setting up a consultancy / going for tenders

**chicane** · 13 March 2008, 14:08

You'll need to start acting more like a real business - getting on the phone and cold calling prospective clients, doing some marketing activity to build your brand, all the usual stuff.

It's not rocket science but it's hard work and more risky than agency contracting - which is why most IT contractors do what they currently do.

**Sockpuppet** · 13 March 2008, 14:19

If you don't know how the tender process works I doubt that you are ready to start replying to them. Either they will be tiny or you'll get nailed by the big companies presentations team.

I did 2 permie years working on a team that did logistics tenders. I then did a 6 month contract on the other side sending them out. Boring work as the majority of it is thrown in the bin if you don't win the contract. But in a couple of years when I have built up some cash reserves it will enable me to tender directly for small work.

**scooby** · 13 March 2008, 14:26

i have done RFI and bids etc, but not in depth and only from the supplier side!

i think it would be worth finding a partner with experience in this area!

**sidknows** · 13 March 2008, 14:28

start by registering at this website as it opens up the way to low value government services up to 100,000

http://www.supply2.gov.uk/

**Fred Bloggs** · 13 March 2008, 15:18

Good luck, be prepared to get given lots of reasons why you can't tender because you're not on the "preferred vendor list". Then be prepared for lots of reasons why you do not qualify for preferred vendor listing. Then be prepared to produce lots and lots of policies about Health and Safety, Diversity, Environmental protection, Quality. Then be prepared to invest heavily in fully 3rd party audited quality and environmental registration schemes. Then you might, if you have any energy and money left at all, get to bid for a project which will take dozens and dozens of unpaid hours of your time to produce, so much in fact, that yoiu never actually get to do any paid work. After all that you might just land a project, do the work and get paid!

I have virtually given up on it. (I hope) YMMV!

**ratewhore** · 13 March 2008, 15:43

You need a sales function. You'll get nowhere without one. Sitting there bidding for tenders does not work on it's own.

**mcskiver** · 13 March 2008, 16:34

Having worked "on the other side", examining other co's tenders, I can back up what most of the other replies say.

The really sad thing is that in my personal experience, I often looked at smaller / newer companies who clearly had ability, only for these to be turned down by my Directors because they wanted a "big name".

Having said all of that, you have a better chance of being successful starting with bids for smaller tenders with smaller companies, or if you have a specific niche that not many competitors provide (ie. by building specialist software of your own).

I don't think it's all doom and gloom, but in the case of larger enterprises, all your hard work in tender documents will often go to waste unless you're known, or have an "in" with the company. You just need to pick your battles!

Good luck!

**Fred Bloggs** · 13 March 2008, 16:47

Yes, almost sadly in fact, I have been the guy who writes the spec, sends it out for tender, carries out the bid assesment and decides who gets the work. Often 3 to 5 bidders for one piece of work. Only 1 winner. The other 2 or 4 companies have spent (often times) many thousands of £'s putting together tenders for absolutely nothing. As a rule of thumb, aim to win 1 tender in 3. Any more and you're too cheap. Any less and you're too expensive.

Good luck, really!

**scooby** · 13 March 2008, 17:53

thanks all... not sure i'm set up for it now!!!

setting up a consultancy / going for tenders