Could specialist bid writing support help you win cleaning contracts in London?

Commercial cleaning contracts are usually awarded on a 12-month rolling term which provides little long-term guarantee for businesses. However, in the public sector, cleaning contracts can often span up to seven years.

Ongoing cleaning contracts like these can be a lucrative income stream for many cleaning companies, guaranteeing a certain amount of income for a set period. Most large corporations or public sector organisations will award new contracts through a tendering process.

In this blog, we’ll explore why it’s worth considering bidding for tenders for cleaning contracts in London, the challenges you may need to watch out for and how a specialist bid writer could help you ensure success.

What you need to know about tenders

The tender process is the gateway through which organisations procure goods and services from external vendors. Essentially, it’s a formal invitation for suppliers to submit bids to provide specific products or services.

Bidding for public and private sector tenders can be a different experience. The public sector must abide by certain rules and regulations to demonstrate they’re spending taxpayer’s money through an open and transparent process. The scoring criteria will usually be designed to award contracts to the vendor who offers the best value for money.

The private sector doesn’t legally have to follow the same rules and regulations as the public sector when awarding contracts. That said, while public sector organisations must procure all services through tenders, many large businesses also have well-documented processes to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability.

Each tender pack generally consists of:

• Form of tender certificates
• Pricing forms
• Qualitative response

To submit a bid, each company must complete all three of these elements.

The qualitative response, often referred to as a tender response, is the written bid that can be worth 80% of the overall score. Tender responses can be anything from 250 to 2,500 words depending on the value of the overall bid, tender or contract.

Who might issue an invitation to tender for cleaning contracts in London?

Many public sector bodies, such as government agencies, local authorities, schools and healthcare providers, will rely on tender processes to procure cleaning services. These organisations will be looking to find suppliers who can meet their cleaning requirements efficiently, reliably and within budget constraints.

Similarly, larger businesses will be likely to have several premises to maintain and will often put out an invitation to tender for cleaning contracts every few years.

Therefore, businesses operating in the cleaning industry in London stand to benefit significantly from participating in tender opportunities for contracts.

The typical tender process

Entering the tender process requires careful planning and adherence to specific procedures. Typically, the process begins with the publication of a tender notice, detailing the scope of work, requirements and submission deadlines. Prospective suppliers must thoroughly review all the tender documents to understand the client’s needs and expectations.

Armed with this knowledge, you can prepare and submit your bid, including detailed proposals outlining your approach to delivering the contract, pricing and any additional value-added services.

The evaluation phase follows, during which the client assesses each bid based on predetermined criteria such as cost-effectiveness, quality of service, social value and compliance with specifications.

Challenges and considerations

Navigating the tender process can present several challenges and considerations for cleaning companies, such as:

• Standing out from the crowd: Competition can be fierce, with multiple vendors vying for the same contract. Differentiating your service from your competitors while maintaining profitability requires careful thought and solid bid writing.
• Dotting the Is and crossing the Ts: The stringent requirements and specifications outlined in tender documents demand meticulous attention to detail. If you fail to meet these criteria, your bid could be disqualified. It’s critical to prepare properly and read everything thoroughly.
• Making time: The tender process often demands considerable time and resource investment, from the initial preparation and bid writing to the final negotiation stage. It’s important that you understand and weigh up these factors against the potential rewards before committing to tender opportunities.

Top tips for successful submissions

Despite the challenges, you can boost your chances of success in the tender process by sticking to five key principles:

1. Thoroughly research the procuring organisation’s requirements and tailor your bid writing process accordingly. Understanding their priorities and pain points will help you craft a compelling proposal that addresses their specific needs.
2. Highlight your unique selling points and competitive advantages. Whether it’s your innovative cleaning techniques, eco-friendly practices or exceptional customer service, emphasising what sets you apart from competitors in your bid writing can significantly influence the decision-making process.
3. Ensure clarity and transparency in your bid documents. Avoid ambiguity or vague language that could lead to misinterpretation. Clearly set out your proposed solution, pricing structure and any terms and conditions when going through the bid writing process.
4. Demonstrate a history of reliability and excellence. Providing references, testimonials or case studies highlighting your past successes can give credibility to your claims.
5. Price your services or products at the going market rate.

Participating in cleaning contract tenders may seem like a lot of work, but it offers numerous benefits for businesses in the cleaning industry. By understanding the tender process and addressing challenges effectively in your bid writing you can maximise your chances of success and secure lucrative cleaning contracts in this competitive market.

How Tender Response’s team of expert bid writers can help

If this all sounds like taking on a second job, why not let the Tender Response expert bid writers look after the entire process?

We offer a range of cost-effective services covering everything from finding your ideal tender and assessing its suitability to bid writing and submission on your behalf. From contracts worth £50k to over £2 million, we apply our successfully tested methodology with tailored expertise to achieve the results you deserve.

Why not speak to the team today and let us help you find, respond and win the cleaning contracts in London that will drive your business forward?

This article was posted by:

Vicky Poole

Vicky Poole, with 15 years in strategic sales, specialises in Commercial, Government, and Third Sector tenders. Founder of Tender Response, she leads a team aiding SMEs in public sector bids.

View all posts by Vicky Poole