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Tag: Scaffolding Tenders

How to Tender for Scaffolding Work

Posted on by John Hudson

Here’s the secret to winning a tender for scaffolding work

Are you curious about how to find and win tenders for scaffolding work? There is a lot that must be understood to find the perfect contract. This also goes into writing a winning tender. Stick around as we cover how to find a tender for scaffolding work and how to win them!

What is a tender for scaffolding work?

If you are completely new to bids and tenders, you may wonder what a tender for scaffolding work is. Simply, it is a contract for work that various suppliers can bid for. The contracting authority is the organisation that requires this particular work. They will accept bids from suppliers and choose the most suitable candidate to deliver the contract. The supplier(s) that are awarded the contract will be chosen through a thorough evaluation process.

Where to find a tender for scaffolding work

Most people will search for a tender via a search engine such as Google. This will bring up almost endless results. You’ll be swamped with websites that can feature scaffolding contracts. However, the tricky part is navigating these results and finding contracts suitable for you. The likelihood is that you’ll be conducting this work locally, in a defined location. So, you’ll be searching for contracts in this particular area. However, when simply using Google, you’ll likely struggle to find work that meets all your specifications.

That is why we recommend using a tender tracking portal, such as ours: Construction Tenders. These portals are designed specifically to make it easier for businesses to find contracts. With our portal, we display key information so users can instantly see if they’re acceptable for a contract. Users can use these filters to search specifically for tenders that are suitable for them.

With Hudson Discover’s 11 sector-specific portals, you can streamline the process of finding a tender. Use filters such as location, deadlines, budget, and keywords to find a tender right for you. Through the Construction Tenders portal, it couldn’t be easier to find tenders for scaffolding work. Or could it…

Want to save time looking for tenders for scaffolding work? Try Discover Elite

Sign up to Discover Elite via your chosen portal. Then, a dedicated Account Manager will find live bids on your behalf. They’ll speak with you weekly to discuss opportunities that may interest you. This is especially helpful for those with little time to spare due to busy schedules.

Upgrading to Discover Elite will ensure you never miss a tendering opportunity even when you’re busy!

The Ultimate Time-Saving Tool offers your business:

  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Discover portalsof your choice.
  • Up to five bid breakdowns per month to help you make your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your Account Manager to discuss viable leads and tendering opportunities.
  • Award and pre-market engagement notices are monitored on your behalf.
  • Public and private buyer portal management including registering, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid strategy.

Here are some examples of tenders for scaffolding work found on our portal: 

National Framework Agreement Scaffolding – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

Scaffolding Services – London – £2.2million 

Provision of Scaffolding Services at Various Regions – Scotland – Budget: Undisclosed

Scaffolding Framework Agreement – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

Scaffolding for Billown Course – International – Budget: Undisclosed

How to win a tender for scaffolding work

Found the perfect scaffolding tender? Now, you’re likely wondering how to win. The good news is that we have some expert tips from seasoned Bid Writers.

1.     Make sure your bid response is clear and concise

You need to ensure your bid is clear and easy to read. The buyer doesn’t want to read loads of waffle. Stick to the point and answer questions as concisely as possible. This will help you stand out for all the right reasons.

2.     Proofread your bid before submission

It is crucial to proofread and edit your bid before submission. If you don’t, you are almost certainly submitting a bid with errors. Your bid needs to be of the highest standard possible to impress the buyer. If it is littered with mistakes, they will see you as unprofessional and lazy. If you don’t put the effort into your bid, they won’t trust you with their contract.

3.     Check your eligibility 

Before you even begin writing and planning your bid, you should thoroughly check your eligibility. You would be surprised how many people choose to bid for a contract they aren’t eligible for. The buyer may ask for the supplier to have a certain accreditation, for example. If you don’t, you won’t be considered, and you essentially waste your time and resources.

4.     Have your bid designed (if permitted)

Sometimes, you can submit a designed bid if the buyer hasn’t given a specified format for the submission. This allows you to showcase your organisation however you wish. We recommend having your bid professionally designed. This way, you can stand out to the buyer.

Still got questions about tenders for scaffolding work? Contact us to speak to one of our experts and learn more about how we can help you.

Need help writing your next tender?

If you don’t have the resources or time to write a winning bid, why not outsource it? Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, boasts an 87% success rate and has over 60 years of collective bidding experience. They offer four bid writing support packages to help you on the path to success. Whether you’re new to tendering, or simply need someone to proof your written response before you submit – we can help.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready programme is designed for those who have never tendered before. This 4-week programme works with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

Tender Improvement

Tender Improvement can help if you’re already tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous submissions and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance on how to improve, helping you to secure your next scaffolding tender.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written a tender and need someone to proofread it – Tender Mentor is for you. A Bid Writer will double-check it’s in line with the specification and free of any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect tender but don’t know where to start – we can help. Send the specification over to us and our Bid Team will do the rest. They’ll let you know what they need from you and provide you with a full breakdown. They’ll even submit it on your behalf, leaving you more time to focus on your business.

Get in touch for more information about our bid management consultancy services.

We actively source tenders for the following sub-sectors:

Check out some of our other blogs:

The Fundamentals of Building Material Supply Tenders

Posted on by John Hudson

Building material supply tenders and the impact of Brexit and COVID-19

Building material supply tenders are essential for any construction project be it in either the public or private sectors.

Building material supply tenders may be looking to procure a range of materials such as:

  • Heavy materials
  • Bricks, block, stone, cement
  • Electrical products
  • Flooring
  • Hire and purchase of plant, tools and equipment
  • Plumbing and heating
  • Building and construction tools and equipment.

Brexit and COVID-19 have had quite an impact on the construction industry, particularly regarding building material supplies. There has been a shortage of supplies of roof tiles and timber. This is due to high demand caused by a boom in the housing market and delays at some British ports. Timber prices have risen by 20% as a consequence and there have been escalated prices for shipping disrupting supply chains.

PAS91

Before you submit your building material supply tenders, you’ll often need to complete a PAS91. A PAS91 is a standardised form of pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) frequently used within construction. You’ll need to pass this in order to progress to the next stage of receiving an invitation to tender (ITT).

A PAS91 is essentially a box ticking exercise to ensure you meet the minimum criteria for the contract. You’ll need to answer questions on things such as:

  • Company information
  • Your economic and financial standing
  • Quality Assurance
  • Health & Safety
  • Environmental considerations
  • Equal opportunities & Diversity

If you’re an SME, the PAS91 is designed with you in mind, aiming to simplify and streamline the process. This is to encourage more SMEs to tender for work in the hope of achieving the government’s pledge towards SMEs. They aim to spend £1 in £3 with SMEs, meaning they’re actively looking to award contracts to smaller businesses.

Framework agreements

Framework agreements are a common form of procurement for building material supply tenders. They are used to establish a multi-supplier agreement for goods or services. Framework agreements often run for multiple years at a time and can be lucrative opportunities for your business.

Buyers often split framework agreements into ‘Lots’. These Lots means a supplier doesn’t have to deliver the whole contract. They need only apply to the area in which they specialise. For example, building material supply tenders framework agreement could have Lots for the following:

  • Lot 1 – Electrical Products
  • Lot 2 – Heavy Materials
  • Lot 3 – Timber and Joinery
  • Lot 4 – Small Tool Hire
  • Lot 5 – Paint and Solvents

Lots could also cover regional location if the project is to be carried out in multiple locations. For example:

  • Lot 1 – Birmingham
  • Lot 2 – Newcastle
  • Lot 3 – Cardiff

You can often tender for one or multiple Lots, depending on the services your organisation offers. You also need to consider if you have the resources in order to carry out multiple services and locations.

Sustainability

Building material supply tenders within the public sector will often have a section on sustainability. You may have to detail how your business will manage the following:

  • Environmental Management

An accredited ISO 14001 or equivalent will be needed here. You’ll need to state what your Environment Management System is. You’ll need to explain how it controls and mitigates the environmental impact of operations.

  • Government Buying Standards

When applying for a government framework agreement within construction, you’ll need to demonstrate how you comply with government standards. You will need to supply evidence of compliance if requested. Your business should provide products that meet Government Buying Standards best practice specifications wherever possible.

The Government Buying Standards are updated every now and again. It’s important that you keep up to date with any changes to ensure you meet the requirements. It’s worth noting that all timber or timber related products must comply with the United Kingdom Government Timber Procurement Policy. They must be purchased from legal and sustainable sources and demonstrate this by fall chain of custody evidence.

  • Sustainable Product Offering

When possible, businesses should look to use materials and products that are from recycled and renewable sources. Government building material supply tenders will be looking for suppliers who are pursuing general sustainability and good practice.

Generally speaking, a business should seek to provide sustainable product alternatives within their Base Offering where possible. Buyers will appreciate when a business indicates there’s alternative goods that’ll provide greater sustainable benefits over the goods lifetime.

  • Waste

You must comply against all relevant waste legislations, keeping an eye on any updates, amendments or changes. If anything does change throughout the life of the contract, you must update your policies. Most building material supply tenders will require the insurance that waste is taken to authorised sites for treatment or disposal. Your business will then be expected to undertake regular checks to ensure that it’s disposed of properly.

  • Giving back to the local community

The sustainability sector within your tender should focus on social values. As with all public sector tenders, it’s important to demonstrate how you will be giving back to the community. You must consider the social, economic and environmental aspects while fulfilling the contract.

Depending on the buyer, you may be asked how your business is working to deliver rehabilitation work, for example. The government wants to see more prisoners working as part of the rehabilitation of offenders. It’s worth considering how your business would provide the opportunity to learn new skills and prepare for employment on release.

  • Supply chain

Even if you are an SME yourself, the public sector likes to see the inclusion of other SMEs where possible. Your construction bids may need to evidence the use or increase the use of any SMEs within your supply chain. This could be measured through Management Information or when detailing any sub-contractors in your building material supply tender response.

How we can help you win building material supply tenders

Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing. They have 60 years bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. If you’re not seeing success from your tendering efforts or are completely new to the process – we can help!

We offer four bid writing services that can help you with your next construction contract. 

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written your own building material supply tenders and want someone to double-check for errors, Tender Mentor can help. One of our Bid Writers will proofread your response and point out any grammar mistakes. This allows you to submit an error-free tender response.

Tender Improvement

Our Tender Improvement package is for those who are already tendering but aren’t seeing the desired results. During the course of the programme, our Bid Writers will go over your supporting documents and previous submissions. They’ll provide you with feedback and work with you to create improved content. This will help improve your chances of winning your next tender.

Tender Ready

Tender Ready is a programme designed for those who are completely new to tendering and procurement. This programme works with you to ensure you’re on the right track to tender successfully.

Tender Writing

Have you found a building material supply tender you want to go for, but don’t know where to start? Why not send it over to us and our Bid Writers will write the response for you. They’ll let you know what they need from you and give you a full Tender Writing breakdown. They’ll even submit it on your behalf!

You now know what to expect from building material supply tenders and know how to write one. You may be wondering where exactly you can find them?

Our Construction Tenders portal can help

Construction Tenders is an opportunity tracking platform where we source all construction leads from across the UK. Our Opportunity Trackers source live tenders from thousands of sites, saving you countless hours.

A subscription with Construction Tenders offers you:

  • Access to all unique, public and private sector opportunities in the UK.
  • No reliance on CPV codes, allowing you access to 100% of building material supply tenders.
  • The ability to filter results by keyword, budget, location and more.
  • A dedicated on-hand Account Manager to answer any questions or queries you may have about the tendering process.
  • Discounted bid writing support from Hudson Succeed.
  • 20-minutes free consultancy every month with our bid experts.

Here are just a few examples of building material supply tenders we source:

All Wales Framework: Managed Service for the provision of Building Materials and associated products

Adra (Tai) Cyf – Wales- Budget: £500,000,000

23-09-2020 

BTS Building Materials Contingency Supply requirement 2

Luton Council- Eastern- Budget: £560,000

13-11-2020

Building Materials

NEPO- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

06-01-2020

ITT for the Supply of Building Materials

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

05-02-2021

Newport City Homes Building Materials Supply

Newport City Homes Limited- Wales- Budget: Undisclosed

14-12-2020

Procurement Hub Building Materials Framework

Places for People Group Limited- North West- Budget: £200,000,000

03-08-2020

Supply and Delivery of Building Materials and Aggregates

UK Power Networks Ltd- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

25-03-2020

Book a Demo with Construction Tenders

The best way to venture into the tendering world is through booking a live demo of Construction Tenders.

At Construction Tenders, we source construction leads and opportunities for;

Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow.

Scaffolding Tenders

Posted on by John Hudson

Scaffolding Tenders

 The construction sector is reliant on high-quality scaffolding service provision. In March 2020 alone, the UK spent £12,720 million in construction work according to the Office for National Statistics.

Opportunities for scaffold tenders may include:

  • Assembly and deconstruction
  • Scaffold design
  • Training
  • Scaffolding health and safety consultancy
  • Scaffolding security

Scaffolding opportunities are available throughout the UK through:

  • Single contract opportunities, awarded to a single supplier;
  • Frameworks, frequently divided into Lots and awarded to multiple suppliers;
  • Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS). Suppliers can join throughout the life of a DPS – these can run for years at a time.

Professional body accreditation

Health and Safety is absolutely paramount to working at height, with any scaffolding tender. Potential suppliers seeking to provide training in scaffolding must be registered with professional bodies. One such professional body is the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme.

Relevant confederations, memberships and institutes which may be relevant when applying for scaffolding tenders include:

 

  • The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC). Some buyers may require NASC membership as a specification requirement.
  • Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA). This association aims to provide safer working at height using rope access.
  • Work at Height Safety Association (WAHSA). This body is relevant to businesses which manufacture equipment for working at height specifically.
  • The Ladder Association. This association is relevant for all organisations whose operations involve working at height.
  • The Advisory Committee for Roof Safety (ACR). The ACR provides safety advice for working on roofs.
  • Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training (FASET). This association is dedicated to at-height safety system training, including net riggings.

 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides a wealth of information which can support your scaffolding tenders.

The Work at Height Regulations 2005


Any supplier looking to deliver scaffolding works must demonstrate that they comply with The Work at Height Regulations 2005. This is essential for both private and public sector tenders. There are several reasons why compliance is so important:

  1. Demonstrating compliance evidences that your organisation ensures working conditions are safe for everyone on site.
  2. The individuals carrying out the work understand how to do it safely and effectively.
  3. Qualified individuals assess risks and plan mitigations.
  4. Appropriate equipment is used, maintained and inspected to ensure it is safe.
  5. Your organisation demonstrated commitment to industry best practice.

 

So how can you demonstrate compliance when developing your scaffolding tenders?

Evidence is key here. So is demonstrating how you have evidenced compliance in context. Let’s explore this below.

Develop high-quality, relevant case studies

Consider the specification of your next bid in context. Reflect on your experience, and how it can demonstrate current specification requirements.

An excellent method to develop your case studies is using the STAR method. This stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result.

Let’s look at this in more detail.

Situation: who was the client? What were their scaffolding requirements? What was the working environment like? Was it a 10-storey building, or a department store? This opening paragraph should succinctly tell the buyer that you have delivered work close to their specification before.

Task: What works did you need to deliver? This is where you can list specifics which were similar to the specification you are tendering for. For example, did you require certain accreditations or equipment? A good approach here is to talk about particular challenges faced during a contract. Were there very strict timescales? Did you have to work around members of the public to deliver works?

Action: This section should be the largest in your case study. It is the area where you can really shine. For example, if you worked around fragile roof surfaces, how did you assess and control risk? What steps did you take to communicate these risks with your co-workers? How did you plan safe access to any roof surfaces? What strategies did you create to prevent falls, slips and trips whilst working at height? Explain how you met the challenges faced, to deliver excellent service standards.

Results: this section doesn’t need to be extensive. It should summarise any positive outcomes of your service delivery. Here is where you can reinforce deliverables. For example:

“We successfully delivered 95% of KPIs on time. We also improved workplace safety through additional site training. This meant a 0% accident rate throughout the contract.”

Adding a client testimonial here will reinforce your case study and impress the buyer. Creating case studies this way is an excellent method of demonstrating compliance with health and safety regulations. Scaffolding must be assembled to very precise configurations. They must also be designed using specific calculations for various scaffolding types. For example:

  • Chimney stacks;
  • Loading bays;
  • Support scaffolds;
  • Bridge scaffolds;
  • Temporary ramps;
  • Mobile towers;
  • Sign board supports;
  • and many more.

Scaffolding industry standards include TG20 guidance, by The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC). TG20:2013 resources provides industry best-practice and European standards for operatives, designers and contractors to safely deliver scaffolding works.

Have a current Health & Safety manual in place

This is essential. Most construction-related tenders will require a copy of your Health & Safety manual during the tendering process. This may be during the Selection Questionnaire Stage (SQ), or as part of your quality response. Having a company-branded manual which is structured clearly and thoroughly proofed will give a good impression to buyers. Our Tender Ready programme can provide support with this.

Ensure that your Health & Safety manual has a named individual responsible for review and monitoring it. This could be a company director or a Health & Safety Officer. It must also be reviewed and dated within the past year. These reviews are important, because they demonstrate the policy is updated as the industry and legislation changes.  The manual should address not only construction-general health and safety matters, but also scaffolding-specific matters too.

Examples are invaluable for your bid submission

It is incredibly useful to keep a bank of health and safety evidence on file. Many construction bids will request an example risk assessment, for example. Supplementary supporting evidence can include:

  • Risk assessment templates
  • Inspection recording form
  • Self-audit templates
  • A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) register
  • Staff training and induction records
  • Equipment inspection templates
  • Example method statements

 

Scaffolding operative competency

Demonstrating your organisation’s training processes will give the buyer confidence in your proposed services. Therefore, a good approach for construction contracts is to ensure your training process is documented. Let’s look at this in more detail.

A training policy will detail your organisation’s objectives, responsibilities and processes. These must align with construction sector legislation, Acts and best practice. Within the training policy, it is helpful to clarify how you record, monitor and evaluate staff learning. This can also detail expected timescales and methods to support staff development. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) should be expected in all industry sectors. Training can involve:

  • Enrolment on apprenticeships and formal schemes
  • Vocational qualifications
  • Completion of NVQ and skills tests
  • Completion of supervised scaffolding site experience

The Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS) is a popular training option. This is because it embeds best practice and TG20:13 scaffolding standards.

In all cases, training you deliver must also embed broader health and safety construction principles, including:

  • First aid protocols
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Site access
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Inspections and audits
  • Waste management procedures
  • Emergency procedures
  • Rules on site
  • Reporting injuries

Evidencing training effectively will demonstrate your organisation continually manages and improves on safety and operations.

Coronavirus and the construction sector

Key to tenders going forward is the effective management of coronavirus. Many buyers will expect this to be considered within tender responses. As locations of scaffolding tenders may change, it is important to carry out site-specific coronavirus risk assessments. You must also plan how you will communicate risk management strategies to your workforce. This can involve surveys, online or socially distanced discussions, for example.

Coronavirus may impact how your site receives scaffolding deliveries. You may need to plan in advance strategies to reduce delivery frequencies and minimise contact between people. Coronavirus may also impact how you manage staff schedules. You may need to assess how many staff can safely be on a scaffolding site at one time. Referring to government guidance will support your tender response planning phase.

Have you found a scaffolding tender perfect for your organisation? We provide writing support and professional consultation, to help you maximise your chances of success. Our dedicated team of bid writers have extensive experience delivering tendering expertise.

Whether you are tendering for the first time or have tendered before, we have a service suitable for you. We tailor each service to your needs, offering the following tender packages:

  • Tender Ready
  • Tender Writing
  • Tender Improvement
  • Tender Mentor

And if you haven’t found your perfect scaffolding tender opportunity yet? Our Construction Tenders portal is perfect for you. Our opportunity trackers manually search the latest scaffolding tender opportunities daily. Signing up to the portal, you will receive these opportunities straight to your inbox. What’s easier than that?

Get in touch with Construction Tenders

Sign up to Construction Tenders today and receive a daily construction leads bulletin straight to your inbox. The bulletin contains all the relevant small, and larger, construction tenders that we have uploaded that day.

Below are some scaffolding tenders sourced on our portal:

Provision of Scaffolding – Housing Responsive Repairs

North Tyneside Council- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

Scaffolding All Aspects

North Tyneside Council- North East- Budget: £400,000

Housing Programmed Scaffolding Works

North Tyneside Council- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

Framework Agreement for the Supply & Erection of Scaffolding

Pembrokeshire County Council- Wales- Budget: Undisclosed

Scaffolding Framework

Berneslai Homes- Yorkshire and Humber- Budget: £2,800,000

Our Opportunity Trackers manually scour and upload scaffolding tenders from hundreds of websites across the UK. You are able to filter the results by keyword, budget location and more. This means no more missed opportunities from purely relying on CPV codes which are often mislabeled. Our Construction Tenders portal hosts tendering opportunities from across the construction sector.

This includes the following:

And if you have any questions, your dedicated we will be on hand to help. What opportunities will you find? Contact us today, for a free live demo and find out how our exclusive member’s site can benefit you.