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Cleaning Contracts: A Complete Guide to Finding and Securing Cleaning Contracts

Posted on by John Hudson

Everything you need to know to find & win cleaning contracts

Finding cleaning contracts can turn into a bit of a minefield if you don’t know where to look. There are thousands of websites posting new cleaning contracts, in the form of tendering opportunities, daily across the UK.

Buyers procuring cleaning contracts can in sectors from education, local authorities, SMEs, public spaces, leisure centres, supermarkets and more. They can have varied budgets ranging from £5,000 to multi-million-pound frameworks.

If you’ve never tendered before, you may have some questions. This blog will provide answers to your cleaning contract FAQs as well as some top tips on winning the bids.

So, let’s start off with an easy one…

Can I buy cleaning contracts?

You may be wondering if you can just buy cleaning contracts, and you are not alone. However, the answer to your question is short and simple – no.

The cleaning business has always been a highly competitive marketplace. This is true now more than ever. COVID-19 has led to a steep increase in both the public and private sectors putting out increased cleaning contracts. Unfortunately, you can’t just go out and buy cleaning contracts. So, here’s how to go about it instead.

What is tendering?

Let’s start off with a simple question – what is tendering? Cleaning contracts are primarily procured through tendering. This is when a business requires a good or a service that they can’t do themselves. Or, if the business contract exceeds the public sector threshold, they will then be put out to tender. Then, any potential suppliers can respond to this call with their tender response.

A number of businesses may want to procure cleaning services, and the cleaning sector itself is vast. It covers areas such as:

  • Residential
  • Educational Institutions
  • Commercial
  • Corporate
  • Industrial
  • Local government
  • Culture and Heritage Sites

However, don’t despair. This blog will tell you how to secure a cleaning tender instead as you’re unable to buy cleaning contracts.

A 10-step guide to how to secure a cleaning contract:

  1. Tracking the opportunity

Making sure you are tendering for the right opportunities for your businesses is vital. This ensures consistent growth and development which could lead to expansion. In order to do this, you need to know where to find the right opportunities for your business.

This can be done via tendering portals. We host live cleaning contract opportunities on our Facilities Tenders portal. You can filter the live results via keyword, budget, location and more on one site. This saves you countless hours that would otherwise be spent trawling hundreds of websites daily.

Here are some past cleaning contracts that were sourced on our portal:

ATD Specialist Cleaning 2021

Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency- Eastern- Budget: £60,000

Cleaning – Dynamic Purchasing System

Advantage South West- South West- Budget: Undisclosed

Hall Green School – Cleaning Tender

Hall Green School- West Midlands- Budget: £435,000

Mobile Cleaning Operative

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council- West Midlands- Budget: £5,000

Provision of Cleaning Services

Leicester City Council- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

Join Facilities Tenders

We track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

Once you have sourced what you think is the right opportunity for your business, you should ask yourself:

  • Do I have the experience?
  • Can I fulfil this contract?
  • Are there any turnover requirements?
  • Do I have the specified qualifications and accreditations?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, then you should proceed onto the PQQ or SQ stage.

  1. PQQ

A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ) are used to establish the minimum eligibility criteria of a business. You may be asked to submit evidence of past contracts your business has carried out, or your businesses financial standing.

  1. ITT

An ITT stands for an invitation to tender. This is the next step of the tendering process if your company is shortlisted from the PQQ or SQ stage. An ITT is a formal document that’s issued by the buyer outlining the scope of the project. This invites a business to submit a formal tender for work.

An ITT is different from a PQQ or SQ because it outlines how you will commit to the project delivery. It often includes quality questions. They’ll ask how you carry out certain processes, what equipment you use, or what policies you have in place.

An ITT is often evaluated using the MEAT.

  1. MEAT

The most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) method means that the buyer is looking at more than just the price. They are putting a certain percentage on price but are also looking at the quality of your response, too. A combined score from these two weightings will establish a final score. The organisation with the best overall score is then awarded the contract.

  1. Social Value

You want to ensure when applying for opportunities in the public sector that you have thought about social value. There is now a mandatory 10% weighting on social value within a quality response. In some cases, it can hold a weight of up to 30%. You should take into consideration the social, economic and environmental aspects of the contract.

The buyer wants to know the commitments you’re making and ones you can keep. This new social value model came into use within the UK in January 2021. Perhaps you use eco-friendly products and are passionate about waste reduction.

Within your response, you could note:

  • How your organisation supports COVID-19 recovery.
  • The environmental considerations you have in place.
  • What equal opportunities you’ve implemented.
  • How you’re creating new jobs and developing new skills within the local community.
  • That you pay all employees the UK Living Wage.

  1. Provide Evidence

Up to three case studies may be required when submitting a tender response. It’s standard across public sector tendering for the buyer to ask for at least three past contracts of work. The case studies typically need to have been completed within the last five years.

It’s best to match your case studies to work of a similar scope that you have carried out. Testimonials from happy clients are always a plus. This demonstrates to the buyer that you are able to carry out the contract.

You need to make sure your cases studies are:

  • Detailed
  • Thorough
  • Well-developed
  • Showcase your company’s abilities.
  • Back up what you’re saying with evidence.

For example, imagine there is a contract that is looking to procure cleaning services of a primary school in Cheshire. You could include case studies of cleaning services you’ve carried out in a primary school of a similar location. Or, you could showcase the work you have carried out in other educational institutions.

  1. Relate to the specification

It is vital that you showcase your understanding of the specification in your response. Your response should demonstrate that you can provide the service that the buyer is looking for. The tender documentation for cleaning contracts will often include a specification of the exact requirements for the cleaning task needed. It’s imperative that you reference this in your method statement. This proves that you are aware of the buyer’s requirements and you are capable of delivering them.

For example, a buyer requires a certain room cleaning within an office using a specific piece of equipment. Make sure you replicate this scenario in your response. If you ignore it, you imply that you haven’t read the documentation properly. This will be greatly off-putting to buyers.

  1. Framework agreements

If you’re new to tendering, a framework agreement may be a good place to start. They can help you build up experience if you don’t already have it.

Frameworks are multi-supplier agreements, meaning there are often more places available. They typically run over longer terms ranging from 2 – 10 years. If you secure a place on a public sector framework, it can be a very lucrative opportunity for your business. This is because it is a guaranteed form of income, which can bring you peace of mind.

As you cannot buy cleaning contracts, applying for a framework agreement is a great opportunity that’s not to be missed. Buyers release a framework opportunity and then places are awarded to the best suppliers. Goods and services on frameworks are often divided into ‘Lots’. This means your business doesn’t have to fulfil the whole contract – only the chosen section.

You may find it useful to contact your local council to request to be considered for framework agreements. You should ask if they have any open as a subcontractor. This will allow you to build your company’s experience and is a great place to start if you’re an SME.  

  1. Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)

DPS’ are similar to framework agreements in that there are multiple suppliers on one system. They can run for years at a time and your business is able to join at any point while it’s open.

  1. Bid Writing Services

If you still need help with writing a cleaning contract response – we can help. Here at Hudson, we are experts in Bid Writing. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, have an 87% success rate and over 40-years bidding experience across multiple industries.

We offer four Bid Writing services to help you secure your next contract:

  1. The Tender Readyprogramme
  2. A Tender Improvementpackage
  3. Tender Mentorservice
  4. Tender Writing

So, instead of wondering if you can buy cleaning contracts, you now know how to apply through the tendering process.

Now you know that you can’t buy cleaning contracts, you may be wondering what is required from them. Cleaning contracts can cover a multitude of services. For example, janitorial, commercial, school cleaning, window cleaning, toilet blocks, specialist cleans and more.

Commercial cleaning contracts are often used to procure cleaning services for commercial buildings. Buyers can be in either the public or private sector. If you are unsure on whether you should be tendering for commercial cleaning contracts, the following advantages may help.

The advantages of tendering for commercial cleaning contracts

Tendering for work can have many advantages, particularly when tendering in the public sector. The procurement process has been updated by the government in order to level the playing field for SMEs. The government are actively looking to spend £1 in £3 with SMEs. This means there has never been a better time to tender for work as a smaller business. Other advantages for commercial cleaning contracts include:

Guaranteed pay

When doing business with public sector organisation, they are legally obligated to pay you upon winning a contract. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) goes one step further and must pay its suppliers within 60-days of invoicing. This is to comply with the Prompt Payment Code. This creates a great piece of mind when tendering for work, particularly if you’re a first-time supplier.

Gain experience

Commercial cleaning contracts can enable you to gain experience. Such experience is crucial when tendering for work, as mentioned above. Buyers will require case studies and the more contracts you fulfil, the more experience you will have. This can then lead your business to apply for bigger contracts, helping your business grow.

Sustainability

Tendering for commercial cleaning contracts can help secure a pipeline of work for your business. Winning a place on a long-term contract, DPS or framework can create a sustainable future for your business. Our Bid Writers have helped our clients to secure upwards of four years of income from one win. This is no doubt one of the biggest advantages of tendering, and an attractive prospect to any business.

Make contacts

When carrying out a commercial cleaning contract, you will be forming new business relationships. This will help you work with more buyers as you will be making contracts. When tendering for future commercial cleaning contracts, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you’ve had previous happy clients.

Every business owner knows that without contacts, you’re in danger of your business plateauing. Building a base of contacts and connections can present your business with new opportunities. These opportunities may then lead to collaborations and inter-trading.

These advantages should convince you that there has never been a better time to tender. Your cleaning business should seriously consider tendering as a viable strategy for business growth.

Top Tips for Winning Janitorial Cleaning Bids

Janitorial cleaning bids can cover a range of services across a range of buildings, homes, and public facilities. At Facilities Tenders we source tenders for public and private sector janitorial work, including:

  • Government and public service bids, i.e. cleaning public sector care homes.
  • Commercial bids, i.e. cleaning museums.
  • Outdoor bids, i.e. gutter cleaning.
  • Transport bids, i.e. bus washing services.
  • Education bids, i.e. school cleaning.
  • Energy and utility bids, i.e. supplying gas and power.
  • Construction bids, i.e. deep cleaning of a company’s units/vans.
  • Industrial bids, i.e. cleaning power station facilities.

See a service your company provides? Great. If not, this is just a small selection of available opportunities for cleaning services – we source hundreds! Book a free live demo to view which live tenders are currently available near you.

Below are some previous janitorial cleaning tenders sourced on our portal:

Cleaning & Janitorial Services 2020

ITSLIGO- International- Budget: Undisclosed

Cleaning and Janitorial Materials and Washroom Services

National Procurement Service (Welsh Government)- Wales- Budget: £12,000,000

Cleaning and Janitorial Supplies

North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium Limited- North West- Budget: £12,000,000

GB-Leicester: COVID 19 Related PPE and Janitorial

University of Leicester- East Midlands- Budget: £100,000

Provision of Cleaning and Janitorial Services at the British High Commission Islamabad & British Deputy High Commissions at Karachi and Lahore

Foreign & Commonwealth Office- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Why should you tender for janitorial cleaning work?

Tendering isn’t just for large companies – solo service providers and small to medium enterprise (SMEs) can benefit too! Our bid writing division, Hudson Succeed, have worked closely with a range of cleaning businesses to win janitorial cleaning bids. There’s potential for huge business growth through tendering, and there are always contracts out there to bid for. The Opportunity Trackers at our tender tracking branch, Facilities Tenders, source new public sector janitorial opportunities every day!

Here are 7 things to consider before – and during – a janitorial cleaning bid!

1. Research the industry

What are the implications for the cleaning industry after a year like 2020? Firstly – cleaning service providers deserve national praise for the exceptionally important role they’ve played throughout the pandemic in 2020! Many cleaning and hygiene key workers have been on the frontline, fighting the virus, throughout the year. In 2020, cleanliness is more crucial than ever. Delia Cannings, representative of the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals (AHCP) said:

Cleaning operatives in the healthcare sector played a key role during the pandemic and have done an incredible job. Many have gone above and beyond, working longer hours, taking on extra responsibilities and adopting new standards and practices to prevent COVID-19 contamination.

Has demand changed in the industry?

There’s no doubt it’s been a trying time for the industry. Service providers have been forced to react and adapt. Lauren Kyle, representing the Business Services Association (BSA), discussed the shift in demand for cleaning bids in the cleaning industry:

Our members operate in a wide range of sectors, some of which – such as sports and leisure, transport, and retail – have seen a downturn, while others – such as schools, and hospitals – have seen heightened demand for cleaning and disinfection. 

In light of shifting trends, can your cleaning service adapt to meet new demands? For instance, can you seek experience in a healthcare setting to strengthen your case studies when tendering for in-demand services? Are you qualified to provide janitorial cleaning work in schools?

Using a sector-specific tendering portal which allows for keyword filtering will help you find relevant work, quickly and easily. We’ve seen a surge in public sector work on our Facilities Tender portal recently. There is always a steady stream of janitorial cleaning opportunities, particularly for schools and healthcare. Get in touch for more information on our portal and start finding live tenders available near you!

2. Prepare your documentation

Janitorial cleaning bids can be tricky. There are some things you should consider in advance to make sure you’re not wasting your time. Ensure your company is prepared to tender. For instance, a few areas of documentation worth considering before you even begin tendering are:

  • Accreditations

Do you have the relevant accreditations for janitorial cleaning bids? Tender specifications will often require that your company has a specific set of accreditations. There are also government requirements you must comply with for trading, including relevant insurance. You should prepare your company for tendering by ensuring you comply with all the requirements for your sector. This may include:

    • A detailed health and safety manual
    • Public liability insurance
    • Professional indemnity insurance
    • Employers’ liability insurance.

  • Turnover

Is your turnover good enough for the job? Buyers may set a turnover threshold in the specification to ensure your company is capable of taking on a job. This is particularly likely for large contracts. As a general rule, we never advise bidding for a contract that is more than half your annual turnover. For example, if you turn over £100k, we advise bidding for tenders with a maximum budget of £50k.

You may need to attach your most recent audited/unaudited accounts as proof of turnover. This is usually required early on in the process of a tender, i.e. the PQQor SQ. It should therefore be made clear whether your company’s turnover meets the threshold early on. This is always worth double-checking before going any further and wasting time with a tender.

  • Corporate literature

Does your business have the relevant corporate literature, ready to submit in a tender response? Is it well-designed and easy to read?

At Hudson, we can fully prepare you for tendering. We’ll create high-quality and company-branded content for you through our Tender Ready service. We’ll first create a checklist to determine what is needed to succeed with any janitorial cleaning bids. Then, we’ll work in collaboration with your team to produce detailed, precise, and concise documents, ready to tender!

3. Showcase your past experience

Another area you should ensure you’re prepared for when tendering for janitorial cleaning bids is demonstrable past experience. Do you have past experience in similar jobs that will prove you’re the best candidate? Are you certain this experience is relevant? How many previous contract examples does the specification request? Make sure you fit the bill here.

If you do have the credentials, you’ll need to provide evidence to back-up each claim. This will often be done through case studies. Our free Tender VLE masterclass walks you through how to set out your case studies effectively in a tender response.

Usually, it can be expected that you’ll to be asked to provide at least three relevant case studies. This applies to each service you provide. Make sure you describe and evaluate your experience in a way that that demonstrates why you’re the most qualified provider. Keep the information as relevant and fitted to the bid as you can! There’s no room for any irrelevant information on a past job, even if the overall experience itself is relevant. Every word counts!

4. Consider the scope of work – fully!

The scope of work is an important element of any bid. Janitorial cleaning bids, especially, have a lot of elements to consider. You will need to consider every aspect of the job to accurately generate a price and timescale. You should read and digest the full tender specification and supporting documents before you begin your tender response. To ensure the job is worth tendering for, you must be confident you’re the best service provider for the job!

Read carefully. You don’t want to miss an important element of the tender that disqualifies you. Neither should you ignore any aspects of the tender that may be out of reach for your services.

For example, the buyer might require cleaning services for 100+ schools across multiple counties. Are you certain you have the workforce and resources to deliver a job of this scope? And if so, do you have the experience to back this up and prove yourself on paper? Always be realistic and responsible in your tender responses. Only bid for work you know you have a solid chance of winning.

Some things you may need to query for a janitorial cleaning bid, for instance, include:

  • What equipment and supplies are required?
  • The number of staff members required to complete the work.
  • How large is the facility in square feet?
  • How many separate rooms require cleaning?
  • What kind of flooring is in each room?

Ask for as much information as possible on the building or facilities which are to be cleaned. Is something not specified in the tender, such as floor type? If you feel this would be helpful in judging the scope of work, ask for clarification!

5. Visit the site, whenever possible

Can you arrange a site visit with the buyer where you can visit the facility and assess it first-hand? If so – great! You’ll be in a much better bidding position. Site visits can be a very useful tool while tendering for janitorial cleaning bids.

As we’ve just mentioned, the more information you have before bidding, the better. Physically seeing the floor types, for instance, gives you a clearer view of the scope of the work. There’s only so much you can envisage from the black and white words of a tender specification. In a site visit, you can physically assess all parts of the building(s) where the job will take place. In doing so, you may want to consider:

  • Size of the rooms
  • Fixtures
  • Surface materials
  • Item counts, i.e. How many dining tables? How many toilet facilities?

A first-hand assessment of the site allows you to create a much more meaningful proposal. You can note the difficulty levels of different areas and better prepare for how the job will unfold, for instance. This helps you to finetune your timescale and workforce, to be as accurate as possible.

Remember to follow all necessary safety precautions during site visits, such as wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

6. Price your bid accurately

At its heart, the tendering process is designed to help buyers find the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). While the process offers suppliers a fair chance of winning, your pricing will always be compared to your competitors. Pricing is always an important aspect of a bid.

Check the weighting of how your bid will be evaluated in the award criteria of the tender specification. The bulk of the weighting will often be split between cost and quality. For example, janitorial cleaning may be assessed by 60% price and 40% quality, or vice versa. Some bids may even be based 100% on price.

Regardless of its weighting, you should always calculate your price accurately and competitively.

Consider the direct costs of the work (i.e. wages, supplies, equipment) and quote a price that allows you to make a profit. There are two don’ts to remember here:

  • Don’t overcharge to boost your profits, or you’ll end up wasting time on a tender that you’ll inevitably lose. The tendering process can be very time-consuming. Always aim for the lowest price you can, whilst still making a profit.
  • Don’t undercharge either. Slashing your prices dramatically may seem like a good way to become the MEAT, if you’re bidding for experience. However, this will likely scupper your chances. If your price is dramatically lower than the other bidders (who have all quoted similar prices), this will look odd. Buyers will become suspicious of particularly low prices and assume foul play, or incurred costs later down the line.

7. Ensure your writing is precise, concise and high quality

There’s a lot to consider in janitorial cleaning bids. However, you should never skimp on the quality of the writing and presentation of a bid. The proof is in the prose! A well-written, precise and easy to read proposal can be essential to the success of a bid.

Don’t worry if you don’t have natural writing prowess. Our bid writers at Hudson Succeed can provide you with a range of tender support. Our experts have an 87% success rate and are experienced with janitorial cleaning bids. Through our Tender Writing service, our Bid Writers will:

  • Write your tender response;
  • Answer any clarification questions you may have;
  • Advise on supporting documents and attach them;
  • Submit the final bid on your behalf.

School maintenance contracts

School maintenance contracts often involve maintaining and updating an inventory of equipment and building fixtures within a school premises. These duties require service contracts as educational institutions often look to outsourcing the works or services.

School maintenance contracts can cover a wide range of services. These could include:

The tendering process

Tendering for school maintenance contracts generally follows a standard process. You will often need to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ). This is a preliminary stage that establishes if you meet the necessary minimum eligibility criteria. It’s usually a box-ticking exercise that generally asks for the following information:

  • Company information
  • Subcontractor information
  • Economic and financial standing
  • Health and safety policy and risk assessment
  • Grounds for mandatory exclusion
  • Non-collusion statement
  • Equality and diversity policy
  • Environmental policy
  • Modern Slavery policy.

Once you have passed this initial stage, you’ll be shortlisted and sent an invitation to tender (ITT). This is called a closed tender. This stage requires you to write your tender responses to the buyer’s questions. The tender documents will contain information such as:

  • A buyer profile – detailing the buyer’s overall missions and objectives.
  • The award criteria – detailing how the tender is awarded and evaluated.
  • Specification – an in-depth document detailing what’s required.
  • Separate appendices – these vary depending on what’s being procured, it can include pricing schedules or key performance indicators for example.

Framework agreements

Framework agreements are often used as a tendering procedure for school maintenance contracts within the public sector. A framework agreement is a multi-supplier agreement that can run for months or several years. A framework agreement for school maintenance contracts could look something like this:

  • Lot 1 – The Provision and Installation of Electrical Equipment
  • Lot 2 – Painting and Decorating Works
  • Lot 3 – Grounds Maintenance Services
  • Lot 4 – Manned Security
  • Lot 5 – Janitorial Cleaning

So, if your business specialises in janitorial cleaning, you need only apply to lot 5. Some framework agreements may allow suppliers to apply for multiple lots, although this is often capped at three. When applying to multiple lots, you will need to supply the buyer with evidential proof of your capability. You will need to demonstrate that you have the necessary resources, money, experience and ability to deliver all three.

Methods of measurement  

There are often multiple methods of measurement for school maintenance contracts. These could include, but aren’t limited to the following:

Each aspect can be assessed either individually or as a mix. A buyer is looking for those tenders that score highly across the board. The weightings for the evaluation of school maintenance contracts vary depending on the buyer’s needs.

A private buyer is not restricted by the same policies and processes as a public buyer is. They are able to choose the cheapest bid if they want. However, a public buyer must award the bid to the most economically advantageous tender. This is because a public buyer must demonstrate the most value for money when spending taxpayer’s money.

Social value and sustainability

Schools routinely purchase products and services and it’s up to them if they purchase sustainable consumer goods. With many wanting to head towards more sustainable procurement of products and services, they may wish to purchase:

  • Cleaning products with reduced environmental impacts
  • Recycled paper and stationery products
  • Kitchen equipment that’s energy efficient
  • Vehicles that are fuel efficient
  • Water efficiency equipment
  • Office machinery that’s energy efficient.

When tendering in the public sector, there’s now a mandatory minimum weighting on 10% on social value. A supplier will need to assess the relevant economic, environmental and social aspects while carrying out the contract. These could include the following examples:

  • COVID-19 recovery
  • The environmental considerations taken
  • Creation of new jobs to tackle unemployment
  • Equal opportunities and diversity policies implemented
  • Paying employees the National Living Wage to tackle economic inequality.

Now you have read the complete guide to cleaning contracts. You should have a better idea of what to expect when tendering for contracts. However, if you’re still struggling with your response we can help.

7 Aspects of Tendering for Cleaning Contracts You Haven’t Considered

1.    Don’t dismiss joining up with other companies

Imagine it. You’re excited about a contract until you realise that you don’t currently have the required skills or resources. Allowing for cooperation with other companies can seriously expand your service capabilities. And at the same time, both parties are earning valuable experience. Tendering for cleaning contracts can mean split lots, so this could be a reality for your company in the future. If you’re an SME, this environment gives you the opportunity to not only compete but thrive and grow. Ultimately, subcontracting is a solid method for entering the tendering process.

2.    Spell out your experience

In the private sector, businesses use networking and professional relationships to help secure tendering success. However, in the public sector, this isn’t possible due to an emphasis on transparency and fairness. Either way, spell out your experience and what makes you stand out. When it comes to tendering for cleaning contracts, you’ll be evaluated on the tender you submit, not anything else.

3.    Service offerings

If you have a chance, look at your competitors on the market. What service offerings do you sell that they don’t? Outlining the specific benefits of your unique services helps raise awareness of gaps in the market. Let’s say, for example, that your competitors don’t supply a specific product that is required from the buyer. By highlighting this product offering, you’re inadvertently pointing to your competitor’s shortcomings.

4.     Specialise your team when writing the bid

You’re writing the bid, and you can’t seem to get the part on health and safety policies right. What’s gone wrong?

You haven’t employed the experts…

When you’re writing company policies, it’s best to use the company expert. They’ll approach the issue with an experienced background and further validate what you’re saying.

5.     Receiving feedback

One of the fastest ways to improve your bid responses is by simply listening to feedback. The buyer has a duty to address what went right and what went wrong with your bid. And in the case of the private sector, if they don’t offer it, be proactive in asking for feedback. Even if you’re successful, feedback is still valuable when tendering for cleaning contracts.

6. Get your questions prepared!

Too many businesses see the buyer as some unapproachable figure that doesn’t want to be contacted.

And frankly, this isn’t true.

A sign of a good Bid Writer is someone who utilises every opportunity for contact.

Every email and clarification question should be well thought out so that you’re not wasting time.

The buyer will respect your initiative and consider this attitude in the evaluation process.

7.     Why does your business exist?

Your cleaning services and pricing is vital to any bid. But there’s one aspect that’s never spoken about – the reason behind your business.

Two questions should take precedence when thinking about this…

Who are we?

What do we do?

This can be covered in impact statements.

“At X Cleaning, we generate jobs in which employees are valued as pivotal roles of the company. Together, we positively impact the lives of X county.”

“Cleaning is not only our passion but our difference. We want to change the game when it comes to cleaning services.”

Statements like this help inform the buyer of who you are, your purpose and how you positively impact your area.

Our success

One cleaning service provider we saw success with is APM Cleaning. We worked closely with them to secure work on multiple lots on a framework agreement. They provided the following feedback on our services:

The Hudson Team were very reactive in their ways of working and handled all communications very effectively and efficiently. This partnership is credit to the recent win for the Prosper DPS for Facilities Management, which we were successful on all LOTs applied. We would recommend Hudson to any company who require bid support of any kind!”

– Samantha Reid, Director, APM Cleaning.

Our bid writers also produce successful bids across a range of sectors, helping clients see results such as:

  • Securing £200million over a 5year period
  • Increasing the organisation’s turnover by 20% from one bid submission
  • Securing 4-years of sustainable income
  • Winning a contract for £350k on their first bid
  • A guaranteed £6million of income, over four years.

Find more results on our testimonials page. Call or email us for a free quote.

Conclusion

Tendering for cleaning contracts is an excellent way to grow your business. The best way to see success is to ensure you are well-prepared and well-supported for the tendering process! We offer a range of support to carry you through, from finding the tender to becoming the successful bidder.

If you follow our tips and considerations, you’ll be well on your way to securing future cleaning contracts.

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

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite allows you to identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two upgraded packages can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate. Each can help save you even more time when searching for school maintenance contract tenders.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

  • A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Facilities and Logistics, for example.
  • Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
  • Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable facilities tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

  • All of the above.
  • Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
  • A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

Asbestos Tender Opportunities: 5 Things to Expect

Posted on by John Hudson

Asbestos tender opportunities and where to find them

Asbestos tender opportunities are fairly common within the facilities industry. They are released by both the public and private sector. Although, you can expect to see more asbestos tender opportunities released by public sector organisations, such as local councils. They are used to procure services and works in relation to asbestos.

You may be able to find asbestos tender opportunities for:

  • Surveying, sampling and analytical services
  • Removal
  • Testing and consultancy
  • Asbestos management services.

Asbestos was used in building works from the 20th Century, with the peak usage in the 60s and 70s. There is an array of buildings that now need it removed or tested after its ban in the 1980s. These may include:

  • Offices
  • Educational premises
  • Leisure centres
  • Social housing
  • Community centre
  • Shop units
  • Depots
  • Residential homes.

5 Things you can expect from asbestos tender opportunities

  1. Framework Agreements

A framework agreement is a multi-supplier agreement used by public sector organisations. They are used by a buyer to secure multiple suppliers for particular services, goods and works. They’re also used by buyers if there is a contract with multiple locations.

The length of framework agreements can range from a few months to multiple years at a time. Some offer the possibility of an extension and securing a place can be a lucrative opportunity for your business. They are a great way of securing a pipeline of work for your company.

They are split into lots and each lot is a specific good, service or location. It allows suppliers to tender for work applying for the certain lot[s] they can deliver. This means a supplier doesn’t have to be able to provide the whole contract. Depending on the buyer, and the framework, a supplier may be able to apply for multiple lots. In this case, a supplier will have to provide hard evidential proof they have the resources to deliver multiple lots.

Below is an example of an asbestos tender framework agreement broken into locational lots:

Lot 1 – Birmingham City Council

Lot 2 – Wolverhampton City Council

Lot 3 – Coventry City Council

Lot 4 – Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

Lot 5 – Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

If you were only able to provide your services to the Solihull area, you would only apply for Lot 5.

  1. A method statement

You will likely be asked to provide a method statement when applying for asbestos tender opportunities. An example question that may be asked is:

“Please provide a method statement from an operational perspective detailing how the project works will be undertaken in an occupied building, where you perceive the key risks are in operating in an occupied building and how you proposed to mitigate these risks (your answer should be limited to 500 words).”

For this, you could include a step-by-step guide detailing how you would deliver the work at hand. A focus on carrying out the works safely is crucial. Including how employees carry out work in a safe manner to prevent injury to themselves or others is also vital. Typically, a method statement will include how your business handles the following:

  • First aid
  • PPE
  • Welfare
  • Staff and training
  • Tools and equipment
  • Material handling.

  1. Proof of relevant qualifications and accreditations

When writing your proposal for asbestos tender opportunities, you can expect to provide evidence of your technical capability. Buyers will likely ask what relevant qualifications, accreditations and licences your business and employees have. These could be:

  • ISO 9001; 14001
  • OHAS 18001
  • EMAS
  • RIDDOR
  • CHAS
  • Asbestos Removal Licence
  • ConstructionLine certificate.

This is because they want to be reassured that your business upholds best practice.

  1. Value for money

Public sector contracts will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender, which is known as the MEAT. They want to be assured that taxpayer’s money is spent on tenders that present the most value for money. Buyers will be looking at more than just price. They will be looking at aspects of your tender response individually and combined.

Each buyer has different needs and requirements. The tender specification will detail what aspects the buyer will be evaluating the tender on. It could include the following:

  • Innovation
  • Environmental aspects
  • Ability to deliver on time
  • Technical ability
  • Quality
  • Sustainability.

  1. Social value

Asbestos tenders in the public sector will have an evaluated section on social value. The minimum weighting is 10%, but it can be as large as 30%. Social value covers the social, economic and environmental aspects of a contract. You should be making pledges that you can keep in your tender response. This is because they are likely to be contractually binding. Therefore, it is something that you should carefully consider.

Due to the nature of asbestos, it’s likely that there’ll be an emphasis on the environmental aspects of a contract. Social value considerations you could include in your response could be:

  • COVID-19 recovery
  • Supporting the local community through employment of local labour
  • Reducing waste
  • Paying National Living Wage
  • The sustainable and environmental practices you implement
  • Equality and diversity policies
  • Apprenticeship training.

Need help writing your next asbestos tender proposal?

You may not have the time or the resources to write a winning response for asbestos tenders in-house. It can take hours out of your day, and some questions can be confusing if you’ve never tendered before. Outsourcing to a bid writing company can help take the headache out of tendering, maximising your chances of success.

Our sister company Hudson Succeed, are experts in tender responses. They have over 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. They offer four bid writing support services that can help you win more asbestos tender opportunities. Whether you’re completely new to tendering or need a response proofread before you submit – they can help.

Tender Writing

Once you’ve found the perfect asbestos tender opportunity for your business, send it our way. Our Bid Writers can take care of it all for you and they’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll let you know what they need from you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is perfect for those who have never tendered before. A Bid Writer will work with you to make sure you have everything you need in place to tender successfully. The Tender Ready programme offers your business:

  • A 12-month subscription to Facilities Tenders
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding professionals
  • An organisation-wide Bid Library, including 3 case studies, 5 CV’s and 8 policies
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

Tender Improvement can help if you aren’t seeing the desired results from your current tendering efforts. The Bid Team will assess your previous responses and tender documents, working with you to improve for future submissions. This package includes a 12-month subscription to Facilities Tenders and additional tendering development services.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written your own tender response and need someone to double-check it for errors, Tender Mentor can help. Our Bid Team will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar or spelling mistakes. They’ll also ensure that it’s in line with the specification before you submit.

Where can I find asbestos tender opportunities?

Searching for the right tender for your company can take time. There are thousands of sites posting multi-industry opportunities that are updated daily. Each may require a different login, password or portal and it can be hard to keep up. Simply relying on CPV codes can result in missed opportunities. This is because they are often mislabelled, ironically, going against their very purpose.

Luckily for you, we have a solution. Facilities Tenders is a portal that hosts all live tendering opportunities within the facilities management industry. It’s a time-saving tool that can help optimise your search using one, easy-to-navigate centralised portal.

Our Opportunity Trackers source and upload exclusive, public and private sector tenders from across the UK. You’re able to filter and search the results by keyword, budget, location and more. This allows you to find the perfect asbestos tender opportunities for your business, streamlining the process.

Below are previous asbestos tender opportunities sourced on our portal:

Approved list for Asbestos Removal – Review

London Borough of Bexley- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Asbestos Management Services

Newport City Homes- Wales- Budget: £2,400,000

Asbestos Removal Services

B3 Living- Eastern- Budget: £500,000

Asbestos Removal to New Islington Mill

Salford City Council- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

Asbestos Testing & Consultancy Framework

Hampshire County Council- South East- Budget: £500,000

A 12-month subscription to Facilities Tenders offers your business:

  • Access to all exclusive, public and private sector opportunities within the facilities management industry.
  • An on-hand Account Manager available to answer any questions you may have about finding asbestos tender opportunities. They can help you understand the procurement process and answer any questions you have about the tendering process in general.
  • A daily email bulletin sent straight to your inbox when new, sector-specific opportunities are uploaded.
  • Discounted support from Hudson Succeed, our bid writing division.
  • 20-minutes of free consultancy with one of our Bid Consultants each month.

We also track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite allows you to identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two upgraded packages can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate. Each can help save you even more time when searching for asbestos tendering opportunities.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

  • A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Facilities and Construction, for example.
  • Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
  • Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable facilities tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

  • All of the above.
  • Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
  • A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

Cleaning Contracts: A Complete Guide to Finding and Securing Cleaning Contracts

Posted on by John Hudson

Everything you need to know to find & win cleaning contracts

Finding cleaning contracts can turn into a bit of a minefield if you don’t know where to look. There are thousands of websites posting new cleaning contracts, in the form of tendering opportunities, daily across the UK.

Buyers procuring cleaning contracts can in sectors from education, local authorities, SMEs, public spaces, leisure centres, supermarkets and more. They can have varied budgets ranging from £5,000 to multi-million-pound frameworks.

If you’ve never tendered before, you may have some questions. This blog will provide answers to your cleaning contract FAQs as well as some top tips on winning the bids.

So, let’s start off with an easy one…

Can I buy cleaning contracts?

You may be wondering if you can just buy cleaning contracts, and you are not alone. However, the answer to your question is short and simple – no.

The cleaning business has always been a highly competitive marketplace. This is true now more than ever. COVID-19 has led to a steep increase in both the public and private sectors putting out increased cleaning contracts. Unfortunately, you can’t just go out and buy cleaning contracts. So, here’s how to go about it instead.

What is tendering?

Let’s start off with a simple question – what is tendering? Cleaning contracts are primarily procured through tendering. This is when a business requires a good or a service that they can’t do themselves. Or, if the business contract exceeds the public sector threshold, they will then be put out to tender. Then, any potential suppliers can respond to this call with their tender response.

A number of businesses may want to procure cleaning services, and the cleaning sector itself is vast. It covers areas such as:

  • Residential
  • Educational Institutions
  • Commercial
  • Corporate
  • Industrial
  • Local government
  • Culture and Heritage Sites

However, don’t despair. This blog will tell you how to secure a cleaning tender instead as you’re unable to buy cleaning contracts.

A 10-step guide to how to secure a cleaning contract:

  1. Tracking the opportunity

Making sure you are tendering for the right opportunities for your businesses is vital. This ensures consistent growth and development which could lead to expansion. In order to do this, you need to know where to find the right opportunities for your business.

This can be done via tendering portals. We host live cleaning contract opportunities on our Facilities Tenders portal. You can filter the live results via keyword, budget, location and more on one site. This saves you countless hours that would otherwise be spent trawling hundreds of websites daily.

Here are some past cleaning contracts that were sourced on our portal:

ATD Specialist Cleaning 2021

Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency- Eastern- Budget: £60,000

Cleaning – Dynamic Purchasing System

Advantage South West- South West- Budget: Undisclosed

Hall Green School – Cleaning Tender

Hall Green School- West Midlands- Budget: £435,000

Mobile Cleaning Operative

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council- West Midlands- Budget: £5,000

Provision of Cleaning Services

Leicester City Council- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

Join Facilities Tenders

We track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

Once you have sourced what you think is the right opportunity for your business, you should ask yourself:

  • Do I have the experience?
  • Can I fulfil this contract?
  • Are there any turnover requirements?
  • Do I have the specified qualifications and accreditations?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, then you should proceed onto the PQQ or SQ stage.

  1. PQQ

A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ) are used to establish the minimum eligibility criteria of a business. You may be asked to submit evidence of past contracts your business has carried out, or your businesses financial standing.

  1. ITT

An ITT stands for an invitation to tender. This is the next step of the tendering process if your company is shortlisted from the PQQ or SQ stage. An ITT is a formal document that’s issued by the buyer outlining the scope of the project. This invites a business to submit a formal tender for work.

An ITT is different from a PQQ or SQ because it outlines how you will commit to the project delivery. It often includes quality questions. They’ll ask how you carry out certain processes, what equipment you use, or what policies you have in place.

An ITT is often evaluated using the MEAT.

  1. MEAT

The most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) method means that the buyer is looking at more than just the price. They are putting a certain percentage on price but are also looking at the quality of your response, too. A combined score from these two weightings will establish a final score. The organisation with the best overall score is then awarded the contract.

  1. Social Value

You want to ensure when applying for opportunities in the public sector that you have thought about social value. There is now a mandatory 10% weighting on social value within a quality response. In some cases, it can hold a weight of up to 30%. You should take into consideration the social, economic and environmental aspects of the contract.

The buyer wants to know the commitments you’re making and ones you can keep. This new social value model came into use within the UK in January 2021. Perhaps you use eco-friendly products and are passionate about waste reduction.

Within your response, you could note:

  • How your organisation supports COVID-19 recovery.
  • The environmental considerations you have in place.
  • What equal opportunities you’ve implemented.
  • How you’re creating new jobs and developing new skills within the local community.
  • That you pay all employees the UK Living Wage.

  1. Provide Evidence

Up to three case studies may be required when submitting a tender response. It’s standard across public sector tendering for the buyer to ask for at least three past contracts of work. The case studies typically need to have been completed within the last five years.

It’s best to match your case studies to work of a similar scope that you have carried out. Testimonials from happy clients are always a plus. This demonstrates to the buyer that you are able to carry out the contract.

You need to make sure your cases studies are:

  • Detailed
  • Thorough
  • Well-developed
  • Showcase your company’s abilities.
  • Back up what you’re saying with evidence.

For example, imagine there is a contract that is looking to procure cleaning services of a primary school in Cheshire. You could include case studies of cleaning services you’ve carried out in a primary school of a similar location. Or, you could showcase the work you have carried out in other educational institutions.

  1. Relate to the specification

It is vital that you showcase your understanding of the specification in your response. Your response should demonstrate that you can provide the service that the buyer is looking for. The tender documentation for cleaning contracts will often include a specification of the exact requirements for the cleaning task needed. It’s imperative that you reference this in your method statement. This proves that you are aware of the buyer’s requirements and you are capable of delivering them.

For example, a buyer requires a certain room cleaning within an office using a specific piece of equipment. Make sure you replicate this scenario in your response. If you ignore it, you imply that you haven’t read the documentation properly. This will be greatly off-putting to buyers.

  1. Framework agreements

If you’re new to tendering, a framework agreement may be a good place to start. They can help you build up experience if you don’t already have it.

Frameworks are multi-supplier agreements, meaning there are often more places available. They typically run over longer terms ranging from 2 – 10 years. If you secure a place on a public sector framework, it can be a very lucrative opportunity for your business. This is because it is a guaranteed form of income, which can bring you peace of mind.

As you cannot buy cleaning contracts, applying for a framework agreement is a great opportunity that’s not to be missed. Buyers release a framework opportunity and then places are awarded to the best suppliers. Goods and services on frameworks are often divided into ‘Lots’. This means your business doesn’t have to fulfil the whole contract – only the chosen section.

You may find it useful to contact your local council to request to be considered for framework agreements. You should ask if they have any open as a subcontractor. This will allow you to build your company’s experience and is a great place to start if you’re an SME.  

  1. Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)

DPS’ are similar to framework agreements in that there are multiple suppliers on one system. They can run for years at a time and your business is able to join at any point while it’s open.

  1. Bid Writing Services

If you still need help with writing a cleaning contract response – we can help. Here at Hudson, we are experts in Bid Writing. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, have an 87% success rate and over 40-years bidding experience across multiple industries.

We offer four Bid Writing services to help you secure your next contract:

  1. The Tender Readyprogramme
  2. A Tender Improvementpackage
  3. Tender Mentorservice
  4. Tender Writing

So, instead of wondering if you can buy cleaning contracts, you now know how to apply through the tendering process.

Now you know that you can’t buy cleaning contracts, you may be wondering what is required from them. Cleaning contracts can cover a multitude of services. For example, janitorial, commercial, school cleaning, window cleaning, toilet blocks, specialist cleans and more.

Commercial cleaning contracts are often used to procure cleaning services for commercial buildings. Buyers can be in either the public or private sector. If you are unsure on whether you should be tendering for commercial cleaning contracts, the following advantages may help.

The advantages of tendering for commercial cleaning contracts

Tendering for work can have many advantages, particularly when tendering in the public sector. The procurement process has been updated by the government in order to level the playing field for SMEs. The government are actively looking to spend £1 in £3 with SMEs. This means there has never been a better time to tender for work as a smaller business. Other advantages for commercial cleaning contracts include:

Guaranteed pay

When doing business with public sector organisation, they are legally obligated to pay you upon winning a contract. The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) goes one step further and must pay its suppliers within 60-days of invoicing. This is to comply with the Prompt Payment Code. This creates a great piece of mind when tendering for work, particularly if you’re a first-time supplier.

Gain experience

Commercial cleaning contracts can enable you to gain experience. Such experience is crucial when tendering for work, as mentioned above. Buyers will require case studies and the more contracts you fulfil, the more experience you will have. This can then lead your business to apply for bigger contracts, helping your business grow.

Sustainability

Tendering for commercial cleaning contracts can help secure a pipeline of work for your business. Winning a place on a long-term contract, DPS or framework can create a sustainable future for your business. Our Bid Writers have helped our clients to secure upwards of four years of income from one win. This is no doubt one of the biggest advantages of tendering, and an attractive prospect to any business.

Make contacts

When carrying out a commercial cleaning contract, you will be forming new business relationships. This will help you work with more buyers as you will be making contracts. When tendering for future commercial cleaning contracts, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you’ve had previous happy clients.

Every business owner knows that without contacts, you’re in danger of your business plateauing. Building a base of contacts and connections can present your business with new opportunities. These opportunities may then lead to collaborations and inter-trading.

These advantages should convince you that there has never been a better time to tender. Your cleaning business should seriously consider tendering as a viable strategy for business growth.

Top Tips for Winning Janitorial Cleaning Bids

Janitorial cleaning bids can cover a range of services across a range of buildings, homes, and public facilities. At Facilities Tenders we source tenders for public and private sector janitorial work, including:

  • Government and public service bids, i.e. cleaning public sector care homes.
  • Commercial bids, i.e. cleaning museums.
  • Outdoor bids, i.e. gutter cleaning.
  • Transport bids, i.e. bus washing services.
  • Education bids, i.e. school cleaning.
  • Energy and utility bids, i.e. supplying gas and power.
  • Construction bids, i.e. deep cleaning of a company’s units/vans.
  • Industrial bids, i.e. cleaning power station facilities.

See a service your company provides? Great. If not, this is just a small selection of available opportunities for cleaning services – we source hundreds! Book a free live demo to view which live tenders are currently available near you.

Below are some previous janitorial cleaning tenders sourced on our portal:

Cleaning & Janitorial Services 2020

ITSLIGO- International- Budget: Undisclosed

Cleaning and Janitorial Materials and Washroom Services

National Procurement Service (Welsh Government)- Wales- Budget: £12,000,000

Cleaning and Janitorial Supplies

North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium Limited- North West- Budget: £12,000,000

GB-Leicester: COVID 19 Related PPE and Janitorial

University of Leicester- East Midlands- Budget: £100,000

Provision of Cleaning and Janitorial Services at the British High Commission Islamabad & British Deputy High Commissions at Karachi and Lahore

Foreign & Commonwealth Office- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Why should you tender for janitorial cleaning work?

Tendering isn’t just for large companies – solo service providers and small to medium enterprise (SMEs) can benefit too! Our bid writing division, Hudson Succeed, have worked closely with a range of cleaning businesses to win janitorial cleaning bids. There’s potential for huge business growth through tendering, and there are always contracts out there to bid for. The Opportunity Trackers at our tender tracking branch, Facilities Tenders, source new public sector janitorial opportunities every day!

Here are 7 things to consider before – and during – a janitorial cleaning bid!

1. Research the industry

What are the implications for the cleaning industry after a year like 2020? Firstly – cleaning service providers deserve national praise for the exceptionally important role they’ve played throughout the pandemic in 2020! Many cleaning and hygiene key workers have been on the frontline, fighting the virus, throughout the year. In 2020, cleanliness is more crucial than ever. Delia Cannings, representative of the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals (AHCP) said:

Cleaning operatives in the healthcare sector played a key role during the pandemic and have done an incredible job. Many have gone above and beyond, working longer hours, taking on extra responsibilities and adopting new standards and practices to prevent COVID-19 contamination.

Has demand changed in the industry?

There’s no doubt it’s been a trying time for the industry. Service providers have been forced to react and adapt. Lauren Kyle, representing the Business Services Association (BSA), discussed the shift in demand for cleaning bids in the cleaning industry:

Our members operate in a wide range of sectors, some of which – such as sports and leisure, transport, and retail – have seen a downturn, while others – such as schools, and hospitals – have seen heightened demand for cleaning and disinfection. 

In light of shifting trends, can your cleaning service adapt to meet new demands? For instance, can you seek experience in a healthcare setting to strengthen your case studies when tendering for in-demand services? Are you qualified to provide janitorial cleaning work in schools?

Using a sector-specific tendering portal which allows for keyword filtering will help you find relevant work, quickly and easily. We’ve seen a surge in public sector work on our Facilities Tender portal recently. There is always a steady stream of janitorial cleaning opportunities, particularly for schools and healthcare. Get in touch for more information on our portal and start finding live tenders available near you!

2. Prepare your documentation

Janitorial cleaning bids can be tricky. There are some things you should consider in advance to make sure you’re not wasting your time. Ensure your company is prepared to tender. For instance, a few areas of documentation worth considering before you even begin tendering are:

  • Accreditations

Do you have the relevant accreditations for janitorial cleaning bids? Tender specifications will often require that your company has a specific set of accreditations. There are also government requirements you must comply with for trading, including relevant insurance. You should prepare your company for tendering by ensuring you comply with all the requirements for your sector. This may include:

    • A detailed health and safety manual
    • Public liability insurance
    • Professional indemnity insurance
    • Employers’ liability insurance.

  • Turnover

Is your turnover good enough for the job? Buyers may set a turnover threshold in the specification to ensure your company is capable of taking on a job. This is particularly likely for large contracts. As a general rule, we never advise bidding for a contract that is more than half your annual turnover. For example, if you turn over £100k, we advise bidding for tenders with a maximum budget of £50k.

You may need to attach your most recent audited/unaudited accounts as proof of turnover. This is usually required early on in the process of a tender, i.e. the PQQor SQ. It should therefore be made clear whether your company’s turnover meets the threshold early on. This is always worth double-checking before going any further and wasting time with a tender.

  • Corporate literature

Does your business have the relevant corporate literature, ready to submit in a tender response? Is it well-designed and easy to read?

At Hudson, we can fully prepare you for tendering. We’ll create high-quality and company-branded content for you through our Tender Ready service. We’ll first create a checklist to determine what is needed to succeed with any janitorial cleaning bids. Then, we’ll work in collaboration with your team to produce detailed, precise, and concise documents, ready to tender!

3. Showcase your past experience

Another area you should ensure you’re prepared for when tendering for janitorial cleaning bids is demonstrable past experience. Do you have past experience in similar jobs that will prove you’re the best candidate? Are you certain this experience is relevant? How many previous contract examples does the specification request? Make sure you fit the bill here.

If you do have the credentials, you’ll need to provide evidence to back-up each claim. This will often be done through case studies. Our free Tender VLE masterclass walks you through how to set out your case studies effectively in a tender response.

Usually, it can be expected that you’ll to be asked to provide at least three relevant case studies. This applies to each service you provide. Make sure you describe and evaluate your experience in a way that that demonstrates why you’re the most qualified provider. Keep the information as relevant and fitted to the bid as you can! There’s no room for any irrelevant information on a past job, even if the overall experience itself is relevant. Every word counts!

4. Consider the scope of work – fully!

The scope of work is an important element of any bid. Janitorial cleaning bids, especially, have a lot of elements to consider. You will need to consider every aspect of the job to accurately generate a price and timescale. You should read and digest the full tender specification and supporting documents before you begin your tender response. To ensure the job is worth tendering for, you must be confident you’re the best service provider for the job!

Read carefully. You don’t want to miss an important element of the tender that disqualifies you. Neither should you ignore any aspects of the tender that may be out of reach for your services.

For example, the buyer might require cleaning services for 100+ schools across multiple counties. Are you certain you have the workforce and resources to deliver a job of this scope? And if so, do you have the experience to back this up and prove yourself on paper? Always be realistic and responsible in your tender responses. Only bid for work you know you have a solid chance of winning.

Some things you may need to query for a janitorial cleaning bid, for instance, include:

  • What equipment and supplies are required?
  • The number of staff members required to complete the work.
  • How large is the facility in square feet?
  • How many separate rooms require cleaning?
  • What kind of flooring is in each room?

Ask for as much information as possible on the building or facilities which are to be cleaned. Is something not specified in the tender, such as floor type? If you feel this would be helpful in judging the scope of work, ask for clarification!

5. Visit the site, whenever possible

Can you arrange a site visit with the buyer where you can visit the facility and assess it first-hand? If so – great! You’ll be in a much better bidding position. Site visits can be a very useful tool while tendering for janitorial cleaning bids.

As we’ve just mentioned, the more information you have before bidding, the better. Physically seeing the floor types, for instance, gives you a clearer view of the scope of the work. There’s only so much you can envisage from the black and white words of a tender specification. In a site visit, you can physically assess all parts of the building(s) where the job will take place. In doing so, you may want to consider:

  • Size of the rooms
  • Fixtures
  • Surface materials
  • Item counts, i.e. How many dining tables? How many toilet facilities?

A first-hand assessment of the site allows you to create a much more meaningful proposal. You can note the difficulty levels of different areas and better prepare for how the job will unfold, for instance. This helps you to finetune your timescale and workforce, to be as accurate as possible.

Remember to follow all necessary safety precautions during site visits, such as wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

6. Price your bid accurately

At its heart, the tendering process is designed to help buyers find the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). While the process offers suppliers a fair chance of winning, your pricing will always be compared to your competitors. Pricing is always an important aspect of a bid.

Check the weighting of how your bid will be evaluated in the award criteria of the tender specification. The bulk of the weighting will often be split between cost and quality. For example, janitorial cleaning may be assessed by 60% price and 40% quality, or vice versa. Some bids may even be based 100% on price.

Regardless of its weighting, you should always calculate your price accurately and competitively.

Consider the direct costs of the work (i.e. wages, supplies, equipment) and quote a price that allows you to make a profit. There are two don’ts to remember here:

  • Don’t overcharge to boost your profits, or you’ll end up wasting time on a tender that you’ll inevitably lose. The tendering process can be very time-consuming. Always aim for the lowest price you can, whilst still making a profit.
  • Don’t undercharge either. Slashing your prices dramatically may seem like a good way to become the MEAT, if you’re bidding for experience. However, this will likely scupper your chances. If your price is dramatically lower than the other bidders (who have all quoted similar prices), this will look odd. Buyers will become suspicious of particularly low prices and assume foul play, or incurred costs later down the line.

7. Ensure your writing is precise, concise and high quality

There’s a lot to consider in janitorial cleaning bids. However, you should never skimp on the quality of the writing and presentation of a bid. The proof is in the prose! A well-written, precise and easy to read proposal can be essential to the success of a bid.

Don’t worry if you don’t have natural writing prowess. Our bid writers at Hudson Succeed can provide you with a range of tender support. Our experts have an 87% success rate and are experienced with janitorial cleaning bids. Through our Tender Writing service, our Bid Writers will:

  • Write your tender response;
  • Answer any clarification questions you may have;
  • Advise on supporting documents and attach them;
  • Submit the final bid on your behalf.

School maintenance contracts

School maintenance contracts often involve maintaining and updating an inventory of equipment and building fixtures within a school premises. These duties require service contracts as educational institutions often look to outsourcing the works or services.

School maintenance contracts can cover a wide range of services. These could include:

The tendering process

Tendering for school maintenance contracts generally follows a standard process. You will often need to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ). This is a preliminary stage that establishes if you meet the necessary minimum eligibility criteria. It’s usually a box-ticking exercise that generally asks for the following information:

  • Company information
  • Subcontractor information
  • Economic and financial standing
  • Health and safety policy and risk assessment
  • Grounds for mandatory exclusion
  • Non-collusion statement
  • Equality and diversity policy
  • Environmental policy
  • Modern Slavery policy.

Once you have passed this initial stage, you’ll be shortlisted and sent an invitation to tender (ITT). This is called a closed tender. This stage requires you to write your tender responses to the buyer’s questions. The tender documents will contain information such as:

  • A buyer profile – detailing the buyer’s overall missions and objectives.
  • The award criteria – detailing how the tender is awarded and evaluated.
  • Specification – an in-depth document detailing what’s required.
  • Separate appendices – these vary depending on what’s being procured, it can include pricing schedules or key performance indicators for example.

Framework agreements

Framework agreements are often used as a tendering procedure for school maintenance contracts within the public sector. A framework agreement is a multi-supplier agreement that can run for months or several years. A framework agreement for school maintenance contracts could look something like this:

  • Lot 1 – The Provision and Installation of Electrical Equipment
  • Lot 2 – Painting and Decorating Works
  • Lot 3 – Grounds Maintenance Services
  • Lot 4 – Manned Security
  • Lot 5 – Janitorial Cleaning

So, if your business specialises in janitorial cleaning, you need only apply to lot 5. Some framework agreements may allow suppliers to apply for multiple lots, although this is often capped at three. When applying to multiple lots, you will need to supply the buyer with evidential proof of your capability. You will need to demonstrate that you have the necessary resources, money, experience and ability to deliver all three.

Methods of measurement  

There are often multiple methods of measurement for school maintenance contracts. These could include, but aren’t limited to the following:

Each aspect can be assessed either individually or as a mix. A buyer is looking for those tenders that score highly across the board. The weightings for the evaluation of school maintenance contracts vary depending on the buyer’s needs.

A private buyer is not restricted by the same policies and processes as a public buyer is. They are able to choose the cheapest bid if they want. However, a public buyer must award the bid to the most economically advantageous tender. This is because a public buyer must demonstrate the most value for money when spending taxpayer’s money.

Social value and sustainability

Schools routinely purchase products and services and it’s up to them if they purchase sustainable consumer goods. With many wanting to head towards more sustainable procurement of products and services, they may wish to purchase:

  • Cleaning products with reduced environmental impacts
  • Recycled paper and stationery products
  • Kitchen equipment that’s energy efficient
  • Vehicles that are fuel efficient
  • Water efficiency equipment
  • Office machinery that’s energy efficient.

When tendering in the public sector, there’s now a mandatory minimum weighting on 10% on social value. A supplier will need to assess the relevant economic, environmental and social aspects while carrying out the contract. These could include the following examples:

  • COVID-19 recovery
  • The environmental considerations taken
  • Creation of new jobs to tackle unemployment
  • Equal opportunities and diversity policies implemented
  • Paying employees the National Living Wage to tackle economic inequality.

Now you have read the complete guide to cleaning contracts. You should have a better idea of what to expect when tendering for contracts. However, if you’re still struggling with your response we can help.

Our success

One cleaning service provider we saw success with is APM Cleaning. We worked closely with them to secure work on multiple lots on a framework agreement. They provided the following feedback on our services:

The Hudson Team were very reactive in their ways of working and handled all communications very effectively and efficiently. This partnership is credit to the recent win for the Prosper DPS for Facilities Management, which we were successful on all LOTs applied. We would recommend Hudson to any company who require bid support of any kind!”

– Samantha Reid, Director, APM Cleaning.

Our bid writers also produce successful bids across a range of sectors, helping clients see results such as:

  • Securing £200million over a 5year period
  • Increasing the organisation’s turnover by 20% from one bid submission
  • Securing 4-years of sustainable income
  • Winning a contract for £350k on their first bid
  • A guaranteed £6million of income, over four years.

Find more results on our testimonials page. Call or email us for a free quote.

Conclusion

Tendering for cleaning contracts is an excellent way to grow your business. The best way to see success is to ensure you are well-prepared and well-supported for the tendering process! We offer a range of support to carry you through, from finding the tender to becoming the successful bidder.

If you follow our tips and considerations, you’ll be well on your way to securing future cleaning contracts.

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

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite allows you to identify tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two upgraded packages can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate. Each can help save you even more time when searching for school maintenance contract tenders.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

  • A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Facilities and Logistics, for example.
  • Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
  • Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable facilities tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

  • All of the above.
  • Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
  • A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

Can I Buy Cleaning Contracts?

Posted on by John Hudson

You can’t simply buy cleaning contracts, so here’s what to do instead

You may be wondering if you can just buy cleaning contracts, and you are not alone. However, the answer to your question is short and simple – no.

The cleaning business has always been a highly competitive marketplace. This is true now more than ever. The rise of COVID-19 has led to a steep increase in both the public and private sectors putting cleaning contracts. Unfortunately, you can’t just go out and buy cleaning contracts. So, here’s how to go about it instead.

What is tendering?

Let’s start off with a simple question – what is tendering? Cleaning contracts are primarily procured through tendering. This is when a business requires a good or a service that they can’t do themselves. Or, if the business contract exceeds the public sector threshold, they will then be put out to tender. Then, any potential suppliers can respond to this call with their tender response.

A number of businesses may want to procure cleaning services, and the cleaning sector itself is vast. It covers areas such as:

  • Residential
  • Educational Institutions
  • Commercial
  • Corporate
  • Industrial
  • Local government
  • Culture and Heritage Sites

However, don’t despair. This blog will tell you how to secure a cleaning tender instead since you can’t buy cleaning contracts.

A 10-step guide to how to secure a cleaning contract:

  1. Tracking the opportunity

Making sure you are tendering for the right opportunities for your businesses is vital. This ensures consistent growth and development which could lead to expansion. In order to do this, you need to know where to find the right opportunities for your business.

This can be done via tendering portals. We host live cleaning contract opportunities on our Facilities Tenders portal. You can filter the live results via keyword, budget, location and more on one site. This saves you countless hours that would otherwise be spent trawling hundreds of websites daily.

Here are some past cleaning contracts that were sourced on our portal:

ATD Specialist Cleaning 2021

Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency- Eastern- Budget: £60,000

31-01-2021

Cleaning – Dynamic Purchasing System

Advantage South West- South West- Budget: Undisclosed

22-01-2021

Hall Green School – Cleaning Tender

Hall Green School- West Midlands- Budget: £435,000

26-01-2021

Mobile Cleaning Operative

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council- West Midlands- Budget: £5,000

20-01-2021

Provision of Cleaning Services

Leicester City Council- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

18-01-2021

Join Facilities Tenders

We track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

Once you have sourced what you think is the right opportunity for your business, you should ask yourself:

  • Do I have the experience?
  • Can I fulfil this contract?
  • Are there any turnover requirements?
  • Do I have the specified qualifications and accreditations?

If you can answer yes to all of the above, then you should proceed onto the PQQ or SQ stage.

  1. PQQ

A pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ) are used to establish the minimum eligibility criteria of a business. You may be asked to submit evidence of past contracts your business has carried out, or your businesses financial standing.

  1. ITT

An ITT stands for an invitation to tender. This is the next step of the tendering process if your company is shortlisted from the PQQ or SQ stage. An ITT is a formal document that’s issued by the buyer outlining the scope of the project. This invites a business to submit a formal tender for work.

An ITT is different from a PQQ or SQ because it outlines how you will commit to the project delivery. It often includes quality questions. They’ll ask how you carry out certain processes, what equipment you use, or what policies you have in place.

An ITT is often evaluated using the MEAT.

  1. MEAT

The most economically advantageous tender (MEAT) method means that the buyer is looking at more than just the price. They are putting a certain percentage on price but are also looking at the quality of your response, too. A combined score from these two weightings will establish a final score. The organisation with the best overall score is then awarded the contract.

  1. Social Value

You want to ensure when applying for opportunities in the public sector that you have thought about social value. There is now a mandatory 10% weighting on social value within a quality response. In some cases, it can hold a weight of up to 30%. You should take into consideration the social, economic and environmental aspects of the contract.

The buyer wants to know the commitments you’re making and ones you can keep. This new social value model came into use within the UK in January 2021. Perhaps you use eco-friendly products and are passionate about waste reduction.

Within your response, you could note:

  • How your organisation supports COVID-19 recovery.
  • The environmental considerations you have in place.
  • What equal opportunities you’ve implemented.
  • How you’re creating new jobs and developing new skills within the local community.
  • That you pay all employees the UK Living Wage.

  1. Provide Evidence

Up to three case studies may be required when submitting a tender response. It’s standard across public sector tendering for the buyer to ask for at least three past contracts of work. The case studies typically need to have been completed within the last five years.

It’s best to match your case studies to work of a similar scope that you have carried out. Testimonials from happy clients are always a plus. This demonstrates to the buyer that you are able to carry out the contract.

You need to make sure your cases studies are:

  • Detailed
  • Thorough
  • Well-developed
  • Showcase your company’s abilities.
  • Back up what you’re saying with evidence.

For example, imagine there is a contract that is looking to procure cleaning services of a primary school in Cheshire. You could include case studies of cleaning services you’ve carried out in a primary school of a similar location. Or, you could showcase the work you have carried out in other educational institutions.

  1. Relate to the specification

It is vital that you showcase your understanding of the specification in your response. Your response should demonstrate that you can provide the service that the buyer is looking for. The tender documentation for cleaning contracts will often include a specification of the exact requirements for the cleaning task needed. It’s imperative that you reference this in your method statement. This proves that you are aware of the buyer’s requirements and you are capable of delivering them.

For example, a buyer requires a certain room cleaning within an office using a specific piece of equipment. Make sure you replicate this scenario in your response. If you ignore it, you imply that you haven’t read the documentation properly. This will be greatly off-putting to buyers.

  1. Framework agreements

If you’re new to tendering, a framework agreement may be a good place to start. They can help you build up experience if you don’t already have it.

Frameworks are multi-supplier agreements, meaning there are often more places available. They typically run over longer terms ranging from 2 – 10 years. If you secure a place on a public sector framework, it can be a very lucrative opportunity for your business. This is because it is a guaranteed form of income, which can bring you peace of mind.

As you cannot buy cleaning contracts, applying for a framework agreement is a great opportunity that’s not to be missed. Buyers release a framework opportunity and then places are awarded to the best suppliers. Goods and services on frameworks are often divided into ‘Lots’. This means your business doesn’t have to fulfil the whole contract – only the chosen section.

You may find it useful to contact your local council to request to be considered for framework agreements. You should ask if they have any open as a subcontractor. This will allow you to build your company’s experience and is a great place to start if you’re an SME.  

  1. Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)

DPS’ are similar to framework agreements in that there are multiple suppliers on one system. They can run for years at a time and your business is able to join at any point while it’s open.

  1. Bid Writing Services

If you still need help with writing a cleaning contract response – we can help. Here at Hudson, we are experts in Bid Writing. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, have an 87% success rate and over 40-years bidding experience across multiple industries.

We offer four Bid Writing services to help you secure your next contract:

  1. The Tender Ready programme
  2. A Tender Improvement package
  3. Tender Mentor service
  4. Tender Writing

So, instead of wondering if you can buy cleaning contracts, you now know how to apply through the tendering process.

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

Janitorial Cleaning Bids: 7 Things to Consider

Posted on by John Hudson

7 Tips for Winning Janitorial Cleaning Bids

Janitorial cleaning bids can cover a range of services across a range of buildings, homes, and public facilities. At Facilities Tenders we source tenders for public and private sector janitorial work, including:

  • Government and public service bids, i.e. cleaning public sector care homes.
  • Commercial bids, i.e. cleaning museums.
  • Outdoor bids, i.e. gutter cleaning.
  • Transport bids, i.e. bus washing services.
  • Education bids, i.e. school cleaning.
  • Energy and utility bids, i.e. supplying gas and power.
  • Construction bids, i.e. deep cleaning of a company’s units/vans.
  • Industrial bids, i.e. cleaning power station facilities.

See a service your company provides? Great. If not, this is just a small selection of available opportunities for cleaning services – we source hundreds! Book a free live demo to view which live tenders are currently available near you.

Why should you tender for janitorial cleaning work?

Tendering isn’t just for large companies – solo service providers and small to medium enterprise (SMEs) can benefit too! Our bid writing division, Hudson Succeed, have worked closely with a range of cleaning businesses to win janitorial cleaning bids. There’s potential for huge business growth through tendering, and there are always contracts out there to bid for. The Opportunity Trackers at our tender tracking branch, Facilities Tenders, source new public sector janitorial opportunities every day!

Here are 7 things to consider before – and during – a janitorial cleaning bid!

  1. Research the industry.

What are the implications for the cleaning industry after a year like 2020? Firstly – cleaning service providers deserve national praise for the exceptionally important role they’ve played throughout the pandemic in 2020! Many cleaning and hygiene key workers have been on the frontline, fighting the virus, throughout the year. In 2020, cleanliness is more crucial than ever. Delia Cannings, representative of the Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals (AHCP) said:

Cleaning operatives in the healthcare sector played a key role during the pandemic and have done an incredible job. Many have gone above and beyond, working longer hours, taking on extra responsibilities and adopting new standards and practices to prevent COVID-19 contamination.

Has demand changed in the industry?

There’s no doubt it’s been a trying time for the industry. Service providers have been forced to react and adapt. Lauren Kyle, representing the Business Services Association (BSA), discussed the shift in demand for cleaning bids in the cleaning industry:

Our members operate in a wide range of sectors, some of which – such as sports and leisure, transport, and retail – have seen a downturn, while others – such as schools, and hospitals – have seen heightened demand for cleaning and disinfection. 

In light of shifting trends, can your cleaning service adapt to meet new demands? For instance, can you seek experience in a healthcare setting to strengthen your case studies when tendering for in-demand services? Are you qualified to provide janitorial cleaning work in schools?

Using a sector-specific tendering portal which allows for keyword filtering will help you find relevant work, quickly and easily. We’ve seen a surge in public sector work on our Facilities Tender portal recently. There is always a steady stream of janitorial cleaning opportunities, particularly for schools and healthcare. Get in touch for more information on our portal and start finding live tenders available near you!

  1. Prepare your documentation.

Janitorial cleaning bids can be tricky. There are some things you should consider in advance to make sure you’re not wasting your time. Ensure your company is prepared to tender. For instance, a few areas of documentation worth considering before you even begin tendering are:

  • Accreditations.

Do you have the relevant accreditations for janitorial cleaning bids? Tender specifications will often require that your company has a specific set of accreditations. There are also government requirements you must comply with for trading, including relevant insurance. You should prepare your company for tendering by ensuring you comply with all the requirements for your sector. This may include:

    • A detailed health and safety manual
    • Public liability insurance
    • Professional indemnity insurance
    • Employers’ liability insurance.

  • Turnover.

Is your turnover good enough for the job? Buyers may set a turnover threshold in the specification to ensure your company is capable of taking on a job. This is particularly likely for large contracts. As a general rule, we never advise bidding for a contract that is more than half your annual turnover. For example, if you turn over £100k, we advise bidding for tenders with a maximum budget of £50k.

  • You may need to attach your most recent audited/unaudited accounts as proof of turnover. This is usually required early on in the process of a tender, i.e. the PQQor SQ. It should therefore be made clear whether your company’s turnover meets the threshold early on. This is always worth double-checking before going any further and wasting time with a tender.

  • Corporate literature.

Does your business have the relevant corporate literature, ready to submit in a tender response? Is it well-designed and easy to read?

At Hudson, we can fully prepare you for tendering. We’ll create high-quality and company-branded content for you through our Tender Ready service. We’ll first create a checklist to determine what is needed to succeed with any janitorial cleaning bids. Then, we’ll work in collaboration with your team to produce detailed, precise, and concise documents, ready to tender!

  1. Showcase your past experience.

Another area you should ensure you’re prepared for when tendering for janitorial cleaning bids is demonstrable past experience. Do you have past experience in similar jobs that will prove you’re the best candidate? Are you certain this experience is relevant? How many previous contract examples does the specification request? Make sure you fit the bill here.

If you do have the credentials, you’ll need to provide evidence to back-up each claim. This will often be done through case studies. Our free Tender VLE masterclass walks you through how to set out your case studies effectively in a tender response.

Usually, it can be expected that you’ll to be asked to provide at least three relevant case studies. This applies to each service you provide. Make sure you describe and evaluate your experience in a way that that demonstrates why you’re the most qualified provider. Keep the information as relevant and fitted to the bid as you can! There’s no room for any irrelevant information on a past job, even if the overall experience itself is relevant. Every word counts!

  1. Consider the scope of work – fully!

The scope of work is an important element of any bid. Janitorial cleaning bids, especially, have a lot of elements to consider. You will need to consider every aspect of the job to accurately generate a price and timescale. You should read and digest the full tender specification and supporting documents before you begin your tender response. To ensure the job is worth tendering for, you must be confident you’re the best service provider for the job!

Read carefully. You don’t want to miss an important element of the tender that disqualifies you. Neither should you ignore any aspects of the tender that may be out of reach for your services.

For example, the buyer might require cleaning services for 100+ schools across multiple counties. Are you certain you have the workforce and resources to deliver a job of this scope? And if so, do you have the experience to back this up and prove yourself on paper? Always be realistic and responsible in your tender responses. Only bid for work you know you have a solid chance of winning.

Some things you may need to query for a janitorial cleaning bid, for instance, include:

  • What equipment and supplies are required?
  • The number of staff members required to complete the work.
  • How large is the facility in square feet?
  • How many separate rooms require cleaning?
  • What kind of flooring is in each room?

Ask for as much information as possible on the building or facilities which are to be cleaned. Is something not specified in the tender, such as floor type? If you feel this would be helpful in judging the scope of work, ask for clarification!

  1. Visit the site, whenever possible.

Can you arrange a site visit with the buyer where you can visit the facility and assess it first-hand? If so – great! You’ll be in a much better bidding position. Site visits can be a very useful tool while tendering for janitorial cleaning bids.

As we’ve just mentioned, the more information you have before bidding, the better. Physically seeing the floor types, for instance, gives you a clearer view of the scope of the work. There’s only so much you can envisage from the black and white words of a tender specification. In a site visit, you can physically assess all parts of the building(s) where the job will take place. In doing so, you may want to consider:

  • Size of the rooms
  • Fixtures
  • Surface materials
  • Item counts, i.e. How many dining tables? How many toilet facilities?

A first-hand assessment of the site allows you to create a much more meaningful proposal. You can note the difficulty levels of different areas and better prepare for how the job will unfold, for instance. This helps you to finetune your timescale and workforce, to be as accurate as possible.

Remember to follow all necessary safety precautions during site visits, such as wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing.

  1. Price your bid accurately.

At its heart, the tendering process is designed to help buyers find the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT). While the process offers suppliers a fair chance of winning, your pricing will always be compared to your competitors. Pricing is always an important aspect of a bid.

Check the weighting of how your bid will be evaluated in the award criteria of the tender specification. The bulk of the weighting will often be split between cost and quality. For example, janitorial cleaning may be assessed by 60% price and 40% quality, or vice versa. Some bids may even be based 100% on price.

Regardless of its weighting, you should always calculate your price accurately and competitively.

Consider the direct costs of the work (i.e. wages, supplies, equipment) and quote a price that allows you to make a profit. There are two don’ts to remember here:

  • Don’t overcharge to boost your profits, or you’ll end up wasting time on a tender that you’ll inevitably lose. The tendering process can be very time-consuming. Always aim for the lowest price you can, whilst still making a profit.
  • Don’t undercharge either. Slashing your prices dramatically may seem like a good way to become the MEAT, if you’re bidding for experience. However, this will likely scupper your chances. If your price is dramatically lower than the other bidders (who have all quoted similar prices), this will look odd. Buyers will become suspicious of particularly low prices and assume foul play, or incurred costs later down the line.

  1. Ensure your writing is precise, concise and high quality.

There’s a lot to consider in janitorial cleaning bids. However, you should never skimp on the quality of the writing and presentation of a bid. The proof is in the prose! A well-written, precise and easy to read proposal can be essential to the success of a bid.

Don’t worry if you don’t have natural writing prowess. Our bid writers at Hudson Succeed can provide you with a range of tender support. Our experts have an 87% success rate and are experienced with janitorial cleaning bids. Through our Tender Writing service, our Bid Writers will:

  • Write your tender response;
  • Answer any clarification questions you may have;
  • Advise on supporting documents and attach them;
  • Submit the final bid on your behalf.

One cleaning service provider we saw success with is APM Cleaning. We worked closely with them to secure work on multiple lots on a framework agreement. They provided the following feedback on our services:

The Hudson Team were very reactive in their ways of working and handled all communications very effectively and efficiently. This partnership is credit to the recent win for the Prosper DPS for Facilities Management, which we were successful on all LOTs applied. We would recommend Hudson to any company who require bid support of any kind!  

– Samantha Reid, Director, APM Cleaning.

Our bid writers also produce successful bids across a range of sectors, helping clients see results such as:

  • Securing £200million over a 5year period
  • Increasing the organisation’s turnover by 20% from one bid submission
  • Securing 4-years of sustainable income
  • Winning a contract for £350k on their first bid
  • A guaranteed £6million of income, over four years.

Find more results on our testimonials page. Call or email us for a free quote.

Conclusion.

Tendering for janitorial cleaning bids is an excellent way to grow your business. The best way to see success is to ensure you are well-prepared and well-supported for the tendering process! We offer a range of support to carry you through, from finding the tender to becoming the successful bidder.

Join Facilities Tenders.

At Facilities Tenders, we source sector-specific tenders on a daily basis from thousands of buyers, across the UK. We know you’re busy! Our goal is to save you both time and money by manually searching for new business opportunities for you. We’ll send you daily alerts when tenders are released for services in your sector. You’ll have 24-hour access to our portal, and a dedicated Account Manager on hand to help.

We track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Below are some previous janitorial cleaning tenders sourced on our portal:

Cleaning & Janitorial Services 2020

ITSLIGO- International- Budget: Undisclosed

06-03-2020

Cleaning and Janitorial Materials and Washroom Services

National Procurement Service (Welsh Government)- Wales- Budget: £12,000,000

22-01-2020

Cleaning and Janitorial Supplies

North Western Universities Purchasing Consortium Limited- North West- Budget: £12,000,000

20-12-2019

GB-Leicester: COVID 19 Related PPE and Janitorial

University of Leicester- East Midlands- Budget: £100,000

31-07-2020

Provision of Cleaning and Janitorial Services at the British High Commission Islamabad & British Deputy High Commissions at Karachi and Lahore

Foreign & Commonwealth Office- London- Budget: Undisclosed

13-07-2020

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

We’ve Rebranded!

Posted on by John Hudson

Our parent company, Hudson, is going through a complete rebrand and so here at Facilities Tenders, we have a new look too!

We have also recently changed our name from Utilities Tenders to Facilities Tenders. Don’t worry! We are still sourcing fantastic business opportunities for the Facilities Management, Security and Cleaning industries. Get in touch to book your free live demo today.

You can check out our new logos and colour palette below:

facilities tenders logo   facilities tenders logo on white background

cleaning contracts image   cleaning tenders image- Facilities tenders

We hope you like it, we know we do!

 

Get in touch to get a part of the action and win various national contracts, with a value range from £500 to £1.4bn.

The sub-sectors we track Facilities Management Tenders for include:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

£780M INVESTMENT ANNOUNCED FOR EAST COAST TRANSPORTATION

Posted on by John Hudson

North East cash injection announced!

The North East will be “better connected than ever” Prime Minister Theresa May announced earlier this week. The plans to upgrade East Coast transportation will require investment in the region of £780 million with the aim of increasing both capacity and travel speed.

So, what does this mean for us and the wider procurement industry?

Improved connectivity means that more effective business partnerships will be formed, and a gap between traders, buyers and suppliers in the North and South might thus be bridged. This will offer both buyers and suppliers the chance to inter-trade nationally by establishing contracts with parties based outside of their immediate region. In our tendering and procurement endeavours, we have noted this to be a common concern for potential suppliers.

This investment comes as part of a region-wide goal to build a more prosperous future for the North East. The Prime Minister said, “We have set out major policies and investments as part of our Modern Industrial Strategy to unlock the potential in the North”.

The tendering process will become more accessible as the volume of feasible opportunities increases due to more efficient transport systems. Internally, we will be able to provide more contact support to our clients based in South East regions of the UK.

Facilities Management Contract

In light of these North East cash injection announcements, a £180 million drive for cutting edge research into renewable energy has also been revealed, due to take place in the North East. Don’t miss out on these new contracts. Use our Research Tenders or Facilities Tenders portal to access these opportunities as soon as they are published!

Get in touch to get a part of the action and win various national contracts, with a value range from £500 to £1.4bn.

At Facilities Tenders, we track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!

Our Tender Consultants are looking forward to utilising the improved transport services to deliver connect business relationships with our clients. We offer a range of Bid Writing and Management services, dedicated to your business growth efforts.

Facilities Management Tendering Doesn’t Need To Be Complicated!

Posted on by John Hudson

Facilities Management Tendering doesn’t need to be complicated

We’ll repeat … Facilities Management Tendering – DOES NOT NEED TO BE COMPLICATED!

There are many factors to why people assume tendering is overly-complicated. This is usually down to the amount of time it takes to complete and how mundane the process is. Yes – there may be 5000 pages of specification but hey … who doesn’t love a bit of light reading!

The three things you MUST possess when tendering is PERSISTENCE, PLANNING & POSITIVITY!

Let’s get past the moaning and downtrodden attitude to how ‘complicated’ tendering is and break the process down to show how easy it actually is!

In order to de-complicate the situation – let’s look at a few things that are deemed complicated when tendering. This includes:

1. Terminology – Facilities Management Tendering

The number of abbreviations flying around is becoming increasingly common in the procurement world. Terms like RFQs, ITTs, PQQs, DPS, and RFPs seems like they are only used to confuse us into a state of literary decline. Let’s simplify:

PQQ Pre-qualification questionnaire – this is usually a stage-1 questionnaire asking about specific company details like insurance and similar contracts you’ve worked on etc., along with simple ‘yes and no’ questions making sure you’re not fraudulent and you pay your taxes etc.
ITT Invitation to Tender – we can sometimes forget out the PQQ and jump straight into an ITT, which is usually where your quality and costing ratio comes in. This is where you price the job at hand and answer several technical questions about your ability to undergo the work in accordance with usually detailed specification/scopes of work.
RFP Request for Proposal – very similar to an ITT where cost and quality are assessed however RFPs are used in situations where the client either can’t – or doesn’t want to – define the scope of work up front to an adequate level of detail, meaning you need to be very descriptive and state a clear proposal to what’s needed.
RFQ Request for Quotation – The RFQ is a lot like the Tender, however typically smaller in size and scope. They’re often more geared towards clients who are seeking pricing information for a defined scope of work or supply of materials or equipment. Detailed proposals are typically less often sought here.
Framework A Framework Agreement is an agreement between one or more businesses or organisations. If you enter into a framework agreement, usually you will be one of many suppliers contractually bound to deliver against buyer requirements.
DPS Dynamic Purchasing System – A DPS is similar to an electronic framework agreement, with two exceptions, new suppliers can join at any time and it is to be run as a completely electronic process. DPS is used exclusively by public sector organisations and can be considered as a ‘competitive supply chain’, where all chosen supply chain members regularly compete for work via ITTs and RFQs.

2. Opportunities

These are extremely broad with hundreds upon hundreds of opportunities released daily! Customers tend to wish to have one main platform to source the most relevant opportunities to grow their business. Wouldn’t that be great? Currently, opportunities are typically shared through typically problematic electronic algorithms across multiple platforms, either showing you irrelevant opportunities or no opportunities at all.

Keeping it simple – sign up with our industry-specific portals via Hudson Discover to receive daily opportunities, sourced from the hundreds of UK tender portals. These are manually searched and published on a daily basis by a team of procurement-based staff, not computers. We are the first company to do this and the feedback we have is out of this world

3. Portals

There are thousands of online platforms, websites and communication systems that are evident across UK procurement. Some portals are outdated, complex and an all-around pain to navigate. Our team have used them all! Just make sure you know your key focus areas and process-knowledge for each website – these are working your way around:

  • Downloading all tender information;
  • Asking/monitoring clarification questions from other suppliers/the buyer;
  • Submitting the tender;

Every website should have a ‘help’ section – don’t be afraid to use it and/or contact the people who run it.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was one platform for everything? For every industry? For every buyer? WATCH THIS SPACE– we are working with national professionals to work on a user-friendly, affordable and globally accessible platform to condense UK procurement in a one-stop-shop fashion.

4. Writing

Not everyone can write in an engaging, concise and straightforward manner. It’s easy telling people what you do, but to put that on paper in a professional way, covering set criteria, is a major hassle for a lot of business developers. Don’t get stressed with it. Just remember 3 key focus areas when writing a response to any question:

  • WHAT: what you have done or what you are going to do?
  • HOW: how you have done this (methodology) or how you are going to do it?
  • EVIDENCE: hard-hitting proof that you have done it before- experience/ evidence is key!

We offer Bid Writing services, using our procurement experts with over 25 combined years’ experience of writing tenders. Check us out – Tender Consultants.

5. Losing

What is the point of spending all this time on a bid for it to lose and you to go back hating the process, hating the tender and subsequently hating life itself! Don’t fret – USE THE FEEDBACK! If you didn’t win the work because you lack ISO accreditations (for e.g.)– you know what to do! As part of our provision at Tender Consultants, we have a tender readiness programme that you can use to make sure you maintain a good chance of securing key pieces of work.
All procurement-based processes that most people find difficult/complicated are exactly that because of the lack of understanding of key tender-management processes. We will be launching a FREE training environment (Tender VLE) in May 2018, which focuses on everything tender and procurement based, including profound topics that will completely eradicate the notion that tendering and procurement is complicated.

Get in touch to get a part of the action and win various national contracts, with a value range from £500 to £1.4bn.

Below are previous facilities management tenders sourced on our portal:

013-1120T Framework for the Provision of Facilities Management Service

Agri-EPI Centre- Scotland- Budget: Undisclosed

CA8113 – Invitation to Tender Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) system

MSE Group- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

The Provision of Facilities Management Services

London Energy Limited- London- Budget: £7,000,000

Facilities Management Prior Information Notice

Efficiency East Midland Limited- East Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

Facilities Management Services– Oman

The British Council- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Join Facilities Tenders

We track opportunities for the following sub-sectors:

Book a free live demo today to learn how we can grow your business!