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Latest Results & News

How to Win Complex Public Sector Contracts

08 Sep 2024

Preliminary notice on a major new contract win for our clients valued at approximately £39 million.

Although the official tender process standstill period is all done and dusted there are still technical elements to be finalised before all can be revealed.

If your company targets the UK public sector as a key long-term client sector then you could improve your success rate in formal tender processes by working with Alexander Venture Consulting.  We understand your organisation and its team are going to be the specialists in your service area but we bring another complementary skillset because we specialise in winning.

By working closely with client teams we help their organisations be seen at their best by public sector procurement sections and the more complicated the tender process or contract structure the greater the value we can add.

If you want to get a taste of our performance and ability take a while and have a brief look at some of the highlights of our 20 year track record in helping clients win and win again.

Get in touch today on 01233 714063 if you want to win more public sector contracts.

How to Win Multi-Million Contracts in 2024

22 Jul 2024

Great news!

Our clients have just won another multi-million pound contract with a local authority in England for Extra-Care services together with new wins for a London NHS services contract.

The family owned companies that just had these successes are part of our client network that stretches from new business start-ups to UK and Ireland operations of multi-billion pound international companies.

Every client gets our complete attention and one-to-one service to give the best chance of hitting their growth targets.

They all know the secret of successfully bidding for public and private sector contracts!

Their teams work hard, with our input too, at working out exactly what demanding public and private sector organisations want from their service providers and then ensuring that tender proposals are written to reflect that thinking.

This gives the best chance of attaining high quality scores in a tender process and avoids the trap of cheap pricing.

If you want to maximise your contract win rates and improve your profitability get in touch now on 01233 714063.

Winning Area Based Homecare Contracts – How to Do It

18 Mar 2024

With the latest results on some homecare contract bids now in, our clients have won:

  • A contract worth approximately £28m
  • Shares of a contract worth some £13m
  • Shares of a contract worth some £34m per annum

2024 could be the year that your company meets all its growth targets through winning public sector contracts.

All you need to address is the crucial How to Win factor and the answer is easy – get in touch with Alexander Venture Consulting and let us work with your team to achieve your growth and profit objectives.

The only number you need is 01233 714063 but call today!

Winning NHS and Local Authority Contracts in the U.K. – How to Do It

12 Feb 2024

If your company wants to win NHS and other public sector contracts in the U.K. here is how to do it.

Step 1 – Make contact with Alexander Venture Consulting

Step 2 – Jointly identify what is great about your service and look at new or innovative ways of marketing those elements

Step 3 – Teamwork to create a great bid

Step 4 – Wait on the public sector buyers to finish their assessments

Step 5 – Celebrate the great results

This week produces four new public sector contract wins for four different and very diverse clients.  One is for the NHS in London and the other three are still in the ‘Standstill’ period so more information in a couple of weeks.

Don’t wait too long to make your best move in 2024 – get in touch with us now on 01233 714063.

Making The Cut

28 Jan 2024

Do you ever wonder how to really ramp up your success rates in winning contracts via formal tender processes with the public sector in  the U.K.?

In Central London we recently helped a small family run service business win a slice of a £160m contract with a Local Authority buyer. The published report on the award of the new contract was quite eye opening.

230 applications whittled down to just 23 organisations who won a place on the new contract.

Our client was one of the successful bidders with a bid where quality of service meant everything.

If you would like your company to win more bids in 2024 with the U.K. public sector get in touch on 01233 714063 and see how we can help you achieve your goals.

History

Read the 10 Steps to Mastering Winning Proposals

Download here
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10 steps to mastering winning proposals

Using our new business proposals to win more clients can have an amazing impact on your success.

By reading this case study of how one of our clients became a winner you will see:

  • Common slip-ups
  • How to assess an opportunity
  • How to structure proposal responses
  • Results that can be achieved

Case studies - larger companies

FRANCHISE GROUP

A National franchisor wanted their franchisees supported to win more business. The result was a string of successes including the most profitable contract the CEO had ever seen. This is a Win-Win situation with the Franchisee enjoying the success of winning new contracts and the Franchisor enjoying the increased franchise income.

 

MULTI SECTOR RECRUITMENT GROUP

This group, with prior national recognition as a fast-track business had hit the business winning buffers. Working closely with their management team we identified the barriers, changed the focus of proposals, and set up a systematic approach to creating bids. This returned them to their fast-track ways.

EQUITY BACKED – BUY & BUILD STRATEGY

This Health Services sector investor was unhappy with the success rate of their various portfolio companies’ proposals, which languished at around 60%. We worked with the in-house proposal team analysing the system, reporting with recommended changes, and then collaborating on several bids. As a result, the win rate went up and their new proposal system consolidated the gains.

 

BIG PHARMA

This organisation sought to create a virtual ‘new markets’ team to identify and break into new sectors in the UK. Our input included:

  • Opportunity identification
  • Proposal writing systems
  • Analysis of structural resources required to ensure success

Case studies - smaller companies

START-UP FAMILY BUSINESS

In many situations start-ups are at a disadvantage in winning contracts. They have little financial track record, few references and face established competition. Yet by working to this company’s strengths, its innovation and passion, we were able to show a Public Authority a different way of meeting their expressed needs and clinch a vital first contract success for this family business.

 

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

In this specialised sector tenders were a new discipline and price was essentially meaningless. This company’s bids were being rejected out of hand. Our input introduced research efforts, proposal planning and writing skills, and improved production standards with the result that contract wins are now flowing in.

LONDON CHARITY

This Charity is over 50 years old, but was a newcomer to the demands of creating compelling and powerful proposals that could win Public Sector contracts.
Initially we worked on-site with their teams to introduce systems designed to win contracts. Then we moved on to reviewing their proposals at key points in the tender process.
Since we started working together in 2009 they have won every bid and are winning more every year.

 

THE SISTERS – TAKING ON GOLIATH

The Nuns wished to win a public sector contract for community services against large and aggressive competitors. We worked with them from the qualification stage, helped create the proposal content and assisted with the final presentation. Goliath never knew what hit him.

How to Win Complex Public Sector Contracts

08 Sep 2024

Preliminary notice on a major new contract win for our clients valued at approximately £39 million.

Although the official tender process standstill period is all done and dusted there are still technical elements to be finalised before all can be revealed.

If your company targets the UK public sector as a key long-term client sector then you could improve your success rate in formal tender processes by working with Alexander Venture Consulting.  We understand your organisation and its team are going to be the specialists in your service area but we bring another complementary skillset because we specialise in winning.

By working closely with client teams we help their organisations be seen at their best by public sector procurement sections and the more complicated the tender process or contract structure the greater the value we can add.

If you want to get a taste of our performance and ability take a while and have a brief look at some of the highlights of our 20 year track record in helping clients win and win again.

Get in touch today on 01233 714063 if you want to win more public sector contracts.


How to Win Multi-Million Contracts in 2024

22 Jul 2024

Great news!

Our clients have just won another multi-million pound contract with a local authority in England for Extra-Care services together with new wins for a London NHS services contract.

The family owned companies that just had these successes are part of our client network that stretches from new business start-ups to UK and Ireland operations of multi-billion pound international companies.

Every client gets our complete attention and one-to-one service to give the best chance of hitting their growth targets.

They all know the secret of successfully bidding for public and private sector contracts!

Their teams work hard, with our input too, at working out exactly what demanding public and private sector organisations want from their service providers and then ensuring that tender proposals are written to reflect that thinking.

This gives the best chance of attaining high quality scores in a tender process and avoids the trap of cheap pricing.

If you want to maximise your contract win rates and improve your profitability get in touch now on 01233 714063.


Winning Area Based Homecare Contracts – How to Do It

18 Mar 2024

With the latest results on some homecare contract bids now in, our clients have won:

  • A contract worth approximately £28m
  • Shares of a contract worth some £13m
  • Shares of a contract worth some £34m per annum

2024 could be the year that your company meets all its growth targets through winning public sector contracts.

All you need to address is the crucial How to Win factor and the answer is easy – get in touch with Alexander Venture Consulting and let us work with your team to achieve your growth and profit objectives.

The only number you need is 01233 714063 but call today!


Winning NHS and Local Authority Contracts in the U.K. – How to Do It

12 Feb 2024

If your company wants to win NHS and other public sector contracts in the U.K. here is how to do it.

Step 1 – Make contact with Alexander Venture Consulting

Step 2 – Jointly identify what is great about your service and look at new or innovative ways of marketing those elements

Step 3 – Teamwork to create a great bid

Step 4 – Wait on the public sector buyers to finish their assessments

Step 5 – Celebrate the great results

This week produces four new public sector contract wins for four different and very diverse clients.  One is for the NHS in London and the other three are still in the ‘Standstill’ period so more information in a couple of weeks.

Don’t wait too long to make your best move in 2024 – get in touch with us now on 01233 714063.


Making The Cut

28 Jan 2024

Do you ever wonder how to really ramp up your success rates in winning contracts via formal tender processes with the public sector in  the U.K.?

In Central London we recently helped a small family run service business win a slice of a £160m contract with a Local Authority buyer. The published report on the award of the new contract was quite eye opening.

230 applications whittled down to just 23 organisations who won a place on the new contract.

Our client was one of the successful bidders with a bid where quality of service meant everything.

If you would like your company to win more bids in 2024 with the U.K. public sector get in touch on 01233 714063 and see how we can help you achieve your goals.


How To Win More Contracts in 2024

14 Dec 2023

Another week and another batch of contract wins for our clients:

  • Sheltered housing services on the south coast
  • Homecare services in central London

These are just examples of the types of contract we help our clients win and other recent examples include IT Agency Staffing, Reablement and Extra Care services. Clients include large organisations with an international reach and small family run concerns.

Whatever your targets are for 2024 Alexander Venture Consulting can help you maximise your win rate and support good profitability by focusing on improving the quality scores your bids receive. Get in touch if you want to have a successful 2024!


Do You Want To Beat Bigger Competitors?

30 Nov 2023

If your company wants to beat larger competitors to win new contracts where do you start?

  1. Low prices? No way, cutting price to try and challenge huge companies is a sure way to damage your long term profitability and the future of your company and just plays into the hands of the big guys.
  2. Quality? Absolutely, big is not always better and you can show how your company is more agile or more responsive than the big outfits who have to ask a committee every time they want to make a change to how things are done.
  3. Get in touch with Alexander Venture Consulting? Now you’re talking.

In a recent Local Authority tender process in the North of England our small family run client just won a £2.5m p.a. contract for social care services. The competitors lined up included huge national outfits who had probably never even heard of our client and yet – THE SMALL COMPANY WON!

By competing on their strengths and showing just what a public body could gain from a smaller provider, at exactly the same price as the big guys, we helped our client shine and get a fantastic result.

If you want to win contracts in tender situations against tough competition get in touch on 01233 714063.


Slam Dunk

05 Sep 2023

They race forward, they jump high, they control the ball and Slam Dunk its through the hoop for another win!

Our clients like to outperform their rivals and shake things up a bit when winning contracts and tenders and the latest results for three of our clients have done just that:

  • £7m new contract for services with this South London Council
  • 5 year new contract for this small family run business with Merton Council
  • £750k reablement contract with NHS cementing this client’s place as a force to be reckoned with in central London

No matter how many times we help clients win or retain contracts its always a buzz.  We have been helping companies reach their goals, maximise their profits and deliver on their true potential since 2005 and those early clients are still with us – just much bigger now.

If you have plans to take your business to new heights get in touch on 01233 714063 but do it fast because clients are already chatting to us about contracts they want to target in 2024.


How To Win Contracts In 2023

05 Jun 2023

Latest multi £m results for clients include:

  • 5 Extra Care sites in Southern England
  • Supported Living framework contract in Oxfordshire
  • London Supported Living site

As an example of what it takes to win high value long term contracts such as these it is essential to win primarily on quality rather than cheap prices. After all who wants to win a contract that is unprofitable?

In a recent breakdown of quality scores our client achieved a lead of almost 10% over the next closest bidder.  That might not sound much but think how a big lead on quality score helps reduce the pressure on the score for cost.

The other element that gives a real advantage is not just hoping you have one great idea that will give you a lead on quality.  It has to be a process of marginal gains and in a recent bid our clients gained a marginal edge in over a dozen quality aspects.

If you want to win even more bids in 2023, and maximise your profitability, then get in touch now on 01233 714063.


Strong Results Start Here

17 May 2023

This week’s tally of wins for our clients includes:

  • New Supported Living contract
  • Two Extra Care contracts

Whatever your market we can help you win that important bid.

  • Central Government?
  • NHS?
  • International Consultancy?
  • Local Government?
  • Private Sector?

Yes to all of the above, just let us know the target and we will work with your team to find a way to win the contract whilst focusing on quality and maximising profitability.

Get in touch today on 01233 714063


2023 Here We Come

18 Jan 2023

2023 has burst into action for our clients with multiple Social Care contract wins.

Now that the standstill period has ended we can confirm:

  • 31 new contract wins in January for London Council contracts
  • New client wins first public sector contract
  • Our clients winning almost 30% of places on a Framework contract
  • Client winning first contract with Surrey County Council

There should be more wins to be released for publication in February

Whether you want to win your first contract or are more experienced in public sector contracts but want to maximise your win rate get in touch now.


Merry Christmas

22 Dec 2022

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERY ONE!


Your Next Agency Staff Contract Win?

14 Dec 2022

How to win agency staff contracts is a challenge facing many of our clients.

Fortunately when working with our talented clients we can make a difference that supercharges success rates when a formal proposal is required for a competitive tender situation.

The latest win is for a contract requiring the supply of technology staff.

How do we make such a difference to success rates is a regular question.  The response, as always, is that we provide an extra focus on ‘quality’ aspects of our clients’ proposals and help them find an edge that makes them stand out on the things that matter most to the company inviting bids.

This helps overall by targeting higher scores for the quality aspect of every proposal and giving more room on pricing elements.  Who wants to be a company with nothing to offer but cheap prices?  Certainly not our clients, who are always competitive, but who have service offerings where what they can add to the delivery of an agency staffing service matters as much as supplying the agency staff themselves.

If you want to supercharge your success rates get in touch.


Winning Your Next Bid

10 Oct 2022

You know the type of headlines you would like to see about your organisation.

  • Small family run client wins another contract!
  • Large client with network of service offices wins their biggest ever contract!
  • Consortium bidders win their first ever major contract!

All situations that our clients find themselves in once we start working with them on improving their success rates in winning contracts through tender processes.

Whether you want to win a contract for IT agency workers, a social care contract helping the most vulnerable in society or a contract to supply the NHS with health profeesionals we can support you to make your organisation the natural choice for public or private sector buyers.

We work alongside client teams, discovering what makes their services special, and presenting that within tender bids so that their offer stands out in quality terms amongst the crowd of competitors.  By focusing on demonstrating the quality that clients can bring to service delivery we also help them maximise their profits as they are never tempted to just compete by being the lowest cost bidder.

The combination makes a huge contribution to the rate at which our clients can grow with better profits supporting ongoing expansion and still further contract wins in a Virtuous Circle.

Get in touch and see the difference we can make on 01233 714063


Bi-Borough Central London Contract Win

29 Aug 2022

If you have ever tried to win contracts with the Bi-Borough setup of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea you will know just how tough it is to convince a public sector commissioner that your services are the best option for not just one but two boroughs and their diverse populations.

Our client, a family run small business, has just won the prestigious reablement block contract with our support and is going from strength to strength.

If you would like your company to shine in tender situations with Local Authority, NHS or Central Government bodies just get in touch, on 01233 714063, to see the difference we can make to large or small organisations.


Winning Public Sector Social Care Contracts

30 Jun 2022

Our latest win for this London based and family run business is a service contract for Provision of Support Service for Disabled Children Services.

The services provided help children and young people be more independent, make friends, learn new skills, engage in activities and enjoy life to the full.

Whatever service you are seeking to promote to the public sector our support can help you maximise your success rates in winning contracts at the same time as ensuring good profitability.  We help our clients avoid the trap of thinking the way to win in tender situations is through lowest price by showing public sector purchasers just why the services offered by our clients are worth paying that bit more for in order to achieve the desired service outcomes.

If your organisations wants to maximise its returns on the efforts it puts into tender processes get in touch now to see the difference we can make on 01233 714063.


Winning Contracts & Tenders – And What Else?

10 Jun 2022

We probably spend 80% of our time helping clients to create contract winning tender submissions but we do lots more too.

Looking at recent support given it has included:

  • Looking for potential acquisitions to take our client into a new market
  • Supporting marketing efforts for a client who wished to radically increase their levels of private pay homecare clients
  • Supporting a client who wished to sell their business
  • Reviewing a client’s in-house ‘new business’ proposals to maximise likelihood of winning a major IT staffing contract
  • Preparing presentations for a client and conducting presentation team training sessions including responding to panel questions

Lots more too but we will cover that another time. Suffice to say that if your need is related to building, marketing or even exiting your business you should talk to us for independent and focused insight that will support achieving your goals.


Winning Contracts By The Bucketful

11 Apr 2022

Overloaded with contract wins this time with multiple clients reporting multiple wins for Local Authority contracts.

One minute we are helping clients with Social Care bids, the next it is for large scale flexible workforce contracts, but whatever your target market our support can help maximise your win rates and profitability.

By helping your company make its quality of service proposals really shine we ensure that the buyer’s focus is on what matters most, i.e. the positive difference your service can bring to fulfilling their needs, and that price becomes relatively less important.  This gives the room needed to set your company apart from competitors and show why your services are worth a price premium.

That is the difference we can make so why not join in the celebrations with this month’s happy clients and get your company the insight we bring to bossting your bid win rates.

We look forward to working with you.


Extra Care – Extra Contract Wins

24 Feb 2022

If you want to win Extra Care contracts in the social care market look no further.

Whether you need to pitch to public sector Local Authorities or private sector Housing groups our success rate for winning such contracts is outstanding.

Surrey is the latest spot for another win for this long standing client but don’t be shy come and join our client list and start winning more contracts that you are targeting.

The market or the target does not matter – we can help you win any type of service contract.


Xīnnián kuàilè to All Our Chinese Friends

01 Feb 2022

Happy Chinese New Year

It is the year of the Water Tiger for 2022 and we are pleased to say that the auspicious signs have already started to come in with another contract win announced for our clients today.

If you want strong performance in your contract bids for 2022 get in touch on 01233 714063.


What Makes Your Company A Winner?

15 Nov 2021

If your company wants to grow by winning private or public sector contracts in the U.K. it is likely you will be heavily involved in formal tender processes.

Some companies are tempted to try and win contracts by offering the lowest possible price but that is a route to low profits, lower quality, and often if you look over the long-term at unsustainable business models.

Our clients never have to follow that route.  We work with clients, large and small, to win multi-year multi-£m contracts based on the quality of the proposed service to be delivered.  That way everyone wins:

  • Our clients win through steady, sustainable growth, with profit levels protected and enhanced
  • Public sector and private sector customers who award our clients new contracts win through having high quality dependable services that deliver what they promised
  • Society wins with staff teams paid good wages and high profile services being of top quality

If you want to increase your success rate in winning contracts at the same time as improving your profits get in touch on 01233 714063


Are You In The Game?

31 Oct 2021

Is your company really winning all the contracts it would like to?

If not join our other clients and really put your bids in the game to increase your win rates and maximise your profits by creating tenders for public or private sector contracts that win through achieving high quality scores.

The latest wins for our clients include:

  • Surrey reablement care services
  • Wokingham Council service framework

Don’t wait until that important tender is published. That is too late to get in the winning mindset.

Get in touch now if you want more contract wins and higher profits on 01233 714063


Re-ablement Services

19 Sep 2021

Another win for clients with this specialist re-ablement service jointly commissioned by a County Council and the local Clinical Commissioning Groups.

The service provides time limited intervention to around 4,500 people annually with ‘block’ contracting arrangements to ensure sufficient dedicated staffing capacity to deal with all eventualities.

If you would like to win more contracts and tenders get in touch and see the difference we can make to your success rate.


TENDER SPECIALISTS – WINNING

27 Aug 2021

Because of the wide variety of clients we support we often get asked “what is your specialist market” ?  It is fair to say that it is our clients who are the specialists in their particular markets and our specialism is in helping our clients to create contract winning bids regardless of the market involved.

Our support has helped to win contracts in local and central Government markets, the NHS, and the private sector in services such as:

  • Social care
  • Housing
  • Corporate finance
  • Financial services
  • Transport
  • Nursing
  • Health professional staffing

The latest successes in August include:

  • Contract win for franchisee of national chain
  • Two contract wins in local Government and NHS markets for very small service provider
  • Contract win for medium sized family owned client

If you would like to boost the success rate of contract wins for your company or even try to win that elusive first contract get in touch and see the difference our support can make.  Call us today on 01233 714063 and get ahead of your competition.


Win That Dream Contract!

30 Jun 2021

Do you ever think that some contracts are just out of your reach and impossible to win?

If so read on because you really need to change your thinking as that dream contract win can really be yours.

Usual thoughts for a contract being out of reach include:

  • Public sector and high profile
  • Not having a track record of similar contract wins
  • Being too small to bid for a major contract on your own and needing to be part of a consortium
  • Multi £m value

Every one of the above applied to our clients in a recent bid for a public sector contract.  Our client was helped to overcome every one of the ‘thought barriers’ and real challenges to put forward a bid that achieved three contract wins in one go.  The public sector buyer has valued the six year award as being worth £54 million.

If you want to win contracts that could dramatically improve the future growth and profit prospects for your company get in touch and just see what our assistance can achieve.


Boom! Boom! How to Win Any Contract

19 May 2021

May 2021 and the contract successes are rolling in.

Just as a taster of what our clients are enjoying, and what your company could enjoy too, check this out:

  • Charity organization helped to win £1.6m p.a. contract in London
  • Essex complex care services win
  • Reablement services wins in Surrey
  • Client assisted to break into new market
  • Two clients helped to win new contracts with quality scores of up to 20% higher than competitors based on public sector procurement detailed feedback

Why not increase your success rates in bidding for contracts and give us a call. Get in early before your competitors do.


Boom! Here’s How to Win Contracts

08 Apr 2021

Another week another clutch of wins for our clients.

  • Essex family owned business wins its second public sector contract with our involvement and more on the way
  • £1.6m p.a. contract win for London based charity

Whatever your market sector if you want to win more public or private sector contracts get in touch and see your results improve. 01233 714063 is the direct contact number for boosting your profits.


Do You Want More Success?

01 Mar 2021

If you want to continually improve your success in growing your business look no further.  Here is a snapshot of the last couple of weeks’ results for our clients:

  • Hampshire Extra-Care contract valued at £630k annually
  • Central London profound & multiple learning disability supported living services valued at £1.9m annually

Get in the winning groove with our clients and get the results you want by calling us today on 01233 714063.


How To Win More Public Sector Contracts In 2021

17 Dec 2020

If you want to win more public sector contracts in 2021 consider these aspects:

  1. Get support from Alexander Venture Consulting with most recent results including 3 NHS service contract wins and separate agency staffing wins for Medical Locums, Nurses, Care Workers, Allied Health Professionals, Administrative and Non-Medical roles and Senior Managers
  2. Ensuring your quality scores are maximized to avoid pressure on your bid prices. Our recent support in helping clients win Health Trust Europe contracts achieved quality scores at 100% of available score. Local Authority win in London worth £3m with quality score 18% above nearest competitor and price score 10% lower than lowest cost bidder meaning our client won with higher prices than its competitors by achieving the best quality score and hence the winning overall score.

If you want greater success in tender bids, whilst also maximizing your profitability, don’t delay.  Your next contract win could start with a simple phone call to get Alexander Venture Consulting on your team.


CRANK IT UP! Win More Contracts

22 Nov 2020

Just a quick update today as all the awards from the NHS and other procurement teams are under the 10 day standstill before final confirmation of the wins but our clients have just won:

  • Multiple NHS contracts
  • Multiple agency worker contracts

Working with new clients, and repeat clients both small and large, we achieve the same result of resounding wins and great quality scores helping our clients get better prices for their services.

If your business sells anything to the public sector get in touch and let us help you win more contracts.


How to Win More NHS Contracts in U.K.

20 Sep 2020

Whether you are a U.K. based organization or are based overseas and seeking your ideal way to win NHS contracts look no further.

Alexander Venture Consulting has an enviable track record of helping clients to succeed in this massive but challenging market.

The latest success is for clients in the temporary staffing market with wins in:

  • Nursing & Midwifery Staff
  • Medical Locums
  • Allied Health Professionals & Health Scientists
  • Social Care Staff

You might ask if our services can get success for high value contracts. Well, the NHS valued this contract at £3.2 billion so our approach to getting the best results for our clients seems to work for contracts large or small.

Whatever your product or service if you want to win NHS contracts that are run through a tender process get in touch and let us help your company to be even more successful.


How to Win Public Sector Contracts in 2020

28 Jul 2020

If you are wondering how to boost your success rate in winning contracts with the NHS and Central & Local Government wonder no more – just get in touch with us.

Our clients have just won social care contracts with Barking & Dagenham, Croydon and Surrey Councils and we’re only just getting started on results now that the Covid-19 delays are working through as we are expecting news of success with Crown Commercial Services for NHS agency staffing.

Winning is one thing but winning at prices that maximise your profits is a whole different ball game and that is just what we achieve for our clients. This requires tender bids that achieve high quality scores and as just one example our client’s price in a recent tender rated 7th in price ranking as they ensured a good profit margin but overall, once quality scores were added, they came in at 1st place to achieve a major win in a new geographic market.

That is the difference we can make – winning at good prices in any type of service market e.g. social care, FM, transport, call centre, cleaning, agency staffing and pretty much anything else you can think of.


Profitable Contract Wins

30 Apr 2020

If you think that winning large scale public contracts requires cheap prices think again!

Six recent contract wins have been achieved at premiums of 8%, 10%, 18% twice, 19% and 20% of the lowest bid prices submitted by competitors.

No tricks involved, just a clear focus on maximising the quality aspects of each bid so that the public sector buyers can see the value they will receive in return for the higher price.

If you want to drastically improve the profitability of your company think about what achieving a price premium of up to 20% would do to your bottom line.

Get in touch to discuss our input for your next bid.


Win Profitable Contracts in 2020

12 Mar 2020

We are often asked about the costing of services and pricing of bids. We don’t decide such matters of course – that is for our clients – but what we do strongly support is ways of looking at pricing that maximise the chances of winning contracts at your chosen price point, giving you the return on investment you are seeking.

Recent social care contract wins in East London where our clients were able to achieve prices ranging from 10% to 20% higher than other successful bidders to win a valuable place on a framework contract of 15 companies in total. No tricks involved just a successful concentration on promoting the service quality side of the bid to ensure that the tender process saw them achieve comparable or better winning scores than companies relying on low pricing to win business.

When this translates to their profit line they are going to be able to invest more in future services to put themselves even further ahead of the competition in the future.

If you want to give your company the winning edge, and maximise your profitability at the same time, then get in touch soon.


Maximising Profits in 2020

17 Feb 2020

Some company owners roll their eyes and moan that public sector procurement is just about the price with no room for quality and innovation.

Winning worthwhile long term contracts through the tender process is certainly tough but the moans that it is just about lowest price are just tosh.

With the right approach to market research and the concentration on quality aspects of the bid to justify higher prices any company, no matter its size, can win at prices that provide the profit levels wanted.

Our two latest contract wins for family run companies show just how much profit you can generate and still win major contracts.

Following the award of the contract detailed price analysis showed that there was a price differential of 31% between the top priced and lowest priced bids of the winners. Yes you read that right the difference was between the top and bottom prices of the winning companies – not between winners and losers – so by maximising quality aspects of their bids the best performing companies were able to get a Price Premium of 31% over their competitors for delivering the same service.

Our clients of course, were on the right side of that equation, getting a price that allows them to invest and pursue even more profitable growth opportunities.

If you want to maximise your profits AND win contracts then get in touch and see just how our Tender Winning Service can help.


2020 Looking Ahead & 2019 Round-Up

28 Dec 2019

2019 has been a great year for our clients with contract wins, big and small, hitting the £100m mark.  It seems as though a lot of public sector tenders have delayed their announcements in this last quarter, I wonder why, so we are expecting our clients to have a rip roaring start to 2020 once the procurement teams emerge from hibernation.

We are expecting successes to be confirmed soon in a range of markets including NHS temporary and permanent agency staffing, Supported Living services and Homecare services and after a longer wait in the Transport sector too.

If you are hoping to win contracts though direct sales proposals or a formal tender process make 2020 the year when you give yourself a winning edge over the competition. Our contract winning and business development services can help any size of company excel in any market – just take a look at our brochure for a small selection of examples.

If you want your company to have a great 2020 get in touch soon but in the meantime we wish everyone a Happy New Year!


Hot Hot Hot!

13 Sep 2019

Latest hot off the press results for public sector contract wins including the NHS with:

  • Family run SME which has been a client of Alexander Venture Consulting for 15 years has secured its latest major NHS contract win to continue its track record of spectacular growth
  • New client which is a franchisee of a large national group, and is new to bidding for public sector contracts, was supported in the space of 1 month to win its first contract

If you want to win more business to help your company grow just get in touch. It does not matter whether your need is for input to improving sales proposals, or creating high scoring bids in formal tender situations, our service can maximise your win rate and help improve your profit levels.


£50 Million Contract Wins & Still Climbing

15 Aug 2019

The first half of 2019 produced contract wins for our buccaneering clients valued at some £50m.

The second half is only just under way but we have the first handful of contract wins now adding to the £50m so, for our clients at least, business is looking great.

Whatever your market, and whatever the size of your company, if you want to move from results that are just good to really great wins then get in touch.

Give us a call on 01233 714063 to discuss how we can give your business the edge over competitors in winning new business contracts.


Sunny Days for Winning Contracts

01 Aug 2019

The weather has been sizzling and so have the results for our clients with the latest contract wins in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for this family run business.

More to come soon with several other wins in the standstill period before final confirmation.

Whatever contract you want to win get in touch if you feel like turning the heat up on your competition.

Don’t wait talk to us today as clients are already booking support for contracts to be tendered in 2020.


6 County Council Contract Wins

14 Jun 2019

Yet another batch of wins for our clients this month with Kent County Council shows just how well our Tender Winning System works.

If you need to win contracts, whatever the market, our service can help you.  Private sector or public sector does not radically alter the approach needed to win and we have worked with people from architects to pathology teams.

So if for example you are bidding on any of the contracts that have popped up on ted.europa.eu today alone e.g. insurance service, TV broadcasting, social work, tourism, why not get in touch and see just how our support can boost your chances of success in all business growth activities.

Download our guides on finding business opportunities and mastering winning proposals by all means but give us a call to get the drop on the competition.

The only number you need is 01233 714063


£5m Per Annum Professional Staffing Services Contracts

07 Apr 2019

Yet more wins for 2 professional services companies. One a long time client and the other brand new.

Our tender winning system hits the jackpot yet again for our clients with a multi year £5m p.a. batch of contract wins.

If your company wants to win service contracts of any type just get in touch.  In the last 15 years we have been able to improve our clients’ results regardless of type of market or type of service.

Your next contract win is just a telephone call away.


Want To Win Hertfordshire Homecare Contracts?

05 Mar 2019

If you want to win one of the forthcoming Lead Provider contracts for Hertfordshire County Council read on.

Another month gives more major wins for our clients in the homecare market.  Yet again our clients have won Lead Provider roles for a large County that had carved its territory into discrete geographic patches by achieving good quality scores and not relying on cheap prices.

By winning this way our clients have a clear long term advantage as their profits will be protected and they can continue to pursue their expansion plans. With contract wins worth £15m plus that gives plenty of room to fund their ambitious goals.

Only a handful of companies can win the new Hertfordshire homecare contracts so if you want to maximise your chances of success get in touch now on 01233 714063.


£20m January Jackpot

30 Jan 2019

Latest government contract win for this client is worth around £20m.

Not a bad start for 2019 but we see it as just setting the bar high to keep our clients, like this family run services business, flying high and beating their competition again and again.

If you want your business to win more work and maximise profits just get in touch before your competitors do.


Managed Staff Services Contract Win

27 Jan 2019

The latest win for a managed services contract is worth around £2m for this client.

If your business wants to win any type of staffing contract from national or international permanent recruitment services, managed vendor, or temporary staffing arrangements drop in to see us at Olympia Recruitment Agency Expo on the 5th and 6th February.

 


2019 Off The Blocks

25 Jan 2019

We are barely into 2019 and our clients have sprinted off the blocks with their first 2019 win for a public sector Local Authority services contract.

The 10-day standstill is in operation so full details will have wait but our clients outscored the competition, exceeded the buyer’s expectations in many areas, and won the contract of their choice.

If you want your proposals for gaining new business to get fantastic results get in touch with us today about our business winning systems.  We can help your teams produce their best work and make your financial results outstanding.


Do You Want To Win Negotiated Contracts?

16 Dec 2018

Our latest contract wins for clients came in the form of Supported Living services.  This multi-year £1m plus p.a. success is just the latest in a long line of wins for this client.

We work closely with them helping develop tender bidding and contract winning skills in their committed team and the partnership just keeps delivering further successes.

If your organisation is considering bidding for some large scale Supported Living contracts being let through a negotiated process by Camden Council you really should be talking to us now before your competitors do.

Whatever tender situation you are facing and whatever contracts you want to win just get in touch on 01233-714063 and we can discuss how our services can maximise your contract win rate and maximise your profitability at the same time.


How To Win Contracts On Quality & NOT Price

21 Nov 2018

Most organisations we work with recognise that being the cheapest supplier is usually not the way to successfully grow their business sustainably particularly when looking at key services such as social care.

The majority of social care contracts are awarded on a mixture of quality-price scores, or quality alone in some cases, so you can see just how essential it is for your organisation’s bid to be rated highly by commissioners on quality factors.

It sounds simple, but in practice commissioners have diverse views of what constitutes quality so how can you ensure your bid delivers what they are seeking.

The start point is a clear response planning process and then working hard to examine your business, services, and practice examples from different angles.  This is exactly the focus we bring to working with clients.

We help our clients prepare high quality responses efficiently and effectively and for a recent Learning Disability services framework the difference between our client’s quality score and the second place bidder was 20%.

So whether your next tender opportunity is awarded on a price-quality mix, or quality scores alone, imagine what a difference our structured approach could make to your success and get in touch with us on 01233 714063.


Where Do You Want to Win Business?

21 Oct 2018

Do you remember the song Dancing In The Street. Our clients are doing just that with yet more tenders resulting in multi-£m contract wins.

It kicks off with Tokyo, South America, Australia, France, Germany, UK, Africa and goes on to include USSR, Brazil and China too.  Wherever they are the brand new beat means they are all dancing in the street.

Our support can give your business that brand new beat too.  Wherever you want to win a contract, Belfast or Brazil, Southampton or Strasbourg, we can help you get that winning beat so get in touch on 01233 714063.


How to Win Multi Million £ Public Sector Contracts

02 Oct 2018

The latest win for our clients brings in another £15m contract with the public sector and again lays to rest those old clichés trotted out by companies who are not winning business.

You may hear that you cannot win large public sector contracts if you are an SME, if you are a family run company, if you are a charity, if you don’t offer the lowest prices and so on.  All just excuses and all are wrong!

All it takes is rock solid determination, willingness to put in the effort across the whole team, and then with our Winning Tenders system a flow of public sector contract wins is within the reach of any company.

If you want to start winning contracts or need to win a greater proportion of your bids get in touch on 01233 714063.


Win More NHS Contracts

26 Aug 2018

Two clients have won new NHS contracts this week with Clinical Commissioning Groups.

If you would like our Tender Winning System to transform your contract win rates then get in touch.

It does not matter what market you are in, or whether it is public or private sector contracts targeted, the key is getting started early and using our system to maximise your chances.

If you want more wins, higher sales, higher profits and a future of successful growth then get in touch on 01233 714063.


Win Contracts at Higher Prices

19 Aug 2018

Do sales and marketing teams or other business owners keep telling you that the only way to win contracts is through low prices?

We hear that all the time too and it is just plain wrong.

You can win contracts, including big public sector contracts against large competitors, at higher prices than those competitors.

A recent win for our clients, against significantly larger competitors, landed them a £10-15m contract even though their price was at a premium of around 5% compared to the larger companies.

Getting the win took a lot of thought, and made the team’s heads hurt, but by stopping the race to the bottom on pricing and concentrating instead on showing the value and quality within the bid our clients achieved a spectacular result that will make a big impact on profitability.

Your company can achieve similar success.  Get in touch on 01233 714063 to see how and start winning more business and more profitable business.


Goooooood Morning Great Britaaaain!

08 Aug 2018

We are feeling loud today and our clients are flying high too.

Three clients, ranging from a charity to a high growth acquisitive company, have just had major contract awards announced in the social care market for:

  • Multiple extra-care sites
  • Large scale homecare service
  • Supported living service

If you want your organisation to become a dynamic, unstoppable, contract winning outfit with enthused staff and great plans for the future get in touch soon on 01233 714063 and join our other clients in making the most of our Tender Winning System.


Walking the Walk

26 Jul 2018

Summer is fizzing and so are the results we are achieving for our clients in public sector bids.

The latest wins are estimated to be worth between £70m and £90m for two of our clients.

You too can radically improve your win rate in tender processes if you are willing to bring our service into your business and work openly in bringing our expert practical advice to bear on winning those important bids.

It is not luck, and it is not magic, the winning touch we bring to your business winning activities is the ideal combination of style and substance all backed up by a stonking amount of sheer hard work from ourselves and your team.

Unlike many we don’t spend too much time talking the talk. We and our clients are much happier walking the walk and laying down great contract winning results that leave the competition fuming.

Give us a call on 01233-714063 if you want to start doing the contract winning walk.


Clean Sweep of Contract Wins Across Southern UK

10 Jul 2018

The latest award this week of another significant contract for this client, worth some £4.5m, gives our clients a clean sweep of successes across the south of the U.K..

From Cornwall in the west to Kent in the east our clients have now bid in tender situations and won contracts in every area, and no we have not forgotten the Isle of Wight, so if you would like to expand in your current area or a new geographic patch get in touch on 01233 714063.

From Northern Ireland across to the Scottish Borders and as far south as you can go we are helping clients grow their businesses and develop new markets.

There are no limits to what we can help your business win – if you can imagine it we can help it become reality.


How Can Family Run SMEs Win Contracts?

30 Jun 2018

As one of our family run SME clients wins yet another contract this week we thought it only right to share the key principles behind their success.

Firstly stop thinking of yourself as an SME – you are running a successful and profitable business and have just as much to shout about as companies that just happen to be larger.

Secondly embrace what some see as your weaknesses – your smaller scale or lack of experience in a market – and find ways to show exactly why those supposed weaknesses should make your company irresistible to a buyer of services or products.

Thirdly innovate, fast, today and see just how slow your larger competitors can be as they struggle to make decisions in their hierarchy.

This client has won multiple contracts in totally new service and geographic markets and will continue to do so with the help of our tendering support services and focus on winning business.

If you would like to break out of where your company is being pigeon holed then get in contact now on 01233 714063 and improve your success in winning contracts and boosting profitability.


Free Guides to Finding Tenders & Winning Contracts

05 Jun 2018

Hi All

We have been getting regular requests about the foundations of finding tender opportunities and then putting together bids that can win contracts in the public and private sector for all sizes of company.

As a start point take a look at the How We Do It and Check The Results pages of our website for free guides on finding tenders and putting together winning proposals.  These are free to download and use and Alexander Venture Consulting is pleased to offer a helping hand.

We hope that kicks things off for you and when you are ready to really accelerate your performance in winning contracts get in touch for our tailored input to create your customised Tender Winning approach on 01233 714063.


Another Great Cornish Summer – Nowodhow

31 May 2018

Nowodhow means News in the glorious Cornish language and we felt we just had to share the latest nowodhow on helping clients win another contract even though details are still waiting for the end of the 10 day standstill period.

Summer in the U.K. wouldn’t be the same without hearing about scorching temperatures in Cornwall and for our clients their results are heating up nicely.

This is the second win in a row for this client and that is something our clients have come to expect – excellent results from their efforts in winning contracts.  The tender processes are never straightforward and sometimes clients tell us they feel like they are hammering against a brick wall as a small company trying to win public sector contracts.

We understand that view but with our tender winning system at their side clients start feeling more like they have a wrecking ball in their armoury.  We work hard with clients to break the status quo of contracts being awarded to the big companies and find ways to help break through barriers and achieve success on a consistent basis.

If you want to put some extra heat under your contract win rates and get your financial results to really sizzle then get in touch before your competitors do on 01233-714063.


Winning Contracts As A 1 Year Old Company

22 Mar 2018

It is always a challenge to win public sector contracts but as a new company with just a one year track record it is tougher still.

There are often ways however to make your bid stand out and that is just what we achieved working with this ambitious young company to win their first contract with Essex County Council.

Well done that team and if you would like to find ways to help your business grow get in touch with us on 01233 714063.


Supplementary Contracts – The Lowdown

01 Feb 2018

Winning a new 5 year contract in January helped 2018 get off to a flying start for this client which is a smallish family owned concern.

When looking at public sector contracts small companies can often get put off by barriers such as having a turnover of a certain level or being able to scale up to meet the service demands of the buyers where they lump their service requirements into huge chunks.

Don’t get mislead by the headlines however.  There are often opportunities if you take a little time to read through the detail of how the tender requirements have been put together.

We applied this approach to this public sector contracts where the headline showed that if your turnover was below £5m your bid would not be evaluated.  Digging deeper however showed that there was a supplementary contract option, without guaranteed business levels, for which there were no turnover barriers.

You might say – so what there is no guaranteed business for the supplementary contract – and you would be correct up to a point.  How often have you read in the business press about companies who win major contracts and then have difficulties in actually living up to what their sales teams promised?  Exactly, it happens all the time.

This means that supplementary contracts take all the overspill of what the bigger companies can’t handle and that gives huge opportunities to grow without all the pressure of being the main supplier and being in the limelight.

One client after another has found that winning these supplementary contracts has hugely benefitted their companies allowing them to grow in a steady and manageable way.

If you want to break through into public sector contracts just give us a call on 01233 714063.

 


2018 Flying Start to Winning Contracts

01 Jan 2018

Haringey Council provides the first win for social care contracts for our clients in 2018.

If you want to win contracts without falling into the low price trap get in touch and see how we can help you create bids that win contracts and tenders whilst protecting your profits.

No fancy tricks involved, just clear approaches to make the quality parts of your services stand out for buyers in the tender process.

 


Christmas Comes Early – How To Win Contracts & Tenders

21 Dec 2017

Great last minute news for our clients just before they take a well earned break.

  • Second contract win in a row for complex behavioural support services for them
  • As a charity they are showing that the old cliché about charities being at a disadvantage in formal tender situations is just a snow job

If your organisation would like to achieve breakthrough results in the New Year, and all year round, then what are you waiting for.  Get us on your side before your competition steals a march on you.

Wishing all our clients a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.


Extra Contracts Extra-Care

31 Oct 2017

For an evening when things go beyond the normal we can add an unusual win for our clients.

They have succeeded in breaking into a new public sector market for their services.  A terrific win of an Extra-Care social care contract will now open up a whole new set of opportunities for this ambitious company.

Nothing spooky about how you can win public sector contracts without directly comparable experience or references – it just takes our Tender Winning Service combined with innovative thinking and old fashioned hard work.

If you would like your company to succeed, in breaking into any type of new market, and winning more contracts get in touch soon.


£120 Million B.B.C. Framework

27 Sep 2017

Now the standstill period has finished we are pleased to confirm that our clients have won a new place on the Bournemouth Borough Council social care services framework.

With a value of £120m this framework will support their growth ambitions across the south of the U.K. by giving long term business security and the opportunity to develop new services in partnership with a forward looking public sector organisation.

Some companies say that frameworks are not that important to them, we say – come off it £120m is a good business opportunity for any company!  We have an inkling that those companies who are not keen on frameworks are worried by the competition they will still face within the framework structure and prefer the safe option where they are the sole provider.  Our clients don’t worry about continued competition as they know their services are going to be among the best, that their service will be in demand, and that as a result they and the public authority will both prosper from the relationship.

If you want your company to win a slice of any framework get in touch on 01233 714063.


Three Top Treats

13 Sep 2017

September 2017 is turning out to be a monster month for results and we have still got some others keeping us on tenterhooks:

  • Council award for area based social care services remains in standstill period for a few more days so full details soon but keeps a 100% win rate for this client
  • Surrey County Council contract award confirmations
  • Assistance with complex re-pricing for existing service contracts gets the thumbs up from the public sector buyer, giving more benefits to them and more profit to our client, and paves the way for three more years of significant growth for this client

More stunning results on the way as soon as reporting restrictions are lifted.

Call us today, if your company wants to grow and grow and grow, on 01233 714063.  One call could be all it takes to transform your contract win rates.


5 Goes Mad In Dorset

02 Sep 2017

Finally one of the standstill periods for recent contract wins has come to an end.

Five is the theme for this latest success for a services contract in Dorset:

  • 5th contract win on the roll for this client with our support adding the winning touch to their great service offer
  • £5 million value of the latest contract won
  • 5 days to create a contract winning bid for this latest public sector tender process – just to clarify the 5 days was spread over a month, but 5 extremely long days of input from our tender winning service allied to the work of the client’s in-house team was all it took to win £5 million of new business

I suppose we should have waited until the 5th September to release the news of more contract wins but its just to good to delay.  We’re heading off now with our client to celebrate with lashings of pop!


Summer Sizzler Contract Wins

27 Jul 2017

Our clients have been burning the midnight oil in the sweltering summer so far to rack up even more successes through applying the proven and straightforward principles of our Contract Winning Service.

We don’t do jargon, we just focus on winning contracts and services, so we leave all the ‘consultant speak’ where it belongs.

Contract wins include:

  • Walsall public sector contract win, following hot on the heels of their first ever success in bidding in a Government tender process in Wolverhampton, giving the competitors the old one-two
  • Northern Ireland success for this client involved in multiple service markets which means that we have now helped clients to win contracts and tenders in almost every part of the U.K. – Come in Wales! – we are ready and waiting to help you win your bids too
  • West London framework contract successes in the public health and care sector

Franchisee Heaven

Sometimes as a franchisee, in competitive markets bidding for public sector contracts, it can feel like you are working with one hand tied behind your back.  You have set work approaches and have a franchise fee payment that you must also account for within your bid pricing.

Our services can redress the balance by helping you win big on non-price elements of a tender to offset any price disadvantage and bring in creative ideas to promote the benefits of your service even within franchise operating constraints.

Our franchisee clients in the Midlands have just scored their second straight public sector contract win by working with our Tender Winning Service.

Come and join us if you want to win big.


Another Week – Another Multi-Million Public Sector Contract Win

25 Mar 2017

If you ever doubt the use of being on public sector framework contracts without guaranteed business levels remember this – once you win your place these frameworks usually then give you privileged access to mini competitions or mini tenders.

Mini sounds a bit small doesn’t it.  Think again, because often the only thing that is mini about the public sector contracts on offer this way is that at least some of your competition may already be excluded from competing.

This week’s mini competition win of a public sector contract for our clients in the South of the U.K. is worth £2.5 million per annum and we are now heading off to beaver away at winning another couple of contracts for this same client in the South West.

If contracts of this level are too small for your business to care about fair enough, but if on the other hand you like the sound of winning a regular stream of new multi-million pound public sector contracts, get in touch on 01233 714063 soon.


Zero to £10m

26 Feb 2017

What is your growth goal for your company?

One of our clients that we have helped to win contracts from their first day of operations, just a handful of years ago, has just passed the £10m milestone.  Winning contracts is just part of the game of course and it takes their high performing staff team to maximise the benefits such contracts offer on a day to day basis by jumping on every opportunity.

Without the contract wins however growth can be much more of a slog so if you want to supercharge your company’s results get in contact and see the difference our support services can make.

Two more wins for other clients this month:

  • West London multi year contract
  • North London multi year framework contract

Whatever your business sector you can win more contracts and more profitable contracts with our services.


Soyuz Wanna Win A Contract?

28 Nov 2016

We had to stretch the title a little but congratulations to all our Russian friends today.  50 years since the first flight of this rocket and it is still going strong as the launch vehicle that you can count on to deliver the goods.

It shows what you can do by focusing intently on getting better and better at something over time.  It really is rocket science in the Soyuz case but anyone can do it when you apply the same principle to business growth.

Our services are helping our clients to get better and better results with the latest two wins being for supported living services.  You can be a small company, or a charity, it really does not matter as these wins show being worth the best part of a million.

If your business has ambitions for growth get in touch and see how we can help your results take off.


Growth – Light My Fire

13 Nov 2016

Fresh from Guy Fawkes night our clients have been burning the candle at both ends when it comes to cracking results:

  • Three further contract wins for community based social care services for this client in the Midlands following hot on the heels of their first ever win earlier this year – so not so much the Black Country anymore, more like solid gold
  • Sweeping the board with this County Council contract producing a dozen geographically based wins
  • Working with this homecare company to build up their business volumes from 500 hours per week has shown stunning performance with weekly hours now running at 8000 plus
  • Family owned company in central London had never won a public sector contract before this year and will now finish 2016 with their fourth NHS or Local Authority contract win under their belt
  • Focusing on profitability with this client over the last year has put a rocket under their bottom line with results soaring from around £100k to approaching £300k

We are already working with clients towards many more contract and tender wins so if you have got your eye on a contract you really want to win get in touch soon on 01233 714063 and put the heat on your competitors.


Yeah Baby! Win-tastic!

05 Oct 2016

Powering through to the latest win for our clients with the Health Trust Europe.  This group purchasing organisation supplies agency staffing services to over 100 NHS customers and created a new Total Workforce Solutions framework to become the framework of choice for the healthcare market.

Working closely with the client’s team we planned and contributed to the tender responses to achieve two great wins.

Our client has reinforced their position as a leading national provider of agency healthcare staff with these wins and there is no mystery as to why.  Careful work on a complex bid with everything tailored to meet HTE’s needs from best practice procedures to method statements of up to 1500 words meant we gave HTE every reason to award the contract.

If you want to win contracts, any contracts, get in touch and we can discuss the gold standard approach we use.


No Fear

10 Sep 2016

Winning in business is just like winning tenders and contracts.  It takes an approach of not worrying about barriers, size, or where you are starting from you just need to decide that you are going to give it everything you’ve got to reach that goal.

Our friend Suhail Mirza has this week, published a new book, “Meet the CEO Recruitment Leaders – Their journey to the top and how you can join them”.

It gives a real insight into the opportunities in the exciting recruitment sector whether you are an old hand in that market or keen to enter it.  Take a look, he’s an interesting author and sure to grab your attention.

If you are in the recruitment sector already and want to win more of the business you bid for give us a call.  We have the right skills and right attitude to help your company win.

 

 


How to Win NHS Contracts

10 Aug 2016

This latest win for our clients is with the NHS Collaborative Procurement Partnership for employment agency and employment business services as part of a national agreement which covers clinical, medical and nursing staff categories.  Our support helped ease the pressure of complying with complex tender demands such as:

  • Ensuring all ITT documentation is checked for clarification needs as the last thing you want to do is win a tender and not know the real extent of contractual demands you will face – this bid ended up with over 600 clarifications, not all ours, so you can see just how much might not be defined clearly
  • Ensuring all method statement responses met needs of NHS customers by identifying and responding to framework agreement, specification, audit, evaluation criteria
  • Providing additional ‘sets of eyes’ to pore over fiendishly complicated pricing models making sure that every element is understood and that there would be no nasty financial surprises
If your company wants to win NHS or any other public or private sector contract get in touch to discuss our Tender Winning Service, it could be one of the most profitable moves your company ever makes.

Labor Omnia Vincit

30 Jul 2016

Cripes! Where’s Boris when we need him most to help us out with our Latin?

We thought we would welcome in the Rio Olympics with our latest winning results but it’s best not to use the Olympic motto as they get touchy about such things.

Work Conquers All Things seems a reasonable replacement though when you are thinking about the efforts needed to win contracts and tenders.  The recent wins for our clients include NHS Any Qualified Provider contracts and framework contracts for a County Council:

  • The NHS AQP contract wins are just the latest for these clients, who we have previously helped win Local Government tenders, and this takes them into new territory with multi-year health services contracts to supply NHS organisations
  • The County Council wins are on a framework where a dozen or so companies can gain a place on the contract.  The key thing though is to be near the top as that old favourite the 80:20 rule always applies with most of the work going to those few companies occupying the first few places on the list.  The results we helped clients achieve speak for themselves:
    • 18 bids and 18 wins
    • 10 first place results
    • 4 second place results
    • 4 third place results

If you want to give your company the best chance of winning tenders and contracts in any market get in touch with our team at Alexander Venture Consulting on 01233 714063 today and transform the level of success you achieve in winning bids.

 


Giving it Everything

03 Jul 2016

We give it everything we’ve got when helping clients win new contracts.

Three new contract wins in Brighton with the public sector for this company were achieved by overcoming well established rivals who had longstanding supply relationships in place.

If your company or charity is facing seemingly overwhelming odds, when looking at contracts you would like to win, then get in touch soon but just don’t leave it until the tender opportunity is published as there is so much preparatory work that can be done to improve your chances of winning the bid.

We never back down when promoting the benefits of our clients to private and public sector purchasers and it shows in solid results with high win rates for contracts and tenders.


For Great Wins

14 Jun 2016

If you want to achieve great contract and tender wins look no further than Alexander Venture Consulting.

To give some idea of what can be achieved:

  • Client winning multiple contracts in June despite financial reports showing a loss in the hundreds of thousands for several years – not the ideal start of course in terms of being assessed for financial risk, but if you can show why a loss occurred and put forward realistic evidence of current performance and why things will improve you can still win public sector contracts
  • Small family owned company takes on one of the largest national companies in the market and secures several contracts
  • Client acquiring a competitor and immediately winning multiple contracts helping to show their new workforce an exciting future

Whatever your position, if you want great contract wins get in touch soon.


That Winning Feeling!

20 Apr 2016

Our clients are getting that winning feeling again – and again.

  • Barnet Council contracts in the bag with high scoring bids, based on good quality proposals and not cheap prices, easily outperforming the larger competitors
  • Wolverhampton City Council cutting down their supplier base which you might think favours the incumbents but not if we are on your side – another clear win
  • NHS AQP tender producing fourth win for this group

If you want to win a contract with the NHS, Local Government , Central Government or the private sector get in touch now and see how we can help make it a reality.


Want to Win Big Contracts?

27 Mar 2016

Sometimes clients are worried about the size of the contracts being tendered for and if only the biggest companies with huge business development teams have a chance of winning.

What matters is skill not scale.

With our tender winning process you can take on any bid opportunity with confidence.

Currently we are working with clients to win a slice of a contract worth between £750m and £2b and the challenges are exactly the same as winning smaller contracts.  If you want to win a big contract for your company get in touch.


Contract & Tender Winning the AVC Way

18 Mar 2016

This week alone we have helped four very different clients win four contracts stretching from the Midlands down to London.  The awards are currently in the “standstill” period so we cannot release the details yet but our clients will be celebrating all weekend.

If you are serious about winning more contracts and tenders for your business then get in touch because we can help at every stage from spotting opportunities, through qualification processes and on to the full bid process including presentations to the buyers.

The key is not to wait until the tender is published though as there is so much advance work that can be done to maximise your chances of a successful bid.  By getting moving early you are building an advantage over your competitors and why wouldn’t you want to do that – in fact if you’re not perhaps they are even now getting the jump on you.

Whatever market you operate in we can help increase the success rate of your bids for contracts and tenders so get in touch by calling us on 01233 714063.  We look forward to working and winning with you.


How to Win the Contracts & Tenders You Want

05 Mar 2016

We often get asked how we can be so confident that our input will help increase your contract and tender win rates.  The answer is surprising to some people when we say the key thing is that we are not just bid writers.

We have long experience of successfully running companies in highly competitive markets, understanding wider business challenges, and are able to work effectively with business owners or senior management teams in embedding our expertise into their operations.  This helps spread contract and tender winning systems throughout the client company and we work as part of your team rather than some distant external input just banging out spin and PR.  Nothing about or service is ‘off the shelf’, ‘boilerplate’, or generic it is totally customised to your needs – and it works.

To help you decide how your company could benefit from winning more contracts take a look at some examples of the work we get involved with:

  • Building up a base of long term contracts to help clients maximise the value of their businesses before sale, sometimes directly engaged by owners and sometimes recommended by M&A or private equity companies who want to help maximise the value of businesses they are supporting
  • Developing bid winning skills within the business development team of an international manufacturer
  • Working with small family run service operations to compete against much larger rivals and win on high quality rather than low prices
  • Winning Master Vendor agency staff contracts at the first attempt for clients with no prior MV experience to demonstrate
  • Winning complex contracts for fostering of children – if you think your service is complex think about the multitude of issues in aiming to create a better future for young people
  • Contract cleaning bids for massive property estates
  • Supporting franchisee services to win contracts boosting both their business and the resulting licence income of the franchisor
  • Working with charities to successfully battle for business share against larger commercial rivals
  • International permanent and temporary agency staffing contracts for national buyers or Government departments
  • Every type of social care contract win from homecare, through supported living, extra care, floating support, social work, brokerage, hospital discharge to information services
  • Transport services using own fleet or client fleets
  • Agency staffing contracts for NHS consultants, Doctors, Nurses, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, catering, industrial, admin and secretarial, Health Science Services
  • Winning contracts via Crown Commercial Services, Health Trust Europe, Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups
  • Preparing client teams for intense presentations including Q&A sessions so that your teams reinforce the confidence of buyers in your written bids
  • Assessing potential acquisition targets if buying as well as bidding is part of your growth strategy
  • Identifying potential bid contract and tender opportunities and working with clients before the tender comes out to get maximum advantage over competitors who often leave things until a tender is actually published
  • Financially targeted services from clients wanting to win M&A service contracts through to the gritty end of bailiff services

We cannot cover all the sectors or approaches we are involved in here but if your organisation has a taste for growth we can help deliver it – time after time – so give us a call on 01233 714063


How Can We Win Contracts & Tenders?

30 Jan 2016

With the latest two wins arriving last week we wanted to give some insight into the clients we help win contracts and tenders.

Often clients come to us with concerns about whether it is possible for them to win meaningful contracts due to things such as size, history, profitability, experience or legal structure.  It would be daft to say any company can win any contract, as there are sometimes barriers that make certain bids unsuitable, but often clients’ perceived disadvantages are not barriers at all.

As an indication of client structures, that have not got in the way of achieving success as feared, we have helped clients whose structure is:

  • Partnership
  • Employee owned Co-operative
  • International PLC
  • Charity
  • Lead provider with sub-contractors
  • Consortium
  • Sole trader
  • Franchisee

Overall the message about achieving success in winning contracts and tenders is don’t worry too much about things that may possibly be seen as negatives.  Focus instead on what your business has to offer and work as hard as possible in finding ways to put across what your service or product can do for the buyer.

If you would like assistance to increase your success rates in bidding for contracts or tenders get in touch with us and see how much better things can be.


Ramping Up the Tender Win Rate

10 Jan 2016

We were going to give a round-up of 2015 results but that will have to wait as there are so many new contract and tender wins coming in:

  • Consortium bids can be hard to manage but these 3 companies in the Home Counties were willing to do what was needed.  They put egos to one side, called on our expertise in winning tenders, and were open to lively interaction and debate on the best way to present their offer to the bid target.  That willingness to work openly with us has now resulted in their first contract win.
  • Appointed by this national franchise group in January 2015 the tender wins for their franchisees continue to roll in.  Down in gorgeous Devon the local franchisee has just won a major contract with Plymouth City Council, its first ever win, using our services to help them submit a tender bid of a quality that the Council  snapped up.
  • A long way from Devon but the sun is shining in Barking & Dagenham in East London which has also joined the list of outstanding contract and tender wins for our clients this month.  A £3.3m contract for crisis intervention and homecare services was just the ticket for a long standing client where our expert input has helped them cut a swathe through the competition across North and East London winning bid after bid with Local Authorities and the NHS.

If you want to win contracts as an independent company, a franchisee, or within a consortium and want to win through the strength of your arguments and quality of proposals rather than the daft self defeating approach of dirt cheap prices get in touch.  If you are a franchisor that wants to maximise its attractiveness to franchisees by increasing their earnings as well as your own get in touch.

Regardless of whether your company is small, large or absolutely huge our expertise in winning tenders and contracts can help you win more, win better and win more profitably – just give us a call.


How to Win 6 New Contracts at Your First Attempt

18 Dec 2015

Merry Christmas to all.

The 2015 results are still coming in thick and fast:

  • Lambeth framework contract wins for community social care services covering adult’s and children’s support needs
  • New client’s first attempt at bidding for a set of key contracts has resulted in six wins – 100% success rate

If you have got tenders coming up in 2016 that you would really like to win, and you also want to make sure you get a good price, give us a call and see how we can help make it happen.


How to Win NHS AQP Contracts

27 Nov 2015

Busy week fielding all the client wins and planning for the future successful delivery of various services.

What’s going on this week in our tender and contract winning world includes:

  • Confirmed client wins in the Pan-London NHS Continuing Healthcare tender, for 3-5 year contracts supporting 8 London Clinical Commissioning Groups, incorporating all new business requirements from the CCGs and transfers of all old business onto the new contract
  • New SME client in North London helped to win their first ever contract after calling in our expert advice on winning tenders
  • Essex client wins first contract in a new geographic area as part of their strategy for growth
  • Work continues on helping client teams put together winning bids in Hampshire, Suffolk, Midlands, London and Kent
  • Procurement teams taking their usual pot-shots at seasonal goodwill by releasing tender opportunities at the end of November to ensure we and our clients will be beavering away over the Christmas – New Year period ready to submit bids when the procurement teams return to work in January
  • Check out our free guides to finding more contract opportunities and mastering winning proposals

If you have got a contract coming up in the future that you really want to win get in touch soon.  Please don’t wait until the tender comes out though as by that time we will probably have been appointed to help other companies win the bid.  Getting preparations underway many months in advance hugely increases your chance of winning tenders and contracts so don’t delay get in touch today on 01233 714063.


Winning Health Trust Europe Tenders

03 Oct 2015

Hot on the heels of winning CCS NHS tenders for non-clinical non-medical temporary staff comes this latest success for clients in winning one of a very few places on the HTE framework for National & International Permanent Recruitment of Healthcare Workers.

HTE is a Group Purchasing Organisation working mainly for public sector healthcare organisations.  The framework is aimed at the national and international permanent recruitment of:

  • Consultants
  • Doctors
  • GPs
  • Allied Health Professionals
  • Health Science Service staff
  • Nurses
  • Care Workers

Working with our client’s team from the very start we helped them hone operational method statements that scored high quality marks and avoided undue pressure on prices.

Whether working with client teams in the UK or as in this case, in India and the far reaches of continental Europe, we can assist your business to create stunning tenders that have the best chance of achieving winning scores.

Whatever tender your business wants to win just get in touch now on 01233 714063 but don’t leave it too late or the competition might beat you to it.


Winning Tenders – As Easy As AVC

12 Sep 2015

What contracts does your company want to win?  Whatever the sector or target our service CAN help you win more business.

Hot of the press, now that summer holidays are out of the way and procurement teams are publishing results, are two fantastic wins for very different clients:

  • Crown Commercial Services news story released 10th September – The new Multidisciplinary Temporary Healthcare Personnel agreement has been developed to provide the NHS, and other public sector organisations, with access to temporary healthcare workers.  The agreement is the first of its kind, offering customers the ability to maximise their buying power by sourcing all of their healthcare professionals through one commercial solution.  Our client had to work from a standing start to create from scratch an offer that included advanced Managed Vendor Services to deliver the following:The supply of temporary workers across all health and social care job roles and pay bands including:
    • Doctors, Consultants, Dentists and General Practitioners
    • Allied Health Professionals, Health Science Services and Emergency Services personnel
    • Nursing and Midwifery personnel
    • Personal Social Services personnel

    Roles of a very specialist nature can also be sourced and there is provision in the agreement for unsocial hours, high cost area supplements and the agency workers regulations.  All role profiles can be engaged on either a temporary or fixed term assignment.

    Working alongside the client team from start to final submission we helped create a fantastic bid that cracked open this new market for the company.

  • For a small organisation in the social care sector we have just helped them win a major homecare services contract with the Tri-Borough group of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham Councils.  The contract is valued in the tens of millions and proves the doom mongers wrong again.  So often ‘experts’ and spokespeople for SMEs and charities pipe up about how everything is unfair and stacked against them in public sector tenders, and that only the big companies can win, but here is the proof that it just takes hard work, determination, self belief and guts to achieve stunning results.  Here is our advice to those negative people:
    • Stop whinging
    • Stop whining
    • Get stuck in and start winning

Whether you want to win a homecare contract, a temporary staffing contract or something different like a weather service contract the start point should be the same – call Alexander Venture Consulting on 01233 714063 and start winning!


Tender Winning Master Class & Stunning Results

09 Sep 2015

What a week.  Now that we have paused for breath in between winning contracts for our clients let’s update:

  • Stunning major public sector win in Central London for our clients – beating off the competition yet again we assisted this small organisation to plan ahead for the opportunity, sail through qualification stages and win their target contract without resorting to low prices.
  • Leicestershire was the location for our latest Tender Winning Master Class – this time it was for a group of Homecare companies from various parts of the UK so they weren’t direct competitors.  Previously our Master Class has helped international pharmaceutical giants, NHS in-house audiology and pathology services, supported living organisations, contract cleaning companies and even bailiffs hone their skills and improve their contract and tender win rates.  Sometimes we are working with in-house Bid Teams and other times Owner Managers but one thing always stays the same – our Master Classes are always radically different from the mass market ‘Win Tenders’ workshops you see pushed every week.  Every Master Class is tailored to the audience and the audience is small, never more than a handful, so that we can really get into the detail of what it takes to win contracts – we don’t do ‘top tips’ we do real life winning techniques.

If your business, small or huge, needs to win more contracts and tenders by improving win rates whilst protecting your profits get in touch now on 01233 714063.


Ripping Up Tender Mythology

04 Sep 2015

Now that the summer holiday season is over the hiatus in confirmation of bid results is ended.

We hear and read about lots of myths regarding the winning of tenders but most of them are just plain wrong.  Look at how some of our recent results stack up against the perceived wisdom of the ‘talking heads’:

  • Charities can’t compete on an equal footing – Wrong, our charity clients have clinched large wins
  • Small companies can’t hope to beat large competitors – Wrong, our SME clients have just beaten some of the biggest and best known names in their markets
  • Small companies can’t bid for large contracts because of unfair turnover stipulations – Wrong, our clients have made reasoned arguments to buyers and got barriers removed or lowered
  • Consortia bids are complex and bound to fail – Wrong, two recent consortia wins were not simple but straight talking and clear focus got the win
  • Small companies can’t hope to win large value contracts – Wrong, tens of millions as a win value is not a bad size

Ah, you may say, that all sounds ok but we are a small charity, and have a small turnover, and need to work in a new consortium, and need to bid for a large value contract, and face massive competitors.  Surely with all that against us we don’t stand a chance.

Wrong again, it just depends if you have the gumption to take on the challenge.  Our clients have just faced this exact situation and emerged triumphant.

If you want to rise above the myths, rip up the rule book and win tender after tender contact us today and see the difference we can make to your future success.


How to Bid for TUPE Contracts & Tenders

03 Aug 2015

If you are bidding for a tender where there are TUPE considerations because a contract is being retendered you may experience some challenges in getting accurate workforce data.

TUPE regulations as updated in 2014 require an outgoing contractor to pass on accurate employee liability information not less than 28 days before the transfer.  Sounds fine in theory but your tender process may be taking place many months before any potential transfer date so unless a company’s existing contract demands they provide such information during the tender process many try to play games with the data to put off competitors.

Games played can include:

  • Including staff who will not transfer to bump up the perceived costs and make you bid too high
  • Making data difficult to reconcile with a contract situation by providing it in hard to assess formats or unclear language
  • Only providing minimal data and making you work out what is missing
  • Putting in lots of figures that simply don’t add up when you do the calculations

Why play such games?  Well their job is to win the contract again and make you lose.

To counter such tricks you need to get the organisations running the tender process on-side by raising questions that bring into play elements of the TUPE regulations, the public procurement regulations if relevant, and most importantly showing how the lack of transparency is affecting the chances of the buying organisation getting the best deal with their new contract.

The key thing is to jump on the situation early and get the tender process to be a level playing field.  If you need assistance in winning any contract or tender, TUPE or not, just get in touch.


Win Council – CCG – Public Contracts & Tenders

23 Jul 2015

Hot off the press is the news of yet more tender successes for our clients in West Sussex.

The contract wins cover a range of social care and support services, across the whole County, providing services for the County Council and three Clinical Commissioning Groups.  These organisations purchase about 1.5 million hours of support so the potential value is substantial particularly when you take into account the drastic cutting of supplier numbers for the new contract.

Even with these wins it is fingers crossed for more as some additional tender elements are still being assessed by the Council.

Our work with our clients started with the pre-qualification stage, went through strategic service planning, and assisted in the creation of winning tender proposals and multi-year business plans.

We helped our clients chalk up many 1sts here:

  • Their first major County-wide tender win
  • Their first tender win using a consortium model
  • Their first tender win of this high a value

Nothing gets in the way of us helping our clients win more tenders and contracts – we aim to create tender bids that are irresistible and blow the competition away.  Whatever the barrier, whatever the 1st you need to achieve, we can help you do it.

If you want to win more tenders and contracts by creating stunning bids, and avoiding the old, tired, and counterproductive approach of just cutting prices, then get in touch with us now to take the first steps towards more tender wins.


How Can I Win Public Sector Contracts?

14 Jun 2015

How can I win public sector contracts is a query we often hear.  For those companies who have already got wins under their belt the query usually becomes how can I win more public sector contracts.

The first part of the solution is quick and easy – just use our services.  The second part takes a bit longer in working together to see how our systematic approach to tender winning can dramatically improve your contract win rates.

The latest success is in the agency staffing market within the NHS.  Crown Commercial Services has just confirmed our client’s latest win of the Non Medical Non Clinical temporary agency staff contract.  This framework contract covers staff categories such as administrative, clerical, IT, legal, clinical coding and ancillary.

So, if you really want to win that large or small public sector contract just get in touch.  Our only request is that you don’t leave it until the tender is published as one of the ‘secrets’ of tendering success is getting the process started in advance of the short formal bid period.


Cracking Contract Capture

02 May 2015

If your company is aiming to grow by winning contracts and tenders why not chat to Alexander Venture Consulting to see how best to crack the secret to success.

We are always beavering away at capturing contracts for our clients – one moment its a Managed Vendor Service for agency staffing, the next Sales Mergers & Acquisition services, or looking at the possibility of bidding for architectural services for a space centre.  No matter how unusual, specialised or offbeat the contract you want to win we really can help.

This week’s successes are in the learning disability social care sector for Cambridgeshire County Council:

  • Supported Living Services – Win!
  • Home Care & Community Support Services – Win!
  • Day Opportunities – Win!
  • Residential Care Services – Win!

If you want to join our revolution in winning contracts and tenders give us a call.  We are ready to help you win.


Best of British – Winning Contracts & Tenders

19 Apr 2015

It all seems to be British focused at the moment:

  • British Franchise Association industry news flash notes that Alexander Venture Consulting has been appointed as an approved consultancy to help the franchisees of this national franchisor win more tenders and contracts
  • British Assessment Bureau news article by Alexander Venture Consulting sets out simple steps towards winning more contracts
  • British business support organisation contract win for our clients who provide specialised financial services

Whether you are a UK business, or an overseas business, seeking to win more British contracts and tenders get in touch and see how effectively we can help you win more public and private sector contracts and more profitable contracts.


How to Beat Bigger Companies and Win That Tender

20 Mar 2015

Southampton City Council has just announced the award of some £80m worth of health and social care contracts for the next four years covering services purchased by the City Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group

Our clients achieved stunning success by breaking into this framework contract even as the Council was drastically cutting the number of suppliers.  The success was not just limited to winning the tender but achieving exceptionally high scores too so that they are well placed to develop substantial business volumes.

Our clients achieved success in contracts including:

  • Homecare services including specialist support for learning disability, sensory impairment and acquired brain injury across the whole City
  • Continuing health care services
  • Reablement services

The contract win was also notable for something else in that it showed how bigger companies could be beaten.  In this tender our clients left most of the biggest names in the health and social care market trailing behind.

If your company needs to beat the biggest and best known companies in your market get in touch – we would love to help you leave your competitors standing.


How to Win Preferred Provider Status in 2015

15 Mar 2015

If you need to win preferred provider bids contact us now to boost your chances of a successful outcome.  It does not matter if the bid is with the public or private sector our approach will make a real difference.

This new client contacted us through a referral, from another company we had successfully supported, after they heard about our speciality of winning contracts and tenders.  They are a highly experienced and skilled team and a recognised leader in their field but winning preferred provider status with one of the UK’s best known business brands would be a quantum leap.

Their team produced a high quality proposal and arranged for our input to review their ideas, structures and concepts – effectively an open brief to find improvements.  This helped turn a good proposal into a great proposal – job done – preferred provider status won.  You may think that noting we helped our client turn a good proposal into a great one is a bit of marketing speak but if anything it is an understatement.  “Great” was not just our view or that of our clients – the UK business brand awarding the preferred provider status was absolutely clear that the bid was probably the best and most comprehensive tender document they had ever received and they have seen a lot of bids.

No matter how good your product or service is to start with we can help you find that extra edge to increase the likelihood of beating your competition.  If you can, get in touch early in any bid process as the earlier we are involved the bigger the difference we can make.

 


MORE!!

13 Mar 2015

An Oliver Twist moment after our recent Tender Winning workshop for this national franchise group.

Although we love helping our clients win contract after contract we also understand that not everyone finds creating winning tenders as thrilling as we do – in fact many people find it mind numbing.

To keep things sharp and snappy for client teams we tend to keep workshops to just half a day but the feedback this time from the franchisees was that they wanted to spend even more time learning how to create tender winning responses and method statements.

Unlike Charles Dickens’ characters however we were not taken aback and will indeed deliver more of what our clients want.

If you want to win more tenders and win more contracts, get in touch, we are the team that will always give you more.


Winning Tenders – Start Today

11 Feb 2015

If you have tenders and contracts that your company wants to win please do not delay in contacting us.

Even at this early stage of 2015 we are receiving calls from potential customers who have left the attempt to win important contracts until the last minute.  We aim to help wherever we can but our aim is not just to gain new assignments it is to win contracts for our clients which is why our clients succeed and keep coming back.  Last minute rush jobs just don’t get the same success rates and we unfortunately sometimes have to disappoint would be new clients when a high quality bid just cannot be created at the last minute.

The process of winning new contracts and tenders starts long before tender invitations are published.  The preparation, research and planning elements can effectively take place in the six months prior to any expected tender opportunity and such advance work massively increases the likelihood of achieving a win.

If you have contracts and tenders you want to win later this year please start talking to us today – that is what will get a win.


Winning Tenders in 2015

07 Feb 2015

After the usual seasonal hiatus in tender results being announced the Alcatel letters have started arriving.

Our clients have just won 8 brand new contracts and seem quite chuffed – B. Brilliant was their response.

More details will follow when the standstill period expires but we helped this client from the pre-qualification stage all the way through to the tender pricing and method statements.

If you are thinking about winning tenders and contracts in 2015 get in touch soon so that your results will be B. Brilliant too!


Early Christmas Contract Wins

16 Dec 2014

Christmas has come early for some of our clients:

  • Brent Council has announced the award of their Enhanced Reablement contract.  Our client has won a share of this £1m two year contract with great scores on quality and price.  You might worry about scoring well on price but what we mean is scoring fairly low on price, by ensuring your bid is not one of the cheapest, and then still achieving a win overall by scoring very high on the quality aspects.  In the spirit of the Panto season and thinking about our client’s competitors we are happy to say They’re Behind You!
  • Another client’s email about an agency staffing contract was similarly chirpy “Hi Patrick just to let you know we got on the contract, you will be pleased to know that we had the highest score!”

Looking towards the New Year if you are a social care provider in Surrey and want to win a place on their latest AQP framework get in touch soon and we will help you get the results you want.


Winning Shared Business Services NHS Contracts

30 Nov 2014

The latest win for temporary staff contracts is the Shared Business Services contract for Allied Health Professionals and Health Science Services staff.

This win for our clients gives them the opportunity to supply temporary staff to over 50 Trusts and CCGs in the North of England.

Achieving a stunning quality score has helped our client succeed in being placed on this framework with the opportunity for a greater share of the market as SBS’s aim was to reduce the overall number of suppliers.

If your company needs to achieve high quality scores to maximise the chances of winning contracts get in touch to discuss your goals.

 


Happy Clients Winning Contracts

14 Nov 2014

Happy clients for very different reasons this week.

  • A client in a new market for us, where we assisted with their tender proposals, has just received the feedback from the purchaser – not only have they won the contract but their proposal was “probably the best and most comprehensive tender document we have ever received”.  Congratulations to our happy client whose team put together the proposal that warranted such a reaction.
  • While the skies are emptying rain here our next happy client is basking in sunshine on the other side of the world knowing that their tender propoals are progressing in their absence.  Sometimes tenders and proposals clash with long organised vacations, other commitments, or just sheer volumes of work but that is no reason for your company to miss out.  We can take up the reins and make sure your growth plans continue at all times.

If you want to win more tenders and contracts get in touch.


Winning Social Care Contracts Profitably

26 Oct 2014

Does your organisation really want to win contracts in the social care market?

  • Two high profile extra care schemes won with clients in London, supporting needs including dementia, rehabilitation, physical and learning disabilities for a four year contract.  This is the second straight win for these clients in the specialised extra care sector.
  • Hounslow Council and Clinical Commissioning Group personal care framework award for clients to add another Council to their raft of previous wins.

Winning tenders and contracts is hard enough but how do you do it and make the profits you need for successful growth.  In tender situations you will usually be faced with a need to balance quality and price.  Naturally if your bid scores very highly on the quality side of things you have more room to maintain realistic prices.

Our input helps clients achieve high scores on quality aspects of bids so that they are not at the mercy of competitors who only know how to cut prices.


Winning Contracts & Tenders – Again & Again

06 Oct 2014

A new contract award in South London represents a first for our clients.  This framework is a collaboration between Croydon Council and Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group and is an integrated framework for the delivery of care, support and health related services.

With expenditure on the framework as a whole expected to hit £30m annually, and a testing tender process against tough and established larger competitors, our clients are naturally delighted to add this latest contract to their list of wins.

The approach we follow with clients to help them win tenders and contracts is something that can be repeated time after time and can be scaled up or down to meet the needs of diverse services and markets.  Looking at some recent successes:

  • This client only commenced business in 2011, yet won its first contract with our assistance within its first year, and has now added its latest win in a new territory.  Being a fairly new company does not mean you can’t win contracts it just means you have to pick your battles carefully.
  • A family run business has used our support services for 8 years.  We are now working with the second generation of the family and have assisted them to win new contracts, retain contracts at retender stage, open new locations on the back of contract wins and break into new markets for their services.
  • Another client is celebrating 5 contract wins within the last week alone.  This client is a family business too and is ambitious in its plans to spread its services across the whole of London.  These latest wins are another boost as they greatly expand the geographic coverage and give a firm base for the next stage of expansion.

If your business wants to grow by winning contracts and tenders, retain them at retender stage, and be able to repeat the success process again and again give us a call today on 01233 714063.  Your first or next contract win is just a telephone call away.


Winning London Contracts

01 Oct 2014

The latest win for clients is with Lambeth Council which is extending the run of straight wins achieved for this client.

The process can be a long one however and we have other clients waiting patiently for the Standstill Periods to be completed on two further contract awards before they can make their success public and really celebrate their latest contract wins.

The Standstill Period itself, however frustrating it is in this instance for our successful clients, can be a valuable opportunity if your company is ever told it has been unsuccessful in a tender.  Speed is the key though as any unsuccessful bidder has only two days to make a request for an accelerated debrief to identify if there is any need to challenge the contract award process.

Sometimes companies believe there is no point challenging a contract award, and if you are just unhappy about losing that is the case, but procurement organisations can make mistakes that can impact on you and that has to be worth challenging.  In the recent past companies have approached us in relation to unsuccessful bids with Local Authorities, Central Government and the NHS.  In each case we identified an error in the contract procurement and award process and achieved a changed result in favour of our clients.

Whether you want assistance in winning contracts from first principles or need assistance where a bid has been rejected just get in touch.


How to Succeed in a £30m Tender

25 Aug 2014

Sometimes, for a relatively small company, bidding for a £30m p.a. contract can seem overwhelming when you are facing some of the UK’s largest and most competitive organisations.

With Alexander Venture Consulting as part of the team however our clients find that the competition is on a level playing field no matter how large the tender or who the competition is.

Our latest success with this client has taken up almost a quarter of this new contract.

If your aim is to compete on an equal footing with the toughest and largest competitors in your market get in touch and see just how much working with AVC can boost your results.


M&A – Business Advisory – Private Equity

10 Aug 2014

Having just started work with another organisation which backs the growth of their clients we thought an update on the recent successes achieved for this sector was due:

  • Critical improvement in achieved scores for the in-house tender writing team of a client after we were brought in by the private equity backers to improve their success rate in tenders
  • For clients of a business advisory and accounting firm we have just completed 10 bids, working with the owners, and creating proposals on their behalf – the result of 10 wins speaks volumes for our business winning model

“We guarantee to win every bid” is not something you will ever hear from us but what we do stand behind is a track record which shows we can improve the chances of your clients winning the tenders and contracts they bid for.

By boosting their success rates we help M&A, business advisory and private equity organisations maximise the growth rate, profitability and eventual sale value of their clients.

If winning more business would help your clients why not get in touch?


How to Win NHS & Public Sector Contracts

06 Jul 2014

Winning NHS and other public sector contracts can be tough unless you have a flexible high quality approach.

Working with client teams to maximise their bid scores, whilst maintaining decent prices that generate good returns, we have just recorded our latest wins:

  • NHS national nursing agency staff contract – which makes it three wins in a row for national agency staff contracts, first the Locum Doctors, then Allied Health Professionals and now Nursing – with a track record like that, for different clients each time, perhaps its time to give us a call if you want to win the Non-Medical agency staff contract being tendered for next.
  • West London Alliance social care contracts for multiple Local Authorities have just been won, with our clients winning every contract they bid for.  The four wins include Personal Homecare, Extra Care, Reablement Services and Children’s Care Services so if social care contracts are your target get in touch soon.

Perhaps the key aspect of our work with clients is to create a system that can be repeated time and again to produce great tender winning results.  Winning just the occasional contract is no real foundation for long term success because regularity and predictability are the attributes that really matter.

If you need to win business against larger or cheaper competitors talk to us now.


How to Win 1st Place in Framework Contracts

15 Jun 2014

Framework contracts are sometimes designed so that all winners are not equal.  Some are designed so that the first placed company gets the initial offer of every bit of new business with the second and third placed companies only picking up what the 1st place winner can’t handle.

You can see that if you really want to make the most out of winning a framework the effort needs to go in to make sure you are at the top.

In the most recent County Council contract award our client had to make multiple bids as every element had been broken down into separate frameworks.  This made the stakes even higher than usual as it pushes up the level of competition.

Working closely with our clients from passing the PQQ stage, to creating the method statement responses for the tender itself, the results were outstanding.  From the many bids entered our client’s came 1st, and 1st, and 1st, and …. well you get the picture.

If your company needs to perform at the top of its game, in coming top in more framework contracts, get in touch and see how we can help.


How to Win Kent & National Contracts

15 Apr 2014

Successes for our clients this week on our doorstep in Kent and also nationally.

  • Kent County Council success is for a £43 m p.a. contract with supplier numbers slashed from 130 to just 23 so the opportunity for our clients is superb.  This is the second win on the trot working with this SME client with their growth continuing to go through the roof as a result.
  • National nursing agency staffing framework success for our London based SME client.  This client is not just any SME winning a Government health services contract, it is really a micro-business, defying the odds with our help to compete successfully with the resources of national competitors.

Despite the regular reports you may read about the barriers for SMEs in winning public sector contracts, or large contracts in general, there is really no barrier as these results show.  If your business whether large-scale, SME, micro or charity wants to boost its chances of winning tenders and contracts whilst maintaining profitable price structures get in touch soon and talk to us about your goals.


Win Council Contracts

30 Mar 2014

If your company wants to win Council contracts get in touch with us soon.

Recent wins for clients in London include:

  • Housing with care scheme including TUPE based staff transfers for a four year contract.  Our client won their first contract of this type with our input identifying how to demonstrate innovative and good value service approaches.  The key as always is starting early on the bid, dedicating sufficient time and resource to give the best chance of winning, and more than anything else being prepared to look at things with fresh eyes.
  • A cost and volume services win, covering two contracts, achieved through a mini-tender approach.  Nothing mini about the amount of work involved of course but many Public Authorities now use this route of putting out subsequent tender invitations to companies that have first won a place on a general framework.  Frameworks sometimes don’t appear that enticing at first but if you think how many opportunities you may have access to in the future, with restricted competition, they can look very different.

Whatever type of contract your company wants to win why not maximise your chances of success and work with our tender winning support service.


Winning Government Procurement Service Contracts

03 Mar 2014

What is your contract winning goal:

  • To win a share of a £100m per annum contract?
  • To win an agency staffing contract?
  • To win a contract with the GPS?
  • To win multiple contracts?

Whether all of the above, or just one, is what you want to achieve for your business we can help.  We have just assisted a client to achieve all four goals by winning a place on the GPS national agency contract for Allied Health Professionals and Health Science Services.

That is the second client win in a row with the Government Procurement Service so regardless of the market sector you operate in why not get in touch to see how we can help maximise your chances of winning bids.  We don’t pretend to be experts in your market, your team has already got that covered, but we are experts in helping to present your business in a way that makes people want to award you contracts.


I Want to Win Contracts

14 Feb 2014

“I want to win a contract” is how many of conversations with our clients start.  If you want to win that next bid get in touch with our tender winning team as early as possible.  Whatever you do, don’t wait until the tender process starts.

For this new client in Hampshire the target contract was an innovative service called REACT.  The County Council aimed to create a new service, through up to eight contracts, which involved collaboration between providers and the Council and was developmental in its approach to enable service evolution over the contract lifecycle.

For a high profile new community service to maximise people’s health and independence, valued at almost £12m in total, you can imagine the demands made by the Council on prospective suppliers so the teamwork approach followed with our clients included research, planning of method statement responses and price structuring.

The result for our clients was a fantastic win with the conversation moving from “I want to win” to “Patrick just a quick call to let you know we’ve won a contract”.


How to Win Social Care Contracts

Bexley Council has awarded our clients a new three year contract to deliver services which re-able people requiring personal care in their own homes.  This makes it two wins out of two bids so far for this client.

Our input included supporting the key element of the tender which was a series of 500 word method statements.  These accounted for 70% of the available marks which would decide the outcome of the bid.

Using our tried and tested system our clients created multiple high scoring method statements addressing the areas of:

  • Service implementation
  • Operational strategies
  • Day to day service delivery

If you are considering a future bid for health or social care contracts get in touch to discuss how your bid scores can be maximised.


How to Win Healthcare Services Bids

04 Feb 2014

This substantial win is still in the standstill period so no precise details yet.

Working closely with our client we developed clear, concise and compelling method statements which demonstrated how the service would be delivered through collaborative service arrangements.

Supporting people’s health through services which are becoming more integrated, across health and social care, requires innovative proposals and that is what we help clients deliver to effectively showcase their abilities.

If you face challenging tender situations get in touch to discuss how we can work with you to maximise your success rate.


How to Win Agency Staff Contracts

26 Jan 2014

Is your market special?  Whether it is the type of service or product you provide, the clients you support, the geography or the regulatory regime the answer is probably yes.  The good news is that this does not put winning contracts and tenders out of your reach.

One thing that all tenders and contracts have in common is the need to show potential buyers just why and how your business is the one they should choose as a supplier.  The support we deliver to our clients achieves just that.

Our clients in Northern Ireland have just triumphed in the 2-4 year Agency Workers – Non Medical contract run by the Business Services Organisation for the health and social care sector.

This gives our clients an immediate client market of the Belfast, South Eastern and Southern Health & Social Care Trusts.  Added to this the other two HSC Trusts can use the framework as well as a further dozen or so major Northern Ireland public authorities.

What a cracking start to 2014!


How to Win Contracts & Tenders

30 Nov 2013

If you wish to win Agency Staffing or Social and Health sector contracts and tenders you need perseverance and stamina to achieve success – read on about five new contract wins this week and new challenges to win yet more.

  • Camden Council has awarded our client two social care contracts, for support with daily activities and for reablement, in a process that started last December.  We have supported them through the PQQ selection, helped create high scoring method statements, assisted with formal presentations and post-tender pricing discussions around the London Living Wage.  It has been a long haul but with only ten slots for winners on these £7.5m p.a. contracts our client is pleased to have won two slots.
  • Belfast City Council agency staffing contract worth £4-5m p.a. for a single supplier rumbles onwards.  We have helped our client from initial negotiations to alter procurement bidding criteria, through the PQQ, and finally to tender submission.  Now we have the final push over the next few months to deal with any further challenges posed by the City Council.
  • Newham Council has moved to a new Dynamic Purchasing System for SEN and Disabled Support Services for Children and Young People.  Our clients were facing this type of tendering for the first time yet with our input on creating targeted proposals they sailed through on their first attempt.
  • A regional agency staffing group in England has called on our services to give a boost to their tender win rate.  Input with their experienced contract bidding team has started so we expect to start seeing improved results very soon.
  • Camden Council again, they have been very busy, have awarded our clients two contracts for the provision of services in the community to support complex and challenging needs.

With some bid processes lasting almost a year we help our clients keep the focus needed to achieve success by providing a flexible and specialised resource to increase win rates without relying on low prices.  Get in touch to discuss what business your company wants to win.


How to Win CCG Contracts

13 Nov 2013

Impressing public sector buyers can be tough so getting two organisations to give the thumbs up is some feat.  NHS Nottingham CCG and Nottingham City Council jointly invited bids for services to help people live independently in the community.

We supported our clients to win two contracts:

  • Care at home for disabled children or those with complex health needs
  • Complex healthcare at home for adults

The quality score potential in this tender was 60% of the overall mark and we helped our clients create high scoring written proposals that addressed:

  • Capability to meet the key aspects of the service specification
  • Social procurement agenda of delivering employment and economic benefits in the City
  • Case studies responding to challenging scenarios set by the buyers

Added to this we advised on detailed pricing models, which incorporated potential incentive payments, for achieving community outcomes.


The Maths behind Winning Contracts

02 Oct 2013

Sometimes the numbers really do tell a story.  Take a look at this government contract we just helped our clients win:

  • The starting point was a contract with 25 existing approved suppliers and the buyer wanted this cut to 3
  • 96 organisations expressed an interest in the new contract so competition was hot
  • 49 companies submitted a Pre Qualification Questionnaire to try to win the right to tender
  • Only 16 companies were invited to tender
  • Of the 16 only 13 submitted valid tenders so perhaps a few slip-ups there
  • Shortlisted companies were invited to presentations
  • 3 companies were finally awarded 3-5 year contracts

We supported our client at every stage from expression of interest through to the presentation and they were rewarded with an outstanding win.  They were not the biggest, the best known, or the most established of the bidders and you could say they were real outsiders in many people’s view.

Fortunately we and our clients take a wider and longer term view of competitive situations and we just focus on winning the contract.  This commitment really delivers as the numbers show – with 25 suppliers reduced to 3 that is an eightfold increase in contract value for each successful supplier.

If your company wants to make the numbers work in your favour, regardless of whether you start as favourite or a long-shot, get in touch and we can talk about the maths.


The Art of Winning Contracts

01 Oct 2013

Is winning contracts an art or a science?  Our view is that it is a little of both as you need two fundamental strengths to ensure your business proposals win the contract:

  • A clear structure for assessing bid documentation, research targets, and planning the written responses and pricing approaches is the science aspect which must be repeated every time to ensure consistently great results
  • Art comes into its own in terms of creativity as proposals that win the most business are not just about what you know today but about looking forward to how your business may be creating value for its clients in the future too

Our clients in Nottingham have just successfully combined art and science to win seven new contracts for a share of a complex £6m contract.

If you would like to discuss how your company can win more of the contracts it bids for then get in touch today.


How to Win Multi Authority Public Sector Frameworks

30 Sep 2013

Hot on the heels of our comments about how worthwhile framework contracts can be comes the latest news from our clients.

The process has taken about 9 months in all, which just shows the commitment needed if you want to win substantial amounts of new business, but our client has broken into a brand new framework so their effort will now be rewarded with higher revenues and profits.

This particular framework covers Lewisham, Southwark, Bromley and Royal Greenwich Councils, as well as their corresponding Clinical Commissioning Groups, for two years on complex services with high expenditure levels.

For small and medium sized companies it often seems that large frameworks are out of reach but our clients keep showing how out of date that view is.  So long as the team is willing to go into new business situations with a positive approach and a willingness to take on new ideas then almost every contract and framework is within reach.

If you have a challenging situation facing your company in order to win new business get in touch to see how we can help.


Are Framework Contracts Worth Winning?

24 Sep 2013

Sometimes framework contracts can seem a huge gamble.  You have to put in masses of effort to win a place on the contract and there is usually no guarantee of specific business levels and sometimes no guarantee of any business at all.

That may not sound too appealing at first but how about thinking about the opportunity in a different way:

  • The organisation running the procurement process would probably not do so if the potential revenues involved were not reasonably substantial
  • How do you rate your company compared to your competitors – worse, the same or better?
  • If you think your products or services are better than those of competitors and are willing to stick your neck out to back your judgement then you should expect to get a greater proportion of any revenues available within the framework rather than just your ‘share’

Our clients in Kent recently won a place on a public sector framework with no guarantees of any business.  Their confidence in their business and its services however has been rewarded by a sevenfold increase in their revenues.

The public sector organisation was “blown away” by the quality of our client’s proposal and are pushing as much business in their direction as can be handled.  That’s the type of gamble we help clients win – lots of hard work followed by lots of well earned reward.  If that sounds like a recipe for improving the results from the business proposals you create get in touch to see how we can help.


How to Win Local Government Contracts

23 Aug 2013

At AVC, we’ve had a huge amount of experience working with clients and helping them to win local government tenders all over the UK. Our experience of local councils ranges from London Councils to Warwickshire County Council and Belfast City Council.

What is clear countrywide is that winning local government contracts is only getting harder, with economic pressures meaning that councils are increasingly seeking out the best deals that they can find.  It’s important, therefore, to make sure that you’re presenting yourself and your proposals with a sophistication and quality that shows your company in the best light and maximises profits by avoiding a reliance on low pricing.

It is this quality and sophistication that our service can help you achieve.  We can help you with research and preparation, so that it’s clear that you are thorough and knowledgeable.  We work with you to create compelling written proposals that stand out from the crowd and offer local government what it wants.  We coach the client team to ensure that every aspect is aimed at the goal of winning the contract..

If you need help to win local government contracts, get in touch with us at AVC to boost your success rate.


How to Win More Contracts

20 Aug 2013

Kingston Council’s standstill period on the award of new Homecare Contracts has now ended.  The competition was strong with the Council cutting down the number of suppliers from 24 to just 3.

For this latest contract win worth around £1m annually for the next three to five years our support included:

  • Assisting with policies, procedures and quality standards proposals within the Pre-Qualification stage of the tender to ensure a high score and an invitation to the full tender stage
  • Bid management for the tender stage including proposals on contract implementation and operational plans, planning and creation of method statement responses using approaches that get high scores, engaging with current suppliers on TUPE requests and building detailed price models
  • Following on from the tender stage we then coached our client’s operational staff to perform as a well honed team for final presentations to the Council

The whole process has involved working closely with our client over some 6 months, sometimes at their sites and sometimes remotely from our offices, but the focus has never wavered as the whole team was determined to win.

If winning contracts, or creating business winning proposals, is important to the success of your company get in touch so that we can start working on helping you win more contracts.  Don’t wait for the tender or business opportunity to become ‘live’ before contacting us as there is so much you can do beforehand to increase your chances of success – get in touch today.


How to Win Public Sector Contracts

12 Aug 2013

The latest win for our clients is a £1m per annum contract with the Public Sector – more details soon once the standstill period finishes.

Winning public sector contracts is never easy and with the financial squeeze on public spending we often find 40-60% of the overall decision being based on price with the remainder based on quality.  With that focus on getting the best deal for the public it is even more important that your proposals score maximum marks for quality so that you can then avoid too much pressure on your pricing.

The clarity about helping your bid get maximum scores without giving away too much on price is what we deliver when helping clients win contracts.

This latest contract win included:

  • Assistance with pre-qualification stages
  • Price modelling
  • Structuring of mobilisation and operational delivery plans
  • Coaching the client team for final presentations and negotiations

This £1m p.a. multi-year contract is a reasonable size but we help clients win contracts of all sizes – larger and smaller.  If winning public sector contracts and tenders is important to your business get in touch to see how we can make a difference.


Winning NHS Contracts & Tenders

Our September 17th seminar for SBK Healthcare is coming up fast for organisations that want to win NHS services.  This day focuses on meeting commissioning requirements with a step by step guide to building winning business proposals.

This session concentrates on Pathology Services but the principles are the same for Audiology, Pharmacy, or any other service that the NHS commissions.

The seminar will look at:

  • Research and preparation
  • Dealing with pre-qualification processes
  • Creating compelling written proposals
  • Business case costing
  • Getting the message across in final presentations

If your organisation is part of an NHS body or private sector, and wants to win NHS contracts, then get in touch now.


Challenging Tender Processes to Win Contracts

30 Jul 2013

If your organisation bids for public sector work you may occasionally consider that your bid has been treated inappropriately.  It is important not to confuse this issue with just not liking a procurement decision but sometimes buyers do get things wrong.  What counts is facts and figures rather than views or opinions.

Recently we have assisted clients to challenge and overturn procurement decisions on a number of areas:

  • Getting a City Council to change the financial turnover limit required for participants by arguing to use forthcoming EU procurement rule changes rather than outdated Office of Government Commerce guidance.
  • Challenging rejection of bids, based on flawed financial assessments with unidentified criteria, using the precedent established in Lettings International v’s London Borough of Newham at the English Court of Appeal.

Organisations sometimes hesitate to make challenges, on the basis that they don’t want to make waves, but that does not help win contracts.

In the above cases proper challenges based on facts led to the subsequent award of three substantial contracts to our clients which shows how important it is to engage with the public sector in a professional manner.

Ideally bidders should identify potential concerns at the start of procurement processes as it is much easier to change things in the early stages rather than later on when everyone has invested lots of time and effort.  If your organisation would welcome some additional assistance in any aspect of tendering just get in touch.


How to Win Contracts & Increase Profits

14 Jul 2013

Business proposals don’t just gain new contracts.  They can directly boost profits by creating value propositions that clients are willing to pay more for.

Our clients had the opportunity to propose ideas to a service buyer based on maximising service quality outcomes through investing in staff and relationship building.

Working closely with our clients we established a proposal that identified a clear timeline for actions that would be taken, how the improved quality would be clearly visible, and the benefits that would be delivered for the buyer.

The result was a buyer funded set-up budget of tens of thousands of pounds combined with an increase in service charges of some 7% over the standard level.

Even in times of financial pressure this success shows that good ideas, supported by expertly written business proposals, can generate fantastic value.


Winning Contracts

04 Jul 2013

We are helping clients win a place on a new Government Procurement Services national agency services contract.

The current framework provides Allied Health Professionals and Health Science Services staff:

  • Allied Health Professionals includes:

Arts Therapy; Chaplaincy; Clinical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy; Diagnostic & Therapeutic Radiography; Dietetics; Generic Therapy; Health Promotion; Orthoptists; Occupational Therapy; Physiotherapy; Play Specialists; Podiatry; Public Health – Health improvement; Sexual Health and Speech and Language Therapy.

  • Health Science Services includes:

Anatomical Pathology; Biomedical Science; Cancer Screening; Clinical Sciences; Cytology; Dental Services; Genetic Counsellors; Healthcare Science; Medical Technology; Optometry and Pharmacy.

The framework uses a national set of terms and conditions of contract and was awarded on a national basis. It is available to for use by the NHS and wider public sector bodies throughout England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The contract value is estimated at £97 million per annum.

The contract is now being retendered with a deadline of 29th July through the GPS including Master Vendor and traditional Agency supply structures.

Supplier numbers are being cut from 37 to just 20 so no agency is safe no matter how big or how experienced.

Hot on the heels of helping a new client break into the recent Locum Doctors Framework at their first attempt, even though supplier numbers were being cut there too, Alexander Venture Consulting is now assisting other clients to win this staff agency contract.  If winning contracts is important to you get in touch.


How to Win Government Procurement Service Tenders

25 Apr 2013

One of the main rules for business success is to be better than the competition and generate profitable revenue growth.  Our clients have really taken this on board as a look at the most recent results will show:

  • Government Procurement Service announces spectacular win for our client on the new NHS Locum Doctors Framework.  Our Tender Management service co-ordinated the complex bid for our client to deliver success in the face of GPS aims to reduce supplier numbers.  If your agency is preparing to bid for the GPS Non-Medical or Allied Healthcare Professional tenders why not call us now to increase your potential for winning?
  • Homecare public sector contract wins with a double contract win in Richmond, one in Bexley, and another one in Central Bedfordshire to round it off.  All three were achieved for different clients with very different qualities but each was helped to show how their proposals were better than those of the competition.
  • Norfolk is the scene of another impressive client win.  Hats off to Care UK who, as one of the largest primary and secondary care providers in the UK, won major block contracts with the County.  Hats off again to our clients who were the only other bidder who could live with intense competition from Care UK and won two major block contracts with our assistance which are worth millions in profitable revenue.
  • On a different tack in terms of markets we are currently assisting in the bid to renovate, and then operate under a 50 year lease, a fantastic grade II* listed lido near Brighton.  More news as the bid progresses through the summer.
  • If you want to grow a homecare business come and chat to us after we present at the Health+Care event on June 13th at London Excel.
  • NHS pathology tender winning workshop coming up too in September.

Winning Tenders and Contracts

25 Feb 2013

Following on from a great start, we and our clients have been very busy winning tenders and contracts and preparing for the future too:

  • Central London charity group has won yet another new contract with our input.  From a position as newcomers to competitive bidding, when they enlisted our assistance in 2009, they have won every bid since.
  • Bexley – delayed result expected any day now.
  • Northern Ireland preparations for bidding with the Health & Social Care Trusts and a £4m p.a. temporary staff contract with Belfast City Council.

Winning Public Sector Contracts

14 Jan 2013

We thought we would celebrate the anniversary of the Huygens probe landing on Saturn’s largest moon Titan with our clients’ latest news on results that are out of this world.

  • Award of Parent Carer Support service in central London for a two year period.  By supporting their skilled team with our Smarter Bidding service the relationship with this charity has now delivered an outstanding series of contract wins against competitors with far greater resources.  Again we have proved together that winning is not about being the cheapest or the biggest it is about showing how you will successfully achieve the buying organisation’s aims for a service.
  • Moving on to success in Luton, which may seem a long way from Saturn, but it has a space engineering industry.  Our clients were supported by our Tender Management and Coaching services to win a public contract as Strategic Partner for the next 3-5 years.  Our input was managed across the whole tender process from initial qualification stages, through creating the bid proposals, and finally covering the site visit and presentation stages to ensure that our clients’ team performed at the highest level.
  • Six of the best – Whacko!  Two more public contract wins for clients in London means they have now achieved six wins from six bids with our assistance in creating proposals that show their abilities in ways that really interest public sector buyers.

How SMEs can Win Contracts through Smarter Bidding

14 Dec 2012

Our Smarter Bidding approaches are getting the most incredible results in the most difficult situations:

  • North East London key contract win for clients.  Their second on the trot with our input from pre-qualification stages through to presentation.
  • Family run SME wins their fourth straight bid with our assistance by gaining a new four year contract with Sutton Council.
  • Our guidance on challenging an award decision on a financial sector contract has achieved a turn-around with our clients now being named as winners.

Merry Christmas from Alexander Venture Consulting and we look forward to helping you enjoy a prosperous New Year.


How to Win More Contracts – Right Now

08 Nov 2012

Today is the birthday of X-rays and the ability to penetrate dense tender documents and gain insight into what it takes to win public sector contracts is becoming ever more essential. Our Smarter Bidding systems are continuing to help clients win contracts against the toughest competitors, increase overall success rates, and improve profitability. This update follows 18 new contract wins including:

  • Multi-site employment agency client covering the South East and Midlands has added to the string of bids won with seven new framework contracts.
  • Small day centre operator in niche market wins three new contracts with our input on proposal writing.
  • Social care client wins seven contracts with Brent Council to provide Carer support services.
  • Havering Council domiciliary care four year framework win for our client, their fourth win with our support, showing how to take on the big guys – and win.

We are also just about to start working with clients, new and old, to win two major contracting opportunities with the Government Procurement Service covering Locum Doctors and Agency Nursing so more details will be published as the successes are achieved.


How to Win Council & Charity Contracts

15 Oct 2012

For every company that wants to waltz through the competition our clients’ results this month show how to get straight 10s.

  • Medway Council services framework win at the top gold level for new client.
  • Nottingham based clients win their third straight tender, for Day & Evening Services for vulnerable adults, with Nottingham City Council.
  • Central London Charity clients continue their success with six contract wins and the highest scoring bids against national competitors.
  • Supported Housing win valued at well over £1m per annum delivers the fourth win in a row for this London client.

If you like the idea of building a winning streak like these just call us today on 01233 714063


How to Grow by Winning Contracts

06 Apr 2012

Updates on successful current projects and things in progress:

  • London – stunning win for our clients in the face of competition from some of the largest and most aggressive organisations in the market for public service contracts.  Three year contract won with guaranteed business levels just short of £1 million p.a.
  • Private Equity results -continued success with increasing tender win rates for this Sunday Times Buyout Track 100 client.  Newly introduced processes are delivering the results time after time.
  • Government Contracts – public services framework contract win.
  • Recruitment Agency – adding even more heat to winning contracts for this Sunday Times Hot 100 company.
  • Domiciliary Care – more great results with clients gaining entry to the new approved list in Croydon after an extended tender process lasting over 18 months.

How to Build Tender Winning Teams

20 Feb 2012

how-to-build-tender-winning-teams

One of our current projects is working with a major international organisation to support the creation of a successful virtual tender team working across product and service boundaries to create innovative health sector offerings.

The straightforward and practical steps to establish the ideal collaborative working environment include:

  • Team membership
  • Leadership focus
  • Growth focus
  • Structure and skills mix
  • Organisational support
  • Team based coaching

Winning NHS Contracts & Tenders

03 Feb 2012

It’s snowy outside, but our clients have that warm winning feeling.

With an expected value of £134 million this public sector framework contract attracted plenty of competition.

Warwickshire County Council, NHS Warwickshire and NHS Coventry co-operated to establish a multi service integrated framework.

The result of AVC supporting our clients at every stage has resulted in winning public sector contracts – 3 to be exact!


How to Win NHS & Council Contracts

06 Jan 2012

Portsmouth City Council and NHS Portsmouth tendered for Community Support Services with the aim of reducing supplier numbers and building closer long term relationships with a small number of key partners.

Our clients succeeded in winning preferred supplier status in this £4 million contract.


Winning NHS Contracts

29 Dec 2011

Your New Year resolutions can get off to a flying start right here.

SBK Healthcare is a leading provider of focused, quality events on a whole range of key areas within the NHS.

On January 18th 2012, linked to their Audiology Services event, we are leading an interactive seminar on how to submit a winning tender.

The ‘interactive’ description is central to this seminar. It is not a lecture, or another checklist, but a hands-on exploration and explanation of just what it takes to give your tenders the very best chance of succeeding.

Check out the SBK website at sbk-healthcare.com for full details but make sure your resolutions include taking this opportunity to give your organisation the winning competitive edge.


How to Win Any Contract

22 Nov 2011

With so many different contract wins at present we thought that a selection of the latest would give some insight into our winning approaches.

We focus 100% on winning, not by reducing prices, but by concentrating hard on creating exceptional proposals with our clients that demonstrate the best overall value for money for purchasers over a contract lifecycle.

Recent successes include:

  • Individual budgets pilot for Local Authority
  • Council tax contract
  • Parking fines collection
  • Social services domiciliary care contract in London
  • Business rates collection

How to Win Financial Services Contracts

23 May 2011

Clients have been successful in winning a revenues management service contract for a Local Authority.

This new three year contract is linked to the Authority’s strategic management of revenues in relation to:

  • Housing Benefits
  • Council Tax
  • Business Rates
  • Parking

Winning Tenders In London

11 Apr 2011

Wandsworth Council’s new framework contract for social care services to older people is commencing on the 1st July 2011 for a period of four years.

The expenditure on these services is some £9 million per annum and the framework will also incorporate the opportunity to bid for further specialised service needs that arise over the contract period.

Our clients have been successful in their bid and joined the small number of organisations awarded places on the framework in respect of specific geographic areas.

Winning tenders in London for our clients is just one area that we have great expertise in, so if you need help do not hesitate to get in touch today.


Winning Tenders in Enterprise Zones

25 Mar 2011

Nottingham has this week had a visit from the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to launch Enterprise Zone Britain.

Celebrating success at the same time our clients have just been awarded a framework contract for 3 years with Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottinghamshire Supporting People Partnership which will let them share in a £14 million per annum revenue stream.

This builds on their earlier success some 18 months ago in winning a 3 year contract jointly procured by the local NHS Primary Care Trust and Nottingham City Council.

Our clients are looking forward to the opportunities created in the new Enterprise Zone too.


How to Win Tenders

18 Mar 2011

Clients have notched up a dozen new contracts this week and the total is still rising. Now in the second week of awards for this 3-5 year framework contract the tally of wins has reached fifteen.

With up to 60 plus contract lots available the award process is likely to continue for another few months but our clients’ performance levels so far give high expectations of a final total towards the top end of the potential.

Our clients had previous bad experiences from tendering but working closely with us showed how to win tenders by responding clearly and effectively to what the buyers were seeking. Full details will follow when the final results are in.


Winning Housing Contracts

03 Mar 2011

Central London Winning Contracts. Multiple contract wins for clients in managed supported housing services.

The three contracts won included high support needs and outreach services.

Complex contracts involving several sites and the successful management of TUPE processes.

The client team was supported from the qualification stage through to the final presentations and negotiations to succeed in winning contracts from entrenched competition.


How to Win Multi-Million Contracts

24 Jan 2011

with contracts worth £18 million already secured

Alexander Venture Consulting is pleased to announce a winning start to 2011 with contracts worth £18 million already secured.

Founder Patrick Egan said, “Our approach is to acknowledge our clients as the experts in their own markets or sectors, and what we bring is expertise in winning business in competitive situations. Whether a client is required to create a proposal, pitch, tender or any bid to win against others, we help them find the edge that will win the day.

“The first successes for January 2011 are two contracts for a client worth £18 million in a managed staffing environment. The scale of the contracts does not really matter, of course. What matters big or small, is winning!” he said.

Source: http://www.recruitment-international.co.uk/news/alexander-venture-consulting-are-pleased-to-announce-a-winning-start-to-2011-5106.htm6


How to Win Framework Contracts

15 Nov 2010

Camden Council has established a new domiciliary care services framework following an extensive selection process.

Our clients have achieved success in establishing themselves in a new geographic area to further the development of their business.


How to Win Homecare Contracts

15 Oct 2010

It is the second time around for these Homecare contracts in East Sussex.

We helped our clients win a few years ago and in keeping with our long term relationships we have worked with them to retain their contracts for a four year period.

Pricing was set by the Council so competition was based purely on quality of services and innovation. Too many companies blame failure in tendering on competitors’ low prices when often it is really about the effort that goes in to winning.

We help clients win on quality without damaging profitability.


Winning County Council Contracts

10 Oct 2010

Essex County Council has introduced a new framework contract with a value of £50 million each year.

Supporting clients through the selection stages of pre-qualifying, pricing, tender writing and preparation for presentations has achieved multiple geographically based contract wins.


How New Companies Can Win Contracts

05 Oct 2010

Our client has succeeded in winning a share of a four year contract in Coventry with an annual value of £14 million proving that new companies can win contracts.

This was achieved despite the company being new, having no previous public sector track record, and facing strong established competition.

They are now looking forward to building on this with yet more new contracts.


Winning Social Services Tenders

15 Jul 2010

Our clients, leading regional providers of social care support services, have won a large scale contract in North London.


How to Win Long Term Contracts

15 Jun 2010

The longest contract our clients have won, so far, at 25 years in Hertfordshire.

This gives the opportunity for real long-term investment and development.


Winning Tenders

10 Jun 2010

Six Councils have combined to create a framework contract with an annual value of £86 million.

Supporting clients from the initial application, right through to attending presentations and negotiation meetings, we achieved the right balance of quality, innovation and good value to secure successful results.  Winning tenders is what we do.


Winning NHS Tenders

15 May 2010

Clients supplying all types of agency nursing staff have achieved multiple tender wins with the NHS London Strategic Health Authority.

With an expected annual value of £40 million to £70 million this four year contract covers agency nurses such as dental nurses, community service nurses, health visitors, theatre nurses and midwives.


How to be Successful in Winning Public Sector Business

15 Apr 2010

This was a busy and successful month for our client with their second win.

A demanding service contract for fostering services in Haringey, including specialised needs, was a great win.


How Charities can Win Contracts

15 Feb 2010

Sometimes when we are supporting charity clients there is a view that hard-nosed commercial competitors can not be beaten in major contracts by charities.

Working closely with this small local section of a charity with an international reach that view was turned on its head. Our clients have won three major Lots in a multi year contract, against the toughest competition, for Westminster City Council.

It is fitting for this particular client to be quietly saying veni, vidi, vici.


How to Win Contracts in London

10 Feb 2010

Home based support contract won with Enfield Council and Enfield NHS incorporating self directed support and TUPE.


How to Achieve a Successful Contract Takeover

15 Jan 2010

It is not just nice clean contracts that we help clients to win. Sometimes clients are facing a situation where another company’s services have not gone according to plan and the contract is being re-tendered giving rise to all sorts of additional challenges.

In this case we assisted putting forward an approach that gave the public authority confidence that our client would succeed and get services back on track.


Winning More Tenders

15 Dec 2009

Christmas is fast approaching but we are still helping clients win more tenders.

Derbyshire County Council is putting in place a four year contract for supported living services. This is on a framework basis and covering campus reprovision where relevant.

We have worked with this new client to achieve an important win that forms the foundation for their development strategy.


How to Win Your First Contract

15 Nov 2009

The first ever contract win for this client and what a win. Three year contract to provide specialised services to the area covering the Turkish community and people with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorders.


Winning Voluntary Service Contracts

15 Apr 2009

Running on a tight budget can mean that contracts sometimes appear out of reach.

Working with this small Croydon based organisation we helped to raise confidence levels and achieved a contract win for a voluntary and community services development project.


How to Improve Tender Win Rates

15 Mar 2009

Unless your win rate is 100% you can always improve, but how?  The win rate improvements achieved for our clients often translate directly into much improved profitability levels.

In these bids for service contracts with Brighton & Hove City Council our clients achieved six wins out of six bids. Job done.


How to Win Approved List & Framework Contracts

15 Nov 2008

When facing an approved list or framework contract many companies think that these are less important than the ‘winner takes all’ contracts and treat them less seriously.

The reality is that there are only so many places available on approved lists and only those organisations which are prepared to put in the work are likely to succeed. Often we see between half and two thirds of applicants for approved lists rejected.

Our clients never fall into this trap as they wish to win and grow their businesses. A service contract approved list win in Sutton is just the latest step forward for this client.


Winning Service Contracts

10 Nov 2008

Another bid with this leading child fostering company and another win in the challenging services contracts sector.

The contract is for four years covering emergency, respite and permanent placements.

Winning was achieved against strong incumbent competitors and has now established our client in another new geographic area as they continue to expand.


Winning Contracts for Franchise Groups

15 Jul 2008

Two contracts for this franchise group client worth approximately £2 million.

A stunning win for this client in a new market sector for them, gaining a five year contract, managing a TUPE based staff transfer and creating their “best ever” contract in the words of their MD.

We worked with our client from initial application right through to the presentations.


Winning Council Contracts

15 Jan 2008

A fantastic start to the year with a new three year contract.

Our clients have won their first ever service contract and it is on their doorstep in Ealing.

We worked with our client from application stages, through writing tender content, to full involvement in contract implementation planning meetings with the Council.  Winning Council contracts is a new experience for this client but now they intend to win more.

Support every step of the way is available – as much or as little as clients wish.


How to Create a Successful Tender

10 Jan 2008

Multiple geographic zone wins for a service contract for Hertfordshire County Council.

With a £30 million annual spend and a contract period of five years this is a great opportunity for our clients to reinforce their growth.  By working together to create an outstanding proposal our clients now know the key steps for a successful tender.


Winning Government Contracts

15 Jul 2007

With an estimated £10 million annual expenditure these housing related contracts in South Lanarkshire are a major opportunity for most organisations.

We supported our client, a locally based charity, to achieve success in winning Government contracts for the first time.


How Can Small Companies Win Contracts

15 Apr 2007

A three year contract in Luton won for a small local company when they thought initiall that they had no chance against the larger competitors.

Our service can level the playing field by showing you the key steps of how small companies can win contracts and tenders against much larger competitors.


Successful Business Development

03 Jan 2007

It is always good to start the New Year off with a business development bang.

These three year multiple geographic zone wins for our clients cover much of East Sussex.  Successful bidding approaches were polished so that our client’s growth is now really taking off.

Supported throughout each stage of the bid the most telling was perhaps the preparation for the presentation. We worked closely with our clients to build the confidence of their operations team so that they would do justice to their service in their first experience of a detailed presentation followed by extensive question sessions.