The Tendering Timeline
Time taken: 3 weeks
The first thing you need to do is to establish when your current contracts ends and the timescale you have to procure a new one. You need evaluate what you need and why. You should decide what the priorities are and assess your budget. You should consult with your stakeholders too.
Try to go 3 years back, if possible, to show historic data pre-Covid.
Collect TUPE data for the staff who are likely to transfer with the contract – if you have an outsourced supplier then you can ask them, otherwise ask your HR team.
Try to go 3 years back, if possible, to show historic data pre-Covid.
Collect TUPE data for the staff who are likely to transfer with the contract – if you have an outsourced supplier then you can ask them, otherwise ask your HR team.
Stage 1
Time taken: 1 week
Consider your ‘route to market’ options for obtaining competitive tenders this could either be via an Open Tender process, existing DPS (Dynamic Purchasing System) or existing Framework agreement where possible as these make the process significantly easier for you. But make sure these are public sector (PCR2015) compliant and your school/Trust is able to access it.
Stage 2
Time taken: 2 weeks
Draft and finalise your tender documents.
Stage 3
Time taken: 4-6 weeks
Advertise your tender in a compliant way – for example, using a procurement portal (Education Buying will do this for you for free).
Allow time/availability for site visits from interested suppliers.
Allow time/availability for site visits from interested suppliers.
Stage 4
Time taken: 2 weeks
Evaluate the tenders received individually and then meet to agree a consensus score. Evaluate the bids using specific criteria to rank your suppliers by highest/lowest score overall.
Stage 5
Time taken: 1 week
You should go for the highest scoring bidder.
Draft a letter to each supplier informing them of the outcome, with details on their scoring and feedback.
Draft a letter to each supplier informing them of the outcome, with details on their scoring and feedback.
Stage 6
Time taken: 2 weeks
Consider whether a ‘10-day standstill period’ would be beneficial and reduce risk of any challenge.
Stage 7
Time taken: 1 week
Conclude the award and sign the contract and work with the successful supplier to ensure a smooth contract start date (for example, providing access to site, etc.).
Stage 8
Time taken: Frequently
Hold meetings with your supplier and review how the contract is going. Managing your contracts helps you keep on top of them, ensuring the service is being delivered against the requirements you set. It also gives you plenty of time to run another tender once the contract comes to an end, getting you the best deal for the best price.
Stage 9
