20 minute read
Special Feature
Special Feature How Your Business can Break into Public Sector Work
By entering the world of bidding for public sector tenders, you’re giving your business the opportunity to reap the benefits of long-term stability, new revenue streams, corporate growth, expansion, and so much more. Here, we explain why you should consider tendering for public contracts, how to write a compelling bid, and some of our top tips for winning your dream contract.
What are the benefits of winning public sector tenders?
Although public sector tenders have long been a favourite for larger businesses, the government has recently taken steps to ensure that more SMEs can access and win these valuable contracts, with the UK government promising £88 billion to be spent through SMEs this year. The benefits of diversifying your customer base through public sector contracts are plentiful, and here’s why. 1. Securing a pipeline of work
Since Covid-19, the private sector has experienced a marked decline in the number of private sector contracts available. If businesses are to continue to grow after this impact, then they need to identify new sources of stable income. By bidding and winning public sector contracts, SMEs can guarantee themselves a secure pipeline of work from reliable organisations, ensuring longevity and ultimately, economic recovery. Although the private sector can produce lucrative projects, there is no guarantee the work will always be there. 2. Favourable payment terms
Since 2019, the UK government had guaranteed that their suppliers be paid 100% of what they’re owed within 30 days. By ensuring prompt payment, it helps to support the supplier’s cashflow, business performance, and productivity. No late payments!
3. Gain experience and grow your business
By winning contracts to supply goods or services to a public body, your business can increase your revenues, cement your reputation as a supplier, and attract and retain great staff. The guaranteed revenue that the public sector provides gives your business the breathing room it needs to support longevity and operational growth.
How to write a winning bid
Writing compelling and winning quality responses to tenders is vital to your tender process. After all, the whole aim of getting involved with public sector tenders is to win them! Before you start, make sure: 1. You know your deadlines
Time management/bad timing can be a huge problem for bid writers. Before you get started, make sure you double check your deadline and read the tender timetable so you can start planning effectively. 2. Assess and digest
Before you leap into the application process, take the time to digest the details of the project and what it entails, making sure that your company is truly the best fit. Even if you decide not to go with the project, eventually it will save you time and money instead of applying for a project you weren’t suitable for. 3. Do your research
It’s vital that whoever is writing the bid to research the buyer and understand what the company usually looks for, what they value, and how they can best procure the required service. It’s also important for the bid writer to research the competition to spot weaknesses, working them into your strengths to give you the competitive advantage. 4. Think ABC, ‘Accurate, Brief and Concise’
Time and time again, too many bids are written with generic ‘fluff’ instead of the specifics about how you’re going to procure the required service, and why you’re the best fit. Buyers don’t want to read paragraphs full of well written prose, they want numbers and hard facts. When you’re writing a bid, get straight to the point and tell them exactly how you’re going to deliver the project.
However, make sure you achieve a balance. Don’t fill your bid with industry jargon the buyer won’t understand, make your content accessible and easy to understand. 5. Proofread, proofread, proofread
Even if you’ve written a great bid, silly spelling mistakes and bad grammar won’t come off well to the buyer; it implies carelessness and a lack of attention to detail. Before you submit your bid, make sure you’ve proofread it more than once.
Our top tips on how to win public sector tenders • Introduce yourself
There has never been a better time for SMEs to get involved
HLA Services, Sunderland
in tendering for public sector work, and the government is just dying to fulfil their needs through SMEs. If you’re considering tendering for a particular project, take the time to introduce yourself and your organisation to the buyer as early as you can so that they can get familiar with what you do and what you have to offer. Following this, conduct some market research to find out who your potential competitors are, and how you can play their weaknesses against your strengths. • Start small, then go big
If you want to build up your public sector portfolio gradually, starting on the smaller side can be a good way to go. For lower value contracts, the government does not require a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). This simplifies the application process, which works in an SME’s favour as they may not have the resource available
HLA Services, facilities management and maintenance business based in Sunderland, won several contracts with their local universities and police force with OPPORTUNI. Neil Henry, Director and Co-Founder of HLA Services said: “We found the options opened up to us by OPPORTUNI much more in-depth and relevant than any of the other search engines that were out there.The government and local authority contracts we have won through OPPORTUNI have given us stability within the company for long term planning.
that larger businesses have.
By beginning with smaller contracts, it also gives you time to build on your experience so that you’ll have a better chance of winning larger contracts in the future. • Be picky
When it comes to bidding for tenders, it’s key to pick and choose the best projects that mirror your long-term strategy. For every bid/nobid decision that arises, think critically about whether or not the project in question can help you to achieve your longterm business goals, taking these factors into careful consideration before making your ultimate decision. • Ask for feedback
You’re not going to win every tender you bid on, but that’s okay! If you do miss out, ask the supplier what you might have done differently so you can learn from the process.
Another great tip is to keep a record of any contracts you’ve bid on in the past. Not only will this help you with your bid/ no bid decisions, it will also help you see what may have caused you to lose out on the bid and help you to write more successful bids in the future. www.opportuni.co.uk
Sustainability
Carbon neutral versus carbon negative - what is the difference?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are one of the most significant drivers of climate change so there is an urgent need for products and businesses to achieve carbon neutrality. West Fraser has gone significantly further and is now net carbon negative.
Negativity is generally unwelcome in any business, with architecture and construction no exception. But preface the term with the word carbon and negativity becomes something to be applauded. As West Fraser’s product range is proving, being net carbon negative is both good for the planet and business.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas produced by almost everything we do and, once it enters the atmosphere, it can take thousands of years to dissipate. At the moment, human activity results in the release of more CO2 than can be re-absorbed by nature. Over 50 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases are now being pumped into the air every year; these emissions are more than 40% higher than in 1990. This overwhelmingly carbon positive status is contributing directly to climate change.
Countering the threat of climate change is the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced, with climate experts agreeing that there is an urgent and vital need to cut greenhouse gas emissions drastically. Leading the way, the UK was the world’s first major economy to make a legally binding commitment to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Achieving this means changing how we do virtually everything.
Being carbon neutral or net zero helps slow the process of climate change as it means that the amount of CO2e (CO2 equivalent) emitted is equal to the CO2e locked up in a product or process. With growing environmental consciousness, it is increasingly necessary for businesses and investors to show that their activities and investments are taking this course.
Achieving carbon neutral status is often seen as the first step towards reaching carbon negativity. There is a big difference between carbon neutrality and carbon negativity. Being carbon negative is an enormous environmental benefit because, rather than being neutral, the process or activity locks up more CO2e than it emits, removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and countering greenhouse emissions. While this is not easy, it is achievable. The world’s first carbon negative country was Bhutan. It produces 1.5 million tonnes of carbon every year but, thanks to the country’s 72% forest coverage, more than six million tonnes of carbon is absorbed.
Attaining net carbon negativity, as West Fraser’s product range has done, is a significant step, demonstrating the company’s determination to be a market leader in sustainable, climate friendly products. As wood is the main component of West Fraser’s products, carbon is sequestered and locked up for the board’s lifetime. Particleboard products have the added advantage of containing 70-80% post consumer recycled wood; this is also used in OSB. As a result, the company’s four European sites and three product ranges sequester a total of 1.18 million tonnes of CO2e per year, equivalent to the CO2 from 200,265 homes’ electricity.
West Fraser’s net carbon negative status benefits specifiers and users of the company’s engineered wood panel products. When used in construction, these products can help tip a project’s carbon count in the right direction, assisting companies to meet net zero targets, which is good for reputation, compliance and the planet.
For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit https://uk.westfraser.com/
Sustainability
New sensor technology to enable scalable smart building solutions
Pressac is to launch new sensor technology which will give customers more choice and flexibility when building large-scale IoT solutions.
The new technology, which has been developed at the company’s high-tech UK design and manufacturing facility, is designed to be smart, scalable and secure.
It enables the monitoring of a range of different parameters in just one device and is not confined to any one wireless protocol or platform, making smart sensing more efficient and interoperable, meaning organisations can get the exact data they need, how they need it.
The technology has been designed to enhance Pressac’s existing portfolio of products and introduces new sensing capabilities – Volatile Organic Compounds, particulate (PM 2.5) levels, light and sound.
Initially, it will be used in two new products being developed by the company – an indoor air quality sensor and a room conditions sensor – but more products will be added through 2022.
The technology will also be available to select companies looking to partner with Pressac to create bespoke configurations for highvolume sensing solutions.
Pete Burbidge, Pressac’s Managing Director, said: “In a world where creating the right office environment is more important than ever, more and more companies will be turning to smart sensor technology to do this.
“We’ve listened to our customers and what we’ve developed here is a highquality platform, giving them the flexibility and scalability they need.
Pressac will be showcasing the new technology at the Smart Buildings Show at ExCel London on October 6th and 7th. The annual event brings together the latest information and technology in the smart buildings industry, and Pressac colleagues will be on hand to give demonstrations of their new products.
If you’re unable to make it to the show but would like to know more about Pressac’s technology, you can contact Pressac on 0115 936 5200 or email sales@pressac.com
For more information on Pressac’s smart-building sensor technology, visit www.pressac.com
HVAC
BoilerMag Installed at Historical 125 Queen Street Building in Major New Zealand City
New Zealand based Warm NZ have installed BoilerMag’s magnetic technology filters at the iconic QBE centre in New Zealand’s most populous city, Auckland.
Built upon the historical 125 Queen Street, the QBE Centre is a recognisable and historic landmark within Auckland and was home to the original head office of the Bank of New Zealand. With an eye-catching Category 1 Heritage Listed façade dating back to the 1840s, the centre has recently undergone a state-of-the-art refit making it one of the most sought-after workspaces in the area.
With a wealth of experience under its belt and a portfolio boasting big-name projects, such as Auckland Zoo, Warm NZ was tasked to ensure the heating and cooling systems within the centre were up to standard and as efficient as possible as part of the major refurbishments.
As with many other projects that the company undertake, Warm NZ installed a BoilerMag XT and ChillerMag to improve the efficiency and longevity of the heating and cooling system.
Founded in 1990 as a plumbing gas fitting and heating company, sister company Plumbcraft struggled with buying quality products for central heating systems. Having suffered from poor support from existing suppliers based within New Zealand, it led Plumbcraft to establish its own supply and installation company, Warm NZ.
Since its launch in 2012, Warm NZ has fast become one of the country’s leading suppliers and installers of central heating products. Searching globally for the highest quality products to offer to the New Zealand market, Warm NZ chose to supply BoilerMag magnetic filters to offer the highest quality system protection to domestic and commercial properties.
Sean Stephens from Warm NZ said: “Since finding BoilerMag, we instantly became fans of the filters. With their quality and ease of cleaning, we will always recommend one to be fitted to any heating system. We install them on all our domestic heating systems and have installed the commercial ones like such as those at the QBE Centre and the NZ Defence force sites we maintain as well. We will always put them forward to ensure customers know the impressive benefits, such as boiler longevity and reduction in running costs. We supply BoilerMag technology across New Zealand and would highly recommend them to all homeowners, installers and engineers.”
The BoilerMag range uses high-intensity magnets to offer competitively prices and highly effective protection against black sludge within heating systems. By installing a BoilerMag magnetic filter, a wealth of benefits can be enjoyed, such as longer-lasting boilers, more effective systems and impressive annual cost savings, particularly for large commercial and industrial units.
With the heating system at the QBE Centre being relatively old, the management company are currently assessing the benefits to the building with the possibility of rolling out BoilerMag throughout their portfolio of properties within New Zealand. www.boilermag.com
Taking no chances with winter readiness
Whether it’s proactive maintenance of drains or grounds or readying your plan for snow and ice clearance, Brendan Aherne, Winter Services Director at OUTCO explains that now is the time to prepare for winter.
Estates management is ultimately all about risk. Wear and tear on assets risks reducing their value. Leaving small problems unresolved risks greater costs down the line that may have a material impact on an organisation’s bottom line. Beyond the risks to the fabric of buildings or car parks, there is of course the human dimension: Hazardous conditions such as slippery surfaces or broken paving onsite risk injury to site users, which in these litigious times carries the heavy risk of legal action, liability claims and even imprisonment for breaches of the Health & Safety at Work Act, which fall under criminal rather than civil law.
Perhaps more than any other time in the year, winter is when these multiple overlapping risk factors coincide: On the one hand, extreme weather conditions such as storms, flooding, snowy or icy conditions present direct hazards, while on the other, limited daylight hours or access to sites caused by weather conditions conspire to make it more challenging to resolve issues. As a result, it’s vital to take a comprehensive and early approach to assess and plan for the winter months that encompasses areas such as grounds maintenance, drainage, and - naturally - snow and ice clearance.
Grounds maintenance priorities
Many organisations significantly reduce grounds maintenance with the onset of winter, for example by reducing the number of site visits after the main growing season ends. However, even when lawns aren’t in need of regular cutting this can be a false economy: some of the most beneficial care is carried out in the coldest months to help lawns grow healthily and free of moss during the summer, and this is true for grounds maintenance as a whole: In any given season, the work you’ve done in the preceding period is often the key to success.
A key activity in the approach to winter is leaf clearing, which is generally required between September and December. Beyond the aesthetic considerations, wet leaves on pavements can present a slipping hazard that can present just as much legal risk to site owners as the snows and ice of winter. Leaf collection is also an important way to prevent more costly works further down the line. For example, leaves and debris that build up can destroy lawns which will require grounds teams to undertake more costly work later to bring these areas back up to standard. Similarly, decaying leaves on lawns or hard standings can also form a substrate that allows weeds to germinate. This then requires more weed control as well as unnecessary and costly chemical treatments during the growing season.
Autumn provides a great time to schedule landscaping works such as planting and arboriculture activity. August through to November is also an important period to focus on landscaping activities like hedge trimming. This is not just to keep things tidy but also to ensure safe access around paths and to preserve sight lines for vehicle traffic in car parks and for security cameras. Similarly, another important area to consider is the safety of trees onsite and it’s important to ensure that any wooded areas near buildings or paths have been recently inspected
for dead wood that may need removing to ensure safety during winter storms. As with any area of health and safety, acting proactively regarding tree safety and effectively documenting this action is the key to mitigating legal hazards should the worse happen. Getting ready for the rains
One of the defining features of the British climate is rainfall, which is why it’s vital to ensure that drainage systems are working as they should ahead of winter. Again, this is an area where planned maintenance is important to ensure drains can handle the expected conditions. The Met Office has warned that the UK will see an increase in the number of “high impact heavy rainfall” days, with intense and prolonged rainfall seeing a rise in flooding. While drainage systems are not designed for flash flooding, proactive measures such as CCTV drainage surveys and high-pressure water jetting will ensure that they can operate at their optimal level.
The needs of sites will vary, but inspections and cleaning of drains should be undertaken at least once a year. A recommendation is that this is done around September time to remove leaves and debris that have been washed into drains and to ensure the drainage system can run at full capacity over winter. Ideally, that process should be repeated in March to cope with build up over winter. As well as camera surveys of drains, inspections should also look for obvious issues on site like ponding in car parks, - an obvious sign that water can’t get away, depressions that could indicate a collapsed drain, or to identify and clear vegetation in drainage gullies that would impact their effectiveness.
Obviously, prevention is cheaper than the cure and this is certainly the case with drainage, where expensive excavation and drain repairs can be prevented with effective planned maintenance. Hence, regular planned drain cleansing and site surveys can ensure any potential issues can be identified and dealt with before becoming an expensive problem. For example, techniques and methods such as no dig and pipe relining repairs, can ensure that drainage issues can be rectified with minimal disruption and without the need for expensive excavations. In other words, scheduling inspections to help with winter readiness can also help manage costs over the long term. It’s also worth keeping in mind that organisations have a duty of care to maintain drainage and failures to do so - for example in the case of spills on site - could result in fines from the water authority. Plan properly for snow and ice clearance
Clearly, many of winter’s greatest risks come in the form of snow and ice. Over one of the harshest winters of recent years, 2017/18, Hospital Episode Statistics for England recorded over 7,200 people requiring hospital treatment after slipping on snow or ice. These are figures that organisations can’t afford to ignore: Litigation follows hot on the heels of cold weather accidents and ‘slipping on ice’ accidents have the potential for the highest value claims and compensation.
Planning for winter should be well under way months in advance. Yet worryingly, many organisations approach winter in a poor state of readiness: Every year, our winter maintenance team receives multiple desperate calls from businesses finding their arrangements for snow and ice clearing falling short – whether its emergency cover needed when a contractor fails to show, or even requests for quotes arriving as the snow starts falling. This ad hoc approach that treats cold conditions as an afterthought can even be seen in otherwise highly professional FM operations. A striking example we encountered was a state-ofthe-art fulfilment centre brought to a halt due to compacted snow that had turned the loading areas into ice rinks. In that case, leaving the task of clearing ice to poorly trained staff caused a just-in-time supply chain to grind to a halt.
Hence, taking a proactive and fully managed approach to winter maintenance is key to business continuity, preventing accidents and mitigating potential liability claims. Whether outsourcing to expert contractors or carrying out work in house, your adverse weather policy should clearly communicate how your organisation will manage/take action in extreme weather situations. Key aspects of any effective plan include: • Use of a recognised health and safety management system (e.g OHSAS18001) to ensure the plan is fit for purpose. • Clearly defined and communicated responsibilities for teams on the ground and within management. • A process for documenting proactive actions, incidents and investigations undertaken with records kept for three years minimum. • Ensuring the plan is based on detailed surveys to identify hazard areas and that action is undertaken according to real time accurate weather data and agreed action triggers for service. • Adequate resourcing with either professional contractors or a dedicated trained inhouse team, sufficient and well-maintained equipment. • Clearly defined KPIs to measure performance against and a process to review the plan and any KPIs on a regular basis (at least bi-annually)
Underpinning all of this is a proactive, professional mindset that looks to anticipate and preempt seasonal risks. Estates management is about managing risk but it’s also about priorities and understanding where best to invest the energies of your organisation and when to bring in the right skills to take on the breadth of challenges.
