Public sector work can stabilise your pipeline, smooth cashflow and raise your profile—but only if your tender submission actually scores. Too many UK SMEs lose out not because they can’t deliver the job, but because of preventable tender mistakes that drag scores down. If you’re new or semi-experienced with construction tenders, this guide breaks down the most frequent pitfalls and gives plain-English bid writing tips to help you compete—and win. These are the most common tender mistakes UK contractors make, plus what to do instead.
1) Not answering the question (or the scoring)
The problem: Bidders recycle old copy, waffle, or miss parts of a multi-element question. Evaluators mark against the scoring criteria—not potential.
How to avoid it:
- Map the marks. Copy the question into a working doc and break it down into bullet points. If the Highways Maintenance lot asks about traffic management, safety inspections, defect response times and contingency, give each its own sub-section so nothing is missed.
- Mirror their language. Use the buyer’s headings and terminology. If the prompt says “methodology”, call that section Methodology—not “Our Approach”.
- Answer, then evidence. Structure each response as What you’ll do → How you’ll do it → Proof you’ve done it before.
- Stick to limits. If Manchester City Council caps answers at 750 words, write 740–748. Overruns are often cut; under-length answers rarely cover the brief.
Example: A social housing voids tender asks for resourcing, mobilisation and tenant liaison. The winning answer outlines a named site manager, a 4-week mobilisation plan with checklist dates, and a tenant communication protocol—including sample letters and KPIs—rather than generic statements about “excellent customer service”.
2) Thin evidence and vague claims
The problem: Phrases like “industry-leading” and “best-in-class” score nothing without proof. Buyers want risk reduction.
How to avoid it:
- Use specific, recent case studies (ideally UK local authority, NHS or university). Include project name, value, duration, scope and measurable outcomes: “Defects closed within 24 hours, 98.6% on-time completion across 1,200 reactive orders.”
- Quote KPIs and client feedback. “Client satisfaction 4.7/5 (Q2–Q4 2024) on the Civic Buildings FM contract.”
- Evidence competence and capacity. Include team CVs with role-specific certifications (e.g., SSSTS/SMSTS, NRSWA, IPAF) and a resource histogram or programme extract if permitted.
- Show process artefacts. Append (where allowed) sample risk registers, inspection forms, commissioning checklists, as-built sign-off sheets—redacted if needed.
Example: For a university laboratory refurbishment, attach a short case study that proves clean-room working, out-of-hours phasing, and zero-defect handover—rather than a generic refurbishment story.
3) Leaving compliance to the last minute
The problem: Many tenders have a pass/fail gateway—get one item wrong and you’re out before quality scoring. Common trip-ups: expired insurance certificates, missing policies, incomplete declarations, and inconsistent Companies House details.
How to avoid it:
- Create a compliance pack you can drop into any tender:
- Insurance: Employers’ Liability, Public/Product Liability and (if design) Professional Indemnity at the required limits.
- Policies: Health & Safety, Environmental (with carbon reduction actions), Quality, Equal Opportunities, Modern Slavery, Data Protection.
- Accreditations: SSIP (e.g., CHAS/SafeContractor), ISO 9001/14001/45001 if held, Constructionline level, waste carrier licence, CSCS policy.
- Key records: Organisational chart, plant maintenance regime, training matrix, sample RAMS.
- Keep a document register with owners and expiry dates. Don’t discover at 21:45 on deadline day that your PI insurance lapsed last week.
- Check portals early. Register on the buyer’s e-tendering portal (e.g., Proactis, Procontract, Atamis) and run a test upload so you know acceptable file types and size limits.
- Consistency matters. Your legal name, VAT number and addresses should match across PQQs, declarations and certificates.
Example: A county council highways framework rejects submissions where the insurance schedule doesn’t list the principal business activity. Fix this before submission—don’t rely on a post-deadline clarification.
4) Treating social value as an afterthought
The problem: Social value usually carries a separate quality score (often 10–20%) in UK public tenders. Many bidders write warm words without targets, baselines or tracking—easy marks thrown away.
How to avoid it:
- Commit to measurable, local outcomes that align with the buyer’s priorities: apprenticeships, local supply chain spend, school engagement, carbon reduction, volunteering hours.
- Set clear targets and how you’ll measure them. “Two apprentices (L2 carpentry) recruited within 3 months; 15% of contract value with SMEs within the borough; 10% CO₂ reduction vs 2024 baseline through EV vans on site.”
- Explain delivery mechanics: who leads, partners (e.g., local colleges), reporting frequency and evidence (payslips, receipts, attendance logs).
- Pick promises you can keep. Evaluators prefer realistic numbers with a delivery plan over inflated offers that will be negotiated down post-award.
Example: On a leisure centre refurbishment, propose free “Try a Trade” workshops with the site team during school holidays, backed by a schedule and safeguarding plan, plus quarterly reports to the council’s social value officer.
5) Messy pricing and unclear assumptions
The problem: Arithmetic errors, missing lines in the pricing schedule, inconsistent rates and unexplained zeroes can trigger clarifications, re-ranking—or disqualification. Abnormally low pricing raises red flags.
How to avoid it:
- Follow the pricing workbook exactly. If the schedule asks for dayworks, prelims and overheads separately, don’t merge them in a lump sum.
- Document assumptions (in the designated cell or clarification area only). Example: “Rates exclude weekend working unless instructed” or “Allowance for temporary works as per DWG-003 set”.
- Check internal coherence. If your labour rate implies a margin that contradicts your overheads sheet, you’ll get challenged.
- Run a cold arithmetic check by someone not involved in the build-up. Confirm VAT treatment and units (linear metres vs m² trips many bidders).
- Stress-test the programme. Link your prelims to a realistic programme; if you shave two weeks off to appear cheap, your resources must still make sense.
Example: On a minor civils Lot, a bidder put “0” for traffic management because “usually by client”. The ITT required a rate regardless. They were marked non-compliant. Always price every line unless explicitly instructed not to.
Presentation still counts (without fluff)
The problem: Hard-to-read responses lose marks because evaluators can’t find what they need quickly.
How to avoid it:
- Make it skimmable. Use the buyer’s headings, bold key phrases, short paragraphs and numbered steps.
- Include simple visuals if allowed. An organogram, a 6-step mobilisation timeline or a risk heat-map can help. Never use images to dodge word counts.
- Proof once for content, once for format. Check page limits, font size, file names, and whether attachments need separate uploads.
A simple, repeatable tender process for SMEs
Use this lightweight, five-step rhythm on every ITT:
- Kick-off (Day 1): Read all docs. Build a requirements matrix (questions, marks, word counts, attachments, mandatory pass/fail items). Decide no-bid quickly if you can’t comply.
- Storyboarding (Days 1–2): Draft bullet-point answers mirroring the questions. List the proof you’ll use (KPIs, photos, certificates, testimonials).
- First draft (Days 2–4): Write to the marks. Insert proof. Keep an eye on word limits.
- Red review (Day 5): Someone uninvolved scores your answers against the published criteria. Fix gaps and thin evidence.
- Gold review & submit (Day 6–7): Final checks on compliance pack, pricing and formatting. Upload early.
Follow this and you’ll cut common errors while making steady improvements tender to tender.
Summary
Winning public sector work isn’t about fancy prose; it’s about clear answers, credible proof, clean compliance and sensible pricing. Avoid the pitfalls above, and your construction tenders will score higher with less stress. Want practical templates and checklists to make this process easier? Sign up for our free portal: https://portal.askabidwriter.com/register
FAQs
1) How long should my case studies be?
150–250 words each is plenty—focus on results, dates, value and relevance to the buyer.
2) Do I need ISO certifications to win?
Not always. They help, but many buyers accept equivalent procedures. Make sure your quality, environmental and H&S processes are documented and auditable.
3) How do I find construction tenders?
Register on the Find a Tender Service (FTS) and major e-tendering portals used by local authorities and universities. Set alerts by CPV code and region.
4) What happens if I exceed a word or page limit?
Excess text is often ignored or the bid may be non-compliant. Write tight and stay within limits.
5) What’s a quick win to improve scores next time?
Add measurable social value with a delivery plan, and strengthen each answer with a fresh, relevant case study and KPI.
Ready to turn these bid writing tips into a repeatable system—with templates, checklists and examples? Join the portal now: https://portal.askabidwriter.com/register
