Dozens (maybe hundreds?) of businesses vie for public sector contracts. You need to leverage every advantage available to try and stand out. Tender alerts are an underestimated method that provide the opportunity to pip your competitors to the post.
The reason is simple, suppliers who use real-time tender alerts are among the first to know when contracts are published. This gives them more time to prepare their bids than suppliers who manually search for new opportunities.
We’re going to explore the advantages of public sector tender alerts in the UK, as well as how Supply2Gov’s tender alert portal gives small businesses and startups a competitive edge.
What Are Tender Alerts?
Before we can explore tender alerts, we need to know what they are.
In a nutshell, tender alerts are published to notify suppliers about public sector contracts that have just become available. They contain details on the scope of the work, eligibility criteria, project requirements, proof of success, the evaluation process, critical dates, and the tender documents suppliers must submit when they bid on the contract.
Portals enable suppliers to refine their search results by entering key parameters. Location, for example, as well as niche areas of specialisation and types of contracts. That way, you receive relevant alerts. Not only does this enable you to start your bid early, but it also enables a degree of discernment as you can choose which notification you’re going to follow through.
Understand The Tender Process
Now that you know what government tender alerts are, you must understand how they work.
A new procurement act, which is about to be implemented this October (2024), has changed many processes that harked back to pre-Brexit days and weren’t exactly SME-friendly.
The Procurement Act 2023 reflects the UK’s needs and imposes new regulations to simplify the procurement process and level the playing field for SMEs, startups, and charitable organisations.
The evaluation process is broader and emphasises overall value over price. Transparency ensures ethical practices and fairness in the bidding and selection process.
It’s important to know that the UK government has divided public contracts according to value and placed them on separate platforms.
- Contracts Finder is for contracts over £12,000.
- Find a Tender is for contracts over £139,688.
Lower-value contracts – those suited to SMEs – are typically local council tenders. They aren’t necessarily published on Contracts Finder. That’s why it’s a good idea to register on independent portals that include all tenders that meet your requirements, regardless of value.
S2G is one of those platforms, with a database that exceeds that of the government’s two platforms.
How To Leverage Tender Alerts To Obtain A Competitive Edge
To the crux of the matter.
To start with, tender alert platforms save you time by storing your details which are used for all your bid submissions. This enables you to focus on the more pertinent requirements.
You can save even more time by creating templates for different types of bid submissions. Many platforms provide customisable templates. Templates can include details like industry association membership, compliance with quality standards, and your mission, values, and objectives.
The Importance of Tender Alert Platforms in Public Procurement
The reasons to register for tender alert services are plain to see.
1) Early access to opportunities
We’ve mentioned the important role early notifications play in the bidding process, but it’s so significant that it’s worth mentioning again.
When time is of the essence, a few days’ head start is invaluable. It gives you time to properly assess the contract to determine if it’s appropriate for your business’s services. There’s no point in wasting time on a tender you feel iffy about.
Instead, use the time to gather all the information and documentation you need to create a compelling bid.
2) Targeted opportunities
Platforms have filters that enable you to create highly targeted alerts that match your unique capabilities and capacity.
The greater the relevance the easier it is to craft a winning bid.
Not only do you save time, but you also increase your chances of success.
3) Increased efficiency
When alerts appear in your inbox, there’s no need to engage in a time-consuming and potentially frustrating manual search. There’s no jumping from site to site or registering on several platforms to increase your catchment area.
This leads us back to time saved which you can invest in writing a successful bid.
4) Staying competitive
There’s always a chance that you’ll miss or be too late for lucrative opportunities if you still rely on manual searches. Tender alerts deliver all relevant contract notices to your door as soon as they hit the market.
Quick action can be the difference between success and failure.
How Supply2Gov’s Tender Alerts Help Businesses Succeed
S2G has the biggest and most comprehensive database of public sector tenders in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Once you register on our system, you’ll be able to set up customised alerts for contracts in your niche.
For instance, your SME can look for local government contracts or your growing business can look for opportunities to sub-contract to larger enterprises with large contracts. It all depends on your procurement goals.
You can choose between four packages, from free local council tender alerts to alerts across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Also, you aren’t bound to one package. We provide flexible pay-as-you-grow subscriptions so you can scale up as and when necessary.
Supply2Gov has one more trick up its sleeve. We provide an array of resources and expert guidance on how to navigate the procurement process. It’s all part of our goal to give you the tools you need to boost your chances of winning government contracts.
Register now and kickstart your procurement journey.