Because the world of communication and everything that revolves around it can sometimes be difficult to grasp, we have decided to guide you in the implementation of certain exercises, which we sometimes undertake regularly.
This is the case of the call for tenders: a procedure by which a potential buyer asks different suppliers to make a costed commercial proposal in response to a detailed formulation (specifications). That was for the Wikipedia definition.
More simply, the call for tenders is a competition between agencies aiming to win a contract for a specific service (creation of a website, design of a set of illustrations, etc.) and often the bonus that goes with it (maintenance or hosting of a site, layout of illustrations, etc.). And this for a certain period of time.
The first step to winning a tender is... to find it! Yes, the public call for tenders, unlike the private one, will not come to you by itself with its little paws: you have to go and get it. To do this, different public procurement platforms exist, such as:
- Public Procurement : https://www.achatpublic.com/
- E-public procurement : http://www.e-marchespublics.com
- Boamp : http://www.boamp.fr/
Of course, there are many others, and also platforms by region that allow you to search for tenders closer to you. For calls for tenders over €90,000, advertising is not mandatory (but that's not our responsibility)!
Then the research phase begins: going through the different ads, carrying out keyword searches, etc. A little advice, even if it will take you a little longer and it is not mandatory, we advise you to register on these platforms. This will allow you to receive updates on the call for tenders and to view the related questions and answers.
When you have found the call for tenders that suits you, it is time to immerse yourself in it (reading, proofreading and re-proofreading, we can never tell you enough).
Then the response phase begins. Usually, the response to a public call for tenders in communication is in the form of a document that includes:
- a presentation of your agency (team, references, etc.)
- A strategic recommendation
- graphic mock-ups or creative intentions (sometimes optional)
- a detailed schedule
- A budget, also detailed.
Here are our little expert tips to put all the chances on your side when responding to a public call for tenders :
Make yourself known to the public company by making contact beforehand: make phone calls, present your services, ask questions, show that beyond the call for tenders, it is the entire company that interests you. This will help create a climate of trust, which could sometimes tip the scales in your favor;
Understand the call for tenders (reading and proofreading) to better respond to it. Beyond the needs expressed by the buyer in the document, it is sometimes necessary to know how to read between the lines to understand certain "hidden" expectations;
Adapt to public procurement codes by having a minimum knowledge of its environment, the rules in force, etc.;
Be rigorous, methodical and strategic in writing your response, while remaining simple and understandable;
Remain proactive after sending the response by making phone calls to acknowledge that the response has been received. And above all, never get discouraged even after one or more negative answers and rather see it in a constructive way by trying to understand your shortcomings.
One last little piece of advice (from experience), plan in advance to send the reply in order to avoid glitches with our dear colleagues at La Poste, because an hour late and it's the final rejection!
At Studi o Cassette , since last year we have put in place a strategy for responding to calls for tenders. Indeed, every two months or so, we respond to a public call for tenders, mostly in the field of the web or graphic design.
Even if we don't win all of them, this is a good exercise to structure our responses and improve them as we go along.
