Bid Buzz - Vol 01 - Issue 01 | November 2018
WELCOME TO BID BUZZ
A new bi-monthly newsletter providing practical tips, tools,
insights and ideas to help you win more contracts. 
Greetings!

Brought to you by Propeller Studios - experienced bid consultants – this handy digest will specifically benefit anyone wrestling with procurement processes, tenders and proposals for: 

  • Building and Construction Services
  • Mechanical, Electrical and Gas Servicing
  • Road and Rail Infrastructure Development
  • Civil Engineering and Utilities Sector 
  • Facilities, Professional and Engineering Services

Once every two months you’ll receive something INFORMATIVE and USEFUL .
  
  • Bid writing and presentation tips
  • Strategies for improving your tender success rate
  • Case studies showing examples of good bid practice
  • Spotlights on government, regulatory and industry updates
  • Terminology busting insights and guidance
 
Why am I receiving this newsletter?

As someone who has previously worked with Propeller or enquired about our services, we thought this would be of interest. We are keen to share our bid expertise with you, but at any time, if you think you’ve learnt enough, you can simply unsubscribe using the link below.

We hope you enjoy this first issue. We’d love to hear your feedback

Kind regards,

Stuart Parkes
Director
01462 440077
IN THIS ISSUE:
Chancellor’s Budget signals increase in bid opportunities
In it to win it – the benefits and pitfalls of Framework Agreements
Stand out from the crowd with compelling bid case studies
Heads Up – 'Bid Buzz' Knowledge Event 2019
Chancellor’s Budget signals increase in bid opportunities
There are certainly some positives to take from the Chancellor’s Budget on the 29th October 2018. Contractors and suppliers to the housing, transport and infrastructure sectors were boosted by news that there would be an increase in Government spending in key areas. The much-publicised “end to austerity” brings:

  • A £30 billion funding package for England’s road network, including a programme of highway maintenance and pothole repairs. The largest ever investment of its kind, the fund will benefit the Strategic Road Network as well as the Major Road Network and help to fund larger local road projects.
  • The borrowing cap on local authorities will be lifted to allow them to build more housing. This will be supported by a £500M investment into the housing infrastructure fund, bringing the fund up to £5.5Bn and allowing a further 650,000 new homes to be built.

  • To encourage more small and medium-sized enterprises to build houses, the Chancellor also promised up to £1 billion of British Business Bank guarantees. 

In it to win it – the benefits and pitfalls of Framework Agreements
Framework Agreements divide opinion. For some contractors and suppliers they increase the possibility of being awarded multiple contracts, while reducing the administrative burden of lengthy PQQ and tender processes for each individual contract.

Other firms – often SMEs – point out that frameworks offer no guarantee of business even if you’re selected as an approved supplier. This can be a commercial risk when you have spent substantial time and money on a bid. Furthermore, suppliers unsuccessful at the selection stage are locked out of any call-offs for the duration of the agreement, which can span anywhere between 3 – 10 years.

Are you considering making a framework application? Reed our short guide to Framework Agreements.

And see this case study to discover how we helped an SME access a substantial local authority framework .
Stand out from the crowd with compelling bid case studies
Case studies are a fantastic opportunity to showcase your strengths and capabilities. A strong case study will demonstrate to the contracting authority why your organisation is the perfect fit for their project.
 
Given the importance of this section in any bid response, it’s important to ensure that quality is as high as possible. Graphic design, professional brand styling, photography, infographics, testimonials and engaging copywriting should all play their part.

Consistency of format is the golden rule when presenting case studies. Read our tips on what information to present and how to ensure your content stands out from the competition .

Heads Up – Propeller’s ‘Bid Buzz’ Knowledge Event 2019
We’re excited to share some news! 

We are in the process of curating a learning, knowledge sharing and networking event for Propeller clients and ‘Bid Buzz’ subscribers. It will take place at IWM Duxford and will include an opportunity to get up close to some of the world’s most famous aircraft.

More details will follow in the new year.

In the meantime, we’d like you to tell us the bid related topics you’d like to see covered during a day of seminar sessions, case study presentations and interactive workshops.

Help build the agenda you want. Your suggestions are most welcome
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Contact Propeller | 01462 440077 | stuart@propeller-studios.co.uk