Tender support: description, services and features

Business schemes in Russia are becoming more complicated over time. Organizations involved in bidding need to go through important stages in order to ultimately obtain an order.

Ways to identify suppliers

Procurement in a contractual environment is a multi-component chain of legal stages. Possible errors in the process can lead to loss of time, economic profit and, importantly, the reputation of the company. Therefore, it is so important to know the rules established by law.

According to statistics, the methods for determining the supplier are as follows:

• Through electronic auctions;
• In open competitions ;
• Unity of the supplier;
• Requests for quotations;
• other options.

The tendering process is a complex regulated procedure with various aspects and pitfalls. To achieve success, it is necessary to take into account the requirements of normative documents and draw on the existing experience in this direction.

Most organizations applying for tenders do not have their own employees with sufficient competence. For this reason, company management prefers to use the services of tender support provided by independent firms.

What hinders direct participation in competitions?

Companies do not seek to participate independently in tenders for several reasons:

• A large number of legislative and regulatory documents;
• Constant changes in the rules of procedure;
• Strict requirements to the contestants;
• Set of necessary documentation.

Companies involved in tender support have the necessary knowledge in the field of legislation and can apply them competently according to the situation. Cooperation with them will help to reduce possible risks and develop the necessary strategy for participation in the procedure, as well as minimize disputable nuances.

Integrated and local support

Tender support can be complex and local. Stages of integrated services:

• Procedure for finding the desired event on special sites;
• Formation of a package of documents, registration of an application;
• The procedure of bidding and auctions on behalf of the customer;
• Registration of electronic signature;
• Electronic accreditation of the firm;
• Assistance in lending for the tender;
• Consultations on legal, organizational and technical issues;
• Preparation of the company's employees for tender activities.

Tender support for the company may include both some of these services, and the full spectrum. Everything depends on the qualification of the company and on the financial potential of the company-customer.

Local tender support may consist of:

• One-time service that solves one single task;
• Constant provision of only one service (for example, reissue of a digital signature).

Tendering outsourcing

The service of tender outsourcing can be part of the tender support and be of a short-term nature.

Who benefits from tender outsourcing? The service may be required:

• Companies without experience in participation in tenders;
• Organizations in which there are no specialists engaged in bidding;
• Companies in need of a one-time service in preparation for the competition;
• Organizations that are accustomed to using outsourcing support for all non-core activities.

Advantages and disadvantages of services

The advantages of such services include:

• The release of time from specialists in the state to perform the basic tasks;
• There is no need to keep a staff member specializing in competitions;
• No errors in the bidding documents.

The disadvantages are:

• The customer also has to prepare the necessary documents for the competition;
• High cost of tender outsourcing;
• There is no 100% guarantee that a victory in the contest will be won.

Criteria for choosing an organization for cooperation

Choosing a company to conclude a contract for tender support, you need to pay attention to a few points. It is important not to succumb to the swindler's tricks. How to distinguish unscrupulous firms? They have some peculiarities:

• Provide unreliable guarantees;
• Reduce prices;
• Do not have information about their own customers;
• Name very short terms for performance of works;
• Try to implement only comprehensive services without providing separate services;
• Are engaged in fast registration of necessary documents.

Similar characteristics are different for companies that do not have sufficient qualification and experience. Cooperation with them can subject the organization to various kinds of risks, as a result of which civil, administrative and even criminal liability may occur.

Low cost of services should attract attention in the first place. Companies already participating in such transactions know how difficult the service can be and how many specialists have to be involved in the work to achieve the desired result.

Specialized companies spend impressive amounts to train their employees, are constantly monitoring changes in legislation. Therefore, the prices of such companies a priori can not be low. The cost of tender support consists of a whole range of rendered services.

Usually the company provides a price for their services. On average, the cost of the service starts from 15-20 thousand rubles for support during the month. However, you need to understand that the final amount will be determined by individual nuances, depending on the tasks of the particular client.

Rules of successful participation in the tender

Before you use the services of outsiders, it is worth taking into account some points:

1. Determine the ultimate goal of bidding. It is important to think about the volume and schedule of orders to be performed.
2. All the steps that can be performed independently should not be outsourced.
3. Do not expect outsourcing solutions to all problems associated with the competition. This is just one of the tools, and not always ensuring a positive result.
4. Even in cooperation with an outsourcing company, you will have to participate in the preparation of documentation and communicate with consulting companies.
5. To surrender to the low prices of some companies should not. When choosing an outsourcing organization, you should first familiarize yourself with the prices of some of them, then the optimal cost of the service will be clear.
6. Choosing an organization, you should treat this process carefully and scrupulously. The company must have sufficient experience, qualifications, an appropriate list of customers, approved tariffs, developed documentation.
7. Do not believe the unconditional promises of outsourcing organizations that promise success in the competition. No company can give a guarantee in a 100% victory in the auction.

Does it make sense?

If the organization constantly participates in bidding to attract new customers, hiring companies accompanying this process is likely to be unprofitable. As a rule, to train these skills of specialists in your company will be a more convenient and economical way of doing business. It may be necessary to create a department engaged in competitive activities.

If interest to trading arises infrequently, is of a short-term nature, then the service of tender support of business from outsourcing firms will be very useful. In this case, it will be convenient and profitable.