How to create a winning tender application

As part of your planning, you’ll need to understand the different needs and concerns of your client – usually the buying team. They’ll be aiming to: 

• Make savings  
• Demonstrate effective purchasing management 
• Influence and improve ethical practices in their supply chain 

You’ll need to consider the following from their perspective: 

• Costs 
• Competitive advantage
• Innovation 
• Products and services  
• Your brand reputation 
• How you look after your customers 
• Risks that could impact their supply chain

One of the first things you’ll be asked when completing a tender is evidence that you’ve carried out a risk assessment. This is a detailed assessment of all the potential risks associated with the proposed work. A method statement outlines how you plan to mitigate the risks outlined in the risk assessment. 

A risk assessment and method statement are crucial in the tender process. They showcase your understanding of the risks associated with carrying out a project. And they reveal how you’re planning to manage those risks and ensure the safety of everyone involved. 

How can SafeWorkforce help?

Our experienced health and safety team can guide you through risk assessments and method statements. We’ll tailor them to the requirements of your business and the proposed project.  

Your health and safety policy outlines your organisation’s health and safety commitments. It should include your responsibilities, objectives and arrangements to maintain a safe work environment for all of your employees. 

Your accident reporting procedure should explain how you plan to report and investigate accidents and near misses. It tells clients how prepared you are if an unforeseen event happens, and how you’d respond. 

How can SafeWorkforce help?

We can check over your accident reporting procedure and make suggestions if needed, to increase your chance of winning a tender. 

The tender will ask you to include details of your health and safety training. This is your organisation’s record of any health and safety training that you’ve provided for your employees. It includes training content, the date the training was carried out and the names and job titles of attendees. 

Providing your health and safety training details proves that you are ready, committed and capable of managing a safe and secure work environment. All of which can give you an edge over the competition. 

How can SafeWorkforce help? 

We can help you identify if there are any gaps in health and safety knowledge in your workforce, and how to address them. We can also provide you with relevant toolbox talks that you can use to upskill staff, before adding them to your training record.  

Here are four examples of the types of questions you might come across: 

• Where do you get health and safety advice from? 

You’ll need to state the consultancy or professional that’s advising your business about health and safety. 

• Do you have any SSIP or ISO accreditations?  

SSIP stands for Safety Schemes In Procurement, and ISO for International Organisation For Standardisation. These certifications show you’re compliant with recognised health and safety standards. 

• Have there been any serious, reportable incidents in the last 12 to 24 months? 

If there have been any serious incidents, you’ll need to explain what happened and how you managed the situation. 

• What are your procedures for monitoring, capturing and reporting accidents? 

You should be able to explain how you aim to prevent, report and investigate accidents.  

How can SafeWorkforce help? 

Don’t have a competent person to hand? No problem – our expert team are ready to step in as your main source of health and safety knowledge and advice.  

We live and breathe accreditations, so if you’re seeking SSIP and ISO certification, we’ll walk you through the process. 

We can also help you with accident paperwork, including how to report incidents to the HSE under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). 

To give your organisation a competitive edge, consider including the following: 

• Internal audits 
• Site inspections 
• Toolbox talks 
• Communication strategy 
• ESG policies