Sometimes the tendering process involves pre tender meetings. This guide explains what is involved and how you should approach tender briefing meetings.
What Are Pre Tender Meetings?
After the ITT is issued, sometimes bidders are invited to a tender briefing. Normally bidders can ask questions about the tender or the the specification. It might involve viewing a site e.g. for cleaning, security or construction tenders.
Normally, all bidders attend a group session. Some are on a one-to-one basis.
Supplier engagement events can be held before one or more tenders are published. They have a similar purpose of helping potential suppliers understand what the tender involves and to encourage participation.
Benefits of Pre Tender Meetings
Some people consider these as low-priority and a waste of time. But if you are invited to pre-tender meetings always make the effort to attend.
First and foremost, it shows the buyers that that you are taking the tender seriously.
You get to see the competitors. Knowing who you are up against is very useful. It helps you shape your proposal and price.
You also have a chance to meet the buying team. This gives you an opportunity to start developing relationships in what is otherwise a faceless process.
Pre-tender meetings are a useful tool to help with qualifying tenders. After finding out more, you might feel that the tender is not for you.
What to Do at Pre Tender Meetings
Consider who should attend and make sure everyone is briefed (and of course, suitably dressed).
Many people don’t want to speak out in front of their competitors in case they ‘give anything away’. But hosts must hate silent events. It is always best to know the answers to any area of uncertainty. So, do ask tender clarification questions and introduce yourself when you do so.
If you have a few questions to ask or want clarification on a potentially difficult point, don’t be the first to speak out. Other bidders might ask one of the questions for you.
If you need any advice on tendering, contact us for an informal discussion about our tender consultancy services.
When you go on a walk-round, do try and walk alongside the hosts for some time. This gives you another chance to ask questions outside of the main meeting and work on relationship building.
Tenders take a lot of time and effort so you want to maximise your chances of winning. Always attend pre tender meetings and maximise the opportunity.
Feel free to comment on your experience with pre tender meetings,
A year or so ago I contacted a company in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, I believe it was, that performed bid completion services for the construction industry. They would take a percentage of revenue of contracts won as their compensation for reviewing various tenders/RFP’s/RFQ’s and completing the bid packages and submitting them to the appropriate party(ies).
I cannot locate that Atlanta company at this time. Do you know of any companies that do the above type of work?
Many Thanks!
Sorry, don’t know of any in the USA.
How many days should be for pre-tender meeting?
It depends on the tender