Getting a place on the tender list is a great first step, and it’s important to keep in touch throughout the process. For starters, you need to be talking at the right time as they consider the list assembly. It’s expensive to price a tender and they are valuable, so get on the phone and get as much information as you can to give your estimators a head start:
- When is the tender coming out?
- Will it be on paper or electronic or both?
- How many others are tendering?
- What is the tender period?
- Are there any CDE’s — Contractor Designed Elements?
- And so on...
The more you know, the more prepared you can be. You’ll also spot ways to distinguish yourself from the competition, perhaps through addenda to the tender offering a value engineering opportunities for example.
If the tender comes in over budget, that can often open up new opportunities to help — perhaps your company can help with cost reductions, for example. Your assistance at this stage could make you the natural choice when the time comes.
