Why should you be bidding for government contracts in the UK?

Government contracts in the UK can be a minefield if this is your first-time tendering for contracts. There’s so much information to digest, it can leave your head feeling a little baffled. So, if you’re looking for some help with government contracts in the UK, keep reading this blog. We will tell you everything you need to know.

Government contracts in the UK: What are they?

A government contract is a private company that produces goods/services for public government agencies. Contractors that win the bid are employed by the government. They can win contracts by submitting the cheapest bid in response to a proposal, which is required by law. The UK Government encourages SMEs into government supply chains in order to improve value for money within the public sector.

Government contracts in the UK includes work within the following:

• Central civil government departments and agencies.
• The NHS and its local trusts.
• The MOD (Ministry of Defence).
• Local Authorities / Local Government.
• Universities and Colleges.
• State-run Schools.

For smaller companies in England, they can use the contracts finder website. To look for opportunities. They can win national and local government contracts worth more than £10,000.

Why should I bid on government contracts in the UK?

1. Guarantees work

Public sector contracts guarantee work for the winning bidder. The contracts are often long-term so you know you have a steady line of work. Sourcing work can be scary if you’re self-employed but with government contracts you know there’ll be plenty of work.

2. No risk of the buyer going bust

Tendering for contracts can be risky should the buyer go bust during the project. But with government contracts in the UK you don’t need to worry about that.

3. More favourable payment terms

Waiting around to be paid for a job you have completed isn’t ideal. But in the public sector you don’t have to. The UK government pledged to pay 100% of payment within 30 days of the work being completed.

4. Strengthen company value

By procuring a steady workflow with government contracts, you’re increasing your company value. Which will only benefit you in the future.

5. Find more opportunities

Working on government contracts will open many doors for your business. Future clients will be more attracted to working with you. It will make your business look more trustworthy, experienced and reputable.

It will also increase your contacts. You will develop more professional relationships which can lead to more opportunities for your business.

6. Expansion

With regular work and income, businesses can expand. This may mean hiring new staff, opening a new venue or increasing their profits.

Top tips

Need help to win government contracts in the UK? Here are our top tips:

• Spot opportunities early
• Make sure you can deliver the contract
• Plan your bid
• Give yourself plenty of time
• Plan to your strengths
• Provide quality, not just a competitive price
• Analyse tender documents
• Provide case studies
• Make sure all documents required are complete
• Demo your product/service if possible
• Proofread before submitting
• Submit the bid well ahead of the deadline to avoid any technical difficulties
• Request feedback.

In conclusion

We hope you have found our guide on government contracts in the UK insightful, and you feel prepared to bid. If you need further support, we’re here to help.

Where can I search for government contracts in the UK?

At Hudson Discover, we house 11 sector-specific tendering portals. These consist of:

• Creative RFPs & Bids
• Healthcare RFPs & Bids
• Facilities RFPs & Bids
• Construction RFPs & Bids
• Technology RFPs & Bids
• Logistics RFPs & Bids
• Research RFPs & Bids
• Consultancy RFPs & Bids
• HR RFPs & Bids
• Finance RFPs & Bids
• Hospitality RFPs & Bids

A subscription to one of our industry-specific portals will include:

• Unlimited portal access. You can browse your industry’s portal to your heart’s content. See the hundreds of opportunities that are available, intuitively categorized and easily accessible.
• A daily email bulletin. When you sign up to a portal, you can choose the specific areas in which you’d like to tender. Then, a daily bulletin is created for you. It includes all the relevant opportunities that have been posted to the portal that day, straight to your inbox.
• A dedicated Account Manager. They’ll handle any questions or queries you may have about the portal.
• A free 20-minutes phone consultation with a Bid Writer. Our expert bid consultants will chat with you for 20-minutes about anything RFP related.

What opportunities can I expect from a bid search on one of the above portals?

We host all kinds of tenders in both the public and private sector. These are inclusive of, but aren’t limited to:

• Open RFPs
• Restricted procedures
• Competitive dialogs
• Negotiated bidding procedures
• Innovation partnerships
• Single supplier contracts
• Framework agreements
• Dynamic Purchasing Systems

Now you know how to accurately perform a tender search, you may be wondering how to write a bid. Well, luckily for you, our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing.

They have over 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or aren’t seeing results – they can help. There are four bid writing packages available:

    RFP Writing

Once you’ve found a tender you’d like to go for,send it over to us. One of our Bid Writers will write the tender response for you. They’ll provide a full Tender Writing breakdown and even submit it on your behalf.

    RFP Mentor

RFP Mentor can give your bid response a once over before you submit. The Bid Writing Team will analyse your response, notifying you of any errors prior to submission.

     RFP Ready

A 4-week program for those who have never tendered before. The program will develop your branded corporate literature and case studies. Our team will advise you on what bidding opportunities you should go for and guide you through your bidding response.

   RFP Improvement

The RFP Improvement package can help those who have bid before but aren’t seeing results. Our Bid Writers will assess your previous responses and work with you to develop improved content.

Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow and to discuss our bid management consultancy services in more detail.