Tenders for NHS Contracts

Winning a contract with the NHS

Whether you clean hospital floors or provide the actual flooring, understanding the NHS’s objectives to procuring any product or service is critical to winning a contract with them. The ambition of NHS England is to bring equity and excellence to the provision of care and treatment.

---

This is achieved through a commissioning process which:

*NHS England (London Region) Procurement Scheme – 2018 ITT Specification.

Consequently, NHS tenders are rigorous and exacting in their requirements, often with complicated specifications as failure of the product or service is likely to have some impact on patient care.

Tenderers must therefore demonstrate not only that they meet every requirement, but also deliver outstanding quality and value for money. However, if these difficulties can be overcome, a contract with the NHS can be more than financially rewarding.

---

Tender top tips

Top tips for winning NHS tenders

1. Read the specification carefully

Read the specification through carefully before you start. These can be complicated but you need to be able to demonstrate that you can meet all the requirements or you will not be considered.

2. Check your accreditations

Make sure you have all the necessary accreditations, qualifications, policies and procedures in place to show that you have established a solid business foundation upon which you can deliver the required products or services.

3. Provide assurances

The NHS is risk averse – so providing the assurances that your service will not negatively affect patients is crucial. You must have robust customer care and quality assurance processes in place.

4. Demonstrate monitoring

The NHS look for continuous improvement in performance. So think how you can demonstrate that you track and monitor your service. What management information and reporting systems are in place?

5. Communicate performance

How will you communicate your performance with the NHS to show how your service will guarantee the highest standards?

6. Value for money, not just cheap

The NHS look for long-term value for money, rather than just price. They want the contract to be managed properly, efficiently and show long-term improvements in efficiency. So, collect the evidence you need to demonstrate how you have done this for other customers. How have you saved other organisations money?

7. Leave out irrelevant information

Above all else, answer the tender questions properly. Read and re-read the questions and if you are not sure, ask the NHS buyer for clarification through the official procurement portal. Leave out irrelevant information.

8. Relevant case histories

Use relevant case histories, experiences and testimonials to provide the evidence and the assurance the NHS needs. Always try to include facts, names, dates, results and previous outcomes to back up your tender responses.