Tenders for Transport Contracts

Where to start?

One of the most difficult tasks is to sift through the extensive material and recognise the tender you want and can successfully bid for.

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Transport covers a vast range of products and services including

Consequently, you may have to read through several transport tender specifications to find one that is relevant to your business and appropriate to the level of experience you have. Ensuring you have an efficient system to sort through information and make an informed decision to tender will help achieve a much better return on your tendering investing.

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Tender top tips

Top tips for winning contracts in the transport sector

1. Read the tender documents

Read the tender documents carefully before you start to make sure you understand what the tenderer really wants and then establish whether you can really fulfil those needs. You will need to provide evidence on how you have succeeded before.

2. Managing your journeys

If you provide services in relation to transporting people or goods, you will need to have a good process for managing your journeys. How do you coordinate them? What technology do you use? How is your system efficient and will it save money? How will you provide the assurances the buyer is looking for that you will be on time? What evidence can you provide to back up your solution?

3. Evidence is key

Evidence is also key for services in relation to transport consultancy as this is where the buying organisation is looking externally for expertise. You will need to demonstrate previous experience that is relevant to the project or service being tendered.

4. Consider your experience

Consider the experience of your team and create project based CV’s so that you have this information to hand and can drop their relevant experience into the transport tender as appropriate. Use case histories and testimonials to provide supporting evidence.

5. Demonstrate a robust quality of service

Make sure you can demonstrate a robust quality of service. Transport buyers are looking for outstanding quality and performance standards. So, demonstrate how you can track and monitor your service. What management information and reporting systems are in place?

6. Understanding the buyer

Read through the transport tender questions properly to ensure you have a good understanding of what the buyer is looking for. If you are not sure, ask the buyer for clarification through the official procurement portal. Leave out irrelevant information.

7. Use relevant case histories

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

8. Answer all of the questions

Don’t leave any questions blank – if it’s not there the evaluator can’t give you any marks! If you’re struggling to answer something or can’t demonstrate a requirement, consider how a competitor might answer it first.