Winning Building Tenders with a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

All publically funded work is subject to European Tender Rules, allowing any organisation to bid fairly and transparently for all public work. A PQQ, or Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, is designed to enable all public sector purchasers to identify the most suitable suppliers to invite to tender for contracts.
Part of a two tiered system, first the PQQ is issued to all interested tenders for construction bidding, to allow each candidate to show their ability to complete the project. Secondly, the questionnaires are marked and the top scoring candidates are invited to submit a bid for the work.

It sounds easy enough, however a PQQ is between 50 and 100 pages long and can take up to four days to complete. On top of that, in the current economic climate there are more and more organisations attempting to bid for the same construction project. As you don’t get the chance to meet the client face to face and try to persuade them to choose your organisation for the work, the PQQ becomes your chance to impress.

Although it is a fair process, the judges tend to be risk averse, leaning them towards choosing larger organisations that have a larger management teams and more experience in the field, often in jobs larger than the one tendered for.
The PQQ therefore is a very important step in securing a successful building tender, especially as a small business. It should be used as an advert for your organisation, to ensure the judges believe you are able to deliver, and to a higher level than the other candidates.

So, how to deliver a winning PQQ? Professional presentation is most important. Do not use a generic PQQ if you are planning on applying for more than one project, each PQQ must be created with the specific contracting authority in mind. The majority of organisations will be trying to convey the same message, so develop a unique method of presentation to create a sense of brand identity. Be consistent with your messages throughout to emphasize this, and so the judges are sure of your strengths.

It is essential to allow enough time for a PQQ to be completed; the judges need to see a high level of focus and that you are serious about winning the bidding tender, to be sure that the same level of focus will be maintained when carrying out the work.

More information can be found about this subject on the Wholebuild website as well as information on ecohomes.