applicable) to ensure no access events are minimised.

24/7/365 reactive repairs

Many repair and maintenance contracts include requirements for the bidder to provide a 24/7/365 responsive repair service, so buyers will want to understand how you will receive, coordinate and monitor responses to ensure you continually adhere to their required timeframes. Key considerations include:

• How you will receive callout requests during and outside working hours: for instance, do you have a fully staffed 24/7/365 call centre or are calls diverted to an out-of-hours telephone number?
• What do you do following notification: e.g., how are the requirements of the job determined and appropriate resources allocated to the reactive repair?
• How will you monitor your response and what escalation channels and/or corrective actions are in place should they be needed?

Competency and quality

Clients typically require providers to confirm and demonstrate the competency of those who will deliver repairs and maintenance, and how this will be managed and maintained throughout delivery. Competency requirements are dependent on the industry and service but include NVQ Level 3 in Engineering Maintenance for lift maintenance and/or Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards for general building maintenance/repairs. Bidders should also consider how they maintain and develop staff competency, whether this is through maintaining an internal training matrix, delivering ongoing dynamic training and/or developing personal development plans.

Alongside the competency of staff, authorities also like the bidder to demonstrate how a high-quality service will be delivered which meets relevant British Standards and best practice. This may include reference to the bidder’s quality management system, and accompanying policies, processes and procedures such as planned and unannounced spot-checks, inspections and audits during work delivery.

Health and safety

Whilst dependent on the nature of the repairs and maintenance being tendered, these works can involve working within an occupied setting, and hence bidders will need to consider how their services will be delivered safely. Demonstrating evidence of a certified health and safety management system and associated procedures, such as developing site- and task-specific safe systems of work (SSOW) and accompanying risk assessments and method statements (RAMS), will give the buyer confidence that pertinent risks are accounted for and addressed.

Customer satisfaction

Delivering repair and maintenance works within individuals’ homes and communal areas also means buyers will want to be reassured that the bidder’s delivery model is customer focused, with individual needs accommodated and disruption minimised. Bidders might demonstrate this by outlining their approach to customer care alongside examples/testimonials evidencing previous examples where high levels of customer satisfaction have been delivered on similar contracts.

Climate change

With many housing associations and local authorities establishing net zero carbon emissions in line with government legislation, the majority of tenders now require bidders to demonstrate how they will support the buyer to achieve their targets. ISO 14001 certifications are increasingly becoming a mandatory requirement, alongside evidence of how you will reduce carbon emissions and manage waste arising from activities in line with the waste hierarchy to maximise reuse and recycling rates.

Social value

In line with the requirements of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, buyers are often keen for the bidder to demonstrate how they can support the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of the geographical areas serviced under the contract, via initiatives such as apprenticeships, job opportunities, work experience and training for local residents.

Advice from professional bid writers

Having completed numerous repair and maintenance tenders, the Executive Compass team of bid writers have considerable experience in these topics and can provide expert advice and consultancy to help you create a winning repair and maintenance bid. Through a combination of our knowledge and our tried, tested and high-quality in-house style, we will maximise the strength of your submission and guide you on your way to procurement success.