Worked example · UK public contract bid writing
A town council refurbishment scored 50% price, 40% quality and 10% local. We show how a small Hampshire decorating firm would read it, price it and answer the five quality questions.
STEP 1 · READ THE NOTICE
The notice may have closed or changed since we read it. Always work from the current version on the portal.
STEP 2 · GATES
No portal account is needed. Email to the Town Clerk, or a sealed envelope with no company marks, by noon on 19 October 2026. We would email and keep the envelope route as backup.
The notice says 'suitable for SMEs? No'. Nothing in the ITT as read excludes a small firm, and the local weighting points the other way. Ask the Operations Manager (ITT 1.5) before spending writing time.
Public liability certificate, H&S policy and CHAS certificate are on file. The ITT says CHAS and trade association membership are 'ideally' held; the firm has both.
Botley is a few miles from Hedge End, so the distance score should be near the top. The open day on 29 September is the only site access; director and supervisor both attend.
Criterion 2, 'approach to design quality', carries the largest quality weight (15) and is not defined in the ITT as read. Criterion 3 needs sub-contractor evidence for electrics, flooring and plumbing, not just names.
Five weeks to 19 October, then possible presentations on 3 November and a final tender on 20 November. Start on site is 21 December 2026 with completion by 30 September 2027; the firm has no clashing commitment in that window.
STEP 3 · THE HONEST CALL
STEP 4 · THE MATRIX
Instructions tell you how to submit. Evaluation criteria tell you how you are scored. The matrix holds both together.
ITT 1.1–1.2; Form of Tender
Pass/failAct as Principal Contractor and submit a fixed-price lump sum on the Form of Tender: total cost, weeks to complete, weeks to start on site.
ITT 1.3
Pass/failDeliver by noon on 19 October 2026, by email to the Town Clerk or in a sealed envelope with no company marks, labelled 'TENDER FOR Drummond Community Centre'.
ITT 1.6 (and p.1)
Pass/failAttach the public liability certificate, the H&S policy and accreditation certificates; CHAS and trade association membership 'ideally' held.
ITT 9.2; 10.1 Price
ScoredPrice each category separately (exterior decorating, interior decorating, toilets, kitchen, flooring, lighting), all net of VAT.
ITT 10.1 Local
ScoredDistance from Hedge End Town Council.
Quality 1
ScoredTechnical experience and capacity of the lead team.
Quality 2
ScoredApproach to design quality.
Quality 3
ScoredTechnical experience and capacity of sub-contractors.
Quality 4
ScoredApproach to communication and consultation.
Quality 5
ScoredAbility to deliver: timetable.
ITT 3.1 (p.2)
InfoVisit the site at own expense; open day Tuesday 29 September 2026, 08:30–16:00; no unattended access.
ITT 4; 7.2
InfoOwn welfare facilities, secure compound, tagged scaffold if needed, traceable waste disposal with transfer notes for the H&S file.
ITT 7.8; Spec 'Additional'
InfoSite risk assessment, method statement, PL insurance and a staff list with qualifications at least 14 working days before start; RAMS for all works before starting.
ITT 5.1–5.2; 9.3
InfoMaintenance schedule, warranties and guarantees at handover; payment on satisfactory completion and receipt of warranties.
| Ref | Requirement | Type | Where we answer it | How it is scored | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITT 1.1–1.2; Form of Tender | Act as Principal Contractor and submit a fixed-price lump sum on the Form of Tender: total cost, weeks to complete, weeks to start on site. | Pass/fail | Form of Tender, signed by the director | Initial compliance check; non-compliant or improper tenders may be rejected (ITT 10.1) | Can meet |
| ITT 1.3 | Deliver by noon on 19 October 2026, by email to the Town Clerk or in a sealed envelope with no company marks, labelled 'TENDER FOR Drummond Community Centre'. | Pass/fail | Submission plan: email, envelope route as backup | Late or improperly marked tenders risk rejection at the compliance check | Can meet |
| ITT 1.6 (and p.1) | Attach the public liability certificate, the H&S policy and accreditation certificates; CHAS and trade association membership 'ideally' held. | Pass/fail | Appendix A: certificates | Compliance check; not scored, but a missing document is the easiest way to be set aside | Can meet |
| ITT 9.2; 10.1 Price | Price each category separately (exterior decorating, interior decorating, toilets, kitchen, flooring, lighting), all net of VAT. | Scored | Pricing schedule, one line per category, summed to the Form of Tender | Price 50%: lowest price scores 50, others proportionate to it; abnormally low bids scrutinised; the Council may delete items if over budget (ITT 1.4) | Can meet |
| ITT 10.1 Local | Distance from Hedge End Town Council. | Scored | Registered office address on the Form of Tender | Local 10%: closest scores 10, others proportionate | Can meet |
| Quality 1 | Technical experience and capacity of the lead team. | Scored | Quality response Q1: director, supervisor, site team, comparable jobs | 0–5, weighted 10; minimum 3 required | Can meet |
| Quality 2 | Approach to design quality. | Scored | Quality response Q2: preparation standards, materials, finishes, sample boards | 0–5, weighted 15, the largest quality weight; minimum 3 required | Risk |
| Quality 3 | Technical experience and capacity of sub-contractors. | Scored | Quality response Q3: named electrical, flooring and plumbing subs with their own evidence | 0–5, weighted 2; minimum 3 required, so a low weight but still a knock-out | Risk |
| Quality 4 | Approach to communication and consultation. | Scored | Quality response Q4: single point of contact (ITT 7.1), weekly update, pre-school liaison | 0–5, weighted 5; minimum 3 required | Can meet |
| Quality 5 | Ability to deliver: timetable. | Scored | Quality response Q5: bar-chart programme, 21 December 2026 to 30 September 2027 | 0–5, weighted 8; minimum 3 required | Can meet |
| ITT 3.1 (p.2) | Visit the site at own expense; open day Tuesday 29 September 2026, 08:30–16:00; no unattended access. | Info | Diary: director and supervisor attend | Not scored; every price in the tender depends on it | Can meet |
| ITT 4; 7.2 | Own welfare facilities, secure compound, tagged scaffold if needed, traceable waste disposal with transfer notes for the H&S file. | Info | Method statement and preliminaries pricing | Not scored directly; feeds the price and Q5 | Can meet |
| ITT 7.8; Spec 'Additional' | Site risk assessment, method statement, PL insurance and a staff list with qualifications at least 14 working days before start; RAMS for all works before starting. | Info | Post-award mobilisation checklist | Contract condition, not a tender score | Can meet |
| ITT 5.1–5.2; 9.3 | Maintenance schedule, warranties and guarantees at handover; payment on satisfactory completion and receipt of warranties. | Info | Handover pack; query on staged payments via ITT 1.5 | Not scored; a cash-flow risk over up to nine months on a £100–120k job | Risk |
STEP 5 · RESPONSE EXCERPT
The contract runs from 21 December 2026 to 30 September 2027. We would use the winter for internal work and the drier months for the outside. Weeks 1 to 10: strip out the old fluorescent fittings and install the LED lighting room by room, then prepare and decorate each room in the same order, so every room is out of use once. Weeks 11 to 18: main hall ceiling tiles, then the kitchen and the toilets as separate phases. Flooring goes in last in each area, after decoration, so it is not damaged. Brick paint removal, pointing and exterior decoration are programmed for April to July, when the surfaces are dry enough to hold a coating.
Our director is the single point of contact for the Council (ITT 7.1) and the site supervisor is on site every working day. Working hours are 08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday. Noisy work such as floor levelling and cubicle fixing is booked away from pre-school sessions, with the times agreed with the Town Clerk each week. Footpaths stay open. Dust screens go up between live areas and work areas. If the pre-school remains in occupation during the works, which we would confirm at the open day on 29 September, the toilets would be done in two halves so one set stays available.
We would bring our own towable welfare unit and a fenced compound on the position agreed at the open day. Where exterior work needs access above tower height we would hire a tagged scaffold from a local firm and keep the inspection records on site. At least 14 working days before starting we would supply the site risk assessment, method statement, public liability certificate and staff list with qualifications (ITT 7.8), and RAMS for each unit of work before that unit starts.
Paint removal from the brickwork would start with a trial patch on a low, hidden elevation to choose the gentlest method that works, so the masonry and pointing are not damaged (ITT 2.2). All waste leaves site with transfer notes, which go into the H&S file. At handover we would issue a maintenance schedule, the LED and kitchen appliance warranties and our own workmanship guarantee (ITT 5.1–5.2).
Hollowbrook Refurbishment Ltd has traded since 2013 and has carried out small-works refurbishment for parish and town councils since 2019. In 2024 we redecorated a parish council village hall inside and out, including the exterior metalwork, gutters and downpipes, over eight weeks while the hall stayed in use for evening lettings (about £45,000). In 2025 we refurbished a scout hut with a new kitchen, new toilet cubicles, flooring throughout and full redecoration (about £80,000), acting as Principal Contractor and using the same electrical and flooring sub-contractors we propose here.
The lead team for this contract would be our director, who has run each of these jobs as contracts manager, and our site supervisor, who holds SSSTS and has led the last three refurbishments day to day. Four decorators and a multi-trade joiner make up the site team; all hold CSCS cards. Over two summers we have delivered school decoration and flooring works to fixed six-week windows (about £60,000 in total), which is the closest match for timed working around a building in use.
We are CHAS accredited, hold public liability cover of £5 million and are members of a decorating trade association. Copies of the certificates are at Appendix A, as ITT 1.6 requires.
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