Seminar 1: Tender Response Management

including Methods to Answer Questions

Timing: 9:30 to 16:30.

(Please note: The seminar has been registered by CITB-ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland for grant assistance to registered in scope employers.)

 

Most pre-qualification questionnaires & tender competitions require questions to be answered. Answering the questions well can be the difference between success & failure:

• Getting through the PQQ into the tender competition.

• Passing the ‘pass-fail criteria’ in a multi-stage tender process.

• Gaining enough quality marks to add to cost marks to win a tender.

 

The seminar systematically explores the subject using presentations, discussions & exercises. It examines effective methods for answering a range of question formats.

 

The seminar timetable is:

9:30-10:30       Introduction & sources for tenders & PQQs. Targeting tenders.

10:30-11:40     Formats of PQQs & Tender Competitions. Tea & coffee break.

11:40-13:40     Methods to Answer Various Question Formats. Lunch.

13:40-16:10     Methods to Answer Questions with:

• Word Limits.

• Character Limits.

• Page Limits.

• Document Size (MB) Limits.

• No Limits.

More on Tables, Lists & Forms to Answer Various Questions. Tea & coffee.

16:10-16:30    Managing Tender Documents. Managing Communications with Buyers.

Lunch, tea & coffee are included.

 

The workshop is a ‘must attend’ for Bid Writers, Bid Managers, Bid Directors. It is relevant for all sectors.

 

Seminar 2: Tender Pricing Strategies or Exploiting Mathematical Opportunities in Tenders

Timing: 9:30 to 16:30.

(Please note: The seminar has been registered by CITB-ConstructionSkills Northern Ireland for grant assistance to registered in scope employers.)

 

Sometimes tenders:

• Can be won by being smarter than competition in terms of which items to price higher & which to price lower.

• Contain opportunities which can be exploited.

• Make it possible to get higher cost marks & more money than competition.

 

The seminar examines tenders which ask for multiple prices. For example:

• A ‘Bill of Materials’ or basket of services where multiple items are priced.

• Normal & ‘call-out’ rates.

• Routine & ‘non-routine’ services or standard & ‘non-standard’ items.

• Service & repair rates.

• Labour rates & prices for parts.

 

Depending on tender formats, the seminar shows that it is possible to charge more money & get higher cost marks. The seminar timetable is:

9:30-10:00          Introduction & analysis of tenders

10:00-10:40        Asking questions & using feedback to estimate prices

10:40-15:30        Risk & reward when exploiting opportunities. (This includes worked examples, discussions & eight different ‘Bid Game’ exercises. These allow suppliers to compare different strategies & procurement professionals to understand the impact of different tender formats.)

15:30-16:30        Identifying & managing risks for tenderers & procurement professionals

Lunch, tea & coffee are included. It is useful to bring a calculator.

 

The workshop is a ‘must attend’ for:

• Bid Managers, Bid Directors & those involved in setting prices.

• Procurement professionals.

It is relevant for all sectors.

For both seminars, please plan to arrive at the venue by 9:15.

It is useful to bring a calculator for seminar 2 on Tender Pricing Strategies.