Social procurement is among the biggest supply chains in the United Kingdom. Each year, the NHS spends roughly £27 billion on the procurement of goods and services. For suppliers, this creates endless opportunities to grow their business and frequently collaborate with public entities.
However, the healthcare tender process can quickly feel complex, considering the various moving parts suppliers need to account for. Many suppliers often think that they require a deep understanding of healthcare procurement strategies to navigate the social and healthcare procurement process successfully.
It’s important to remember that winning healthcare tenders requires a strategic approach. Every supplier seeking to leverage social and healthcare procurement opportunities is considered a direct competitor for your business, which in turn can lower your chances of winning valuable healthcare contracts.
Fortunately, there is a way to improve your chances of winning healthcare contracts and becoming a trusted supplier for the medical and healthcare system. Writing a winning bid, and ensuring that you meet all contract requirements can help bring you one step closer to delivering a trusted service to a public buyer.
Understand Tender Requirements
Though there are many steps to consider throughout the tendering process, the most important place to start is by having a clear and thorough understanding of the tender requirements that have been provided by the local authority.
Review Request for Tender (RFT)
A public buyer will typically publish a Request for Tender or RFT document that invites prospective suppliers to apply for a specific contract. This document will outline all the buyer’s specific needs, which will encompass various technical specifications, compliance requirements, tender submission deadlines, and desired evaluation criteria.
Contract Requirements
Part of evaluating the tender documents require you to consider the contract requirements, and whether you meet this threshold. Contract specifications can be a pitfall for suppliers that do not understand or thoroughly read through these details. Typically, the contract requirements will help lay the foundation of what will be needed from your business, and what you will be expected to submit alongside your tender proposal.
Tender Structure
In some instances, a healthcare tender or social care tender might be divided into various structures. This might include different parts of the tender requiring suppliers to provide more than one service or various goods. For instance, a contract might be divided into different care groups, or perhaps bundled together, or be centered around the NHS supply chain. As part of the bid writing process for health and social care, be sure to have a look at the local authorities and how you will be required to work alongside various service users.
Tender Compliance and Accreditation Standards
The healthcare sector is highly regulated, and compliance standards and regulatory specifications often form an essential part of various tender safety protocols. In light of these regulatory requirements, suppliers are encouraged to have all the necessary accreditation, and licences and meet regulatory compliance standards to help them win healthcare tenders.
Demonstrate Adherence
As part of tender writing, include important information relating to your business’s adherence to various rules and regulations. This might include listing the different operational licences you hold or specific accreditation that is required by the buyer. The NHS tendering process will require similar compliance standards. Bid proposals should ctaint relevant healthcare services licences, including for medical equipment and medical personnel.
ISO Certification For Healthcare Tenders
Additionally, ensure that you have carefully read through the ISO certification requirements that will be listed in the contract specifications. Each healthcare tender compliance structure may look different, and to support your chances of winning healthcare contracts, ensure that you meet all regulatory compliance standards.
Evidence of Certifications
Depending on the documentation needed to support your tender bid proposal, you will likely need to submit evidence of certification, including relevant information on past performance, and various quality assurance processes. This might be an obligatory step in the process, so be sure to have all the relevant documentation on hand before writing your tender bid.
Tailor Bid to Buyer’s Needs
Next, you will want to consider tailoring your bid based on the buyer’s needs. A generic bid can be unlikely to succeed, especially in the highly competitive market of social and healthcare procurement.
Customise Your Proposal
As a starting point, customise your proposal to ensure that it meets all the requirements laid out in the contract specifications. Make sure to include relevant information that will help make your business stand out.
Address Unique Challenges
A healthcare contract aims to ensure that suppliers can address specific challenges and present public buyers with the necessary solutions. Make sure to include your approach to addressing these unique challenges, and outline your process for solving specific problems that may occur throughout the contract.
Contract Objectives and Buyer’s Goals
Next, make sure to include a section where you highlight the objectives of the contact, and how your solution-based approach will ensure that the buyer’s needs and goals will be achieved. You can provide specific examples, such as case studies, success stories or experience as a way to help strengthen the bid by showcasing your level of competency and understanding of the buyer’s needs.
Highlighting Value for Money and Innovation
Public buyers seek to accept tender proposals or suppliers that highlight and deliver the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)
Value for Money
Ensure that your solution or approach to delivering a service can provide the buyer with clear value for money, which includes balancing the cost with quality, and having the ability to become a reliable service provider.
Innovative Approach
Make innovation a part of your proposal. Highlight key methods or processes you will use or implement to help reduce long-term costs, increase operational efficiency, and how you can offer innovative features such as technological integration. Include innovations that can benefit the healthcare outcomes, and which can address the buyer’s overall objectives.
Structure the Tender Document Professionally
Presentation of your tender bid proposal is a key ingredient to writing a successful healthcare tender. Make sure that you have spent enough time carefully organising your bid in a logical way which follows the structure outlined in the tender document.
Include an executive summary, which contains important key points of your approach, and how you will address the evaluation criteria. On top of this, make sure to use professional language throughout your tender proposal, and use relevant up-to-date research, data, testimonials or certifications to help support any claims.
Before submitting your proposal, ensure that you have thoroughly proofread your tender, as this will help you pick up on any errors that could have slipped through the cracks. Make sure that you have double-checked all the documents, and that you have answered the necessary questions. Remember to submit your tender bid on time, as late tenders are typically disqualified.
Final Thoughts
Writing a winning healthcare tender requires you to apply careful attention to detail, and ensure that you align your approach to meet the buyer’s needs. You should have a clear demonstration of your expertise, which in turn should deliver value for money and innovative solutions.
Creating a tailored tender response, which highlights your adherence to compliance, and having a strong, yet compelling case will likely help to increase your chances of securing healthcare contracts. You bid team will need ot make best use of the tender opportunity to cover all the necessary care services highlighted in the tender objectives, and ensure that key elements have been addressed.
