 "What do you need to know about Specifications?")
Every tender contains them, and every bidder should read and fully comprehend them. The most important aspect of any tender is the specifications. Tender specifications are documents in which the buyer describes what they require, either as a list of items, a set of requirements, or even a list of criteria and outcomes that they are looking to purchase.
Good specifications will provide you with enough information on how to cost and deliver against the requirements, allowing you to win the tender.
Here are some typical tender specification details to look for in a tender:
Contract Description
This is where the buyer will summarise the contract. This should state what’s involved in the contracts, to give you context of why the buyer behind the tender, and what they are expecting from the supply chain.
Contract Requirements
This tender specification will state the details requirements are for the contract. What you as a supplier need to provide or supply to the buying organisation. You can expect to see some or all the following:
- Contracting Authority (Who the contract is for)
- Length of Contract/Period/Timescales
- Volumes (quantities and/or units of measure)
- Service Requirements
- What the Outcomes could be if it’s a service-based tender
- Quality requirements
Good specifications may have reporting requirements and performance requirements or Key Indicators.
You may find that the tender specification is split into two sections: functional requirements, and performance requirements. This will be down to the buyer, and how they want to establish their specifications.
Functional Specification requirements – describe the outcome of the contract, detailing what’s needed to meet those outcomes. Some Specifications may also list Mandatory requirements, the essential criteria wanted by the buyer that suppliers will need to acknowledge when responding to the tender. If you do not, you may be rejected early in the process.
Performance/Quality requirements – detail about the quality of the solutions that will be put into place. For example, it will look at the standards of the products. Ensuring it meets the relevant ISO or equivalent Standards.
Environmental, Social Value, and Sustainable Requirements
Sustainability is being built into many Public Sector Tenders. You may be required to demonstrate where your supply will support the buyers’ targets.
Contracting Period
The buyer will state the length of the contract, when it will start and when it will end and if there is an option to extend, and for how long. You may also be asked to provide your existing strategy for the end of the contracting term. They will also inform you if it is a recurring contract so that you can tender for it again. You will also need to state what your exit plans are. This is the plan you will have in place when the contract is coming to an end.
Contract management
Good tender specifications will ask for your approach to maintaining and managing the contract for the contractual period. Regular client meetings and performance reviews, escalation and resolution approach in the event of a failure, etc. How will you handle things when something doesn’t go to plan?
For this tender specification, the buyer will be looking to see your management plans for the duration of the contract. Will there be a need for regular meetings? Is there a requirement for regular reviews? These are just some of the questions you will need to answer.
Every tender is different but be prepared to be asked to support the key themes listed above to give yourself that winning edge.