How to win catering tenders with Bid Writing Services

BWS Blogs
Michael Baron
April 27, 2023
A row of silver catering chafing dishes filled with food, with the central dish containing a rice pilaf garnished with fresh herbs and decorative carrot carvings

If you are searching for how to win tenders for your catering company, you have come to the right place!

Bid Writing Services are experts in writing successful tenders for catering companies looking to expand their business and win government contracts.

This latest guide will explain how to win catering tenders with Bid Writing Services successfully!

Top Tips to Win Catering Tenders

There are several important factors to consider when it comes to winning catering tenders. Here are some top tips that can help your business succeed:

Research Key Buyer Portals

Registering with key buyer portals, such as ProContract, is important to stay informed about upcoming tenders.

However, it’s also worth noting that not all tenders are advertised on these portals, so it’s a good idea to keep your eyes open for other opportunities as well.

Provide Comprehensive Information

When bidding on a catering contract, it’s important to provide all the necessary information the government requires.

This may include details about your company, proof of insurance, policies and procedures, and references.

You must ensure that you have all of this information ready ahead of time to submit a complete and competitive proposal.

Offer a Competitive Price

While providing quality services is important, the government is always looking for the best value for its money.

This means that your pricing needs to be competitive. Make sure to research the market and other competitors to ensure that your rates are reasonable.

Highlight Your Catering Experience

Demonstrate your experience and expertise in catering by highlighting any relevant experience you have in your proposal.

It is essential to show that you have delivered successful catering projects in the past or highlight any innovative approaches you have taken during previous assignments.

Write a Professional Proposal

Your proposal is the key selling document that can win you the contract, so it’s crucial that it’s well-written and professional.

You must ensure to address all the requirements outlined in tender documents and answer them as per their expectations. Focus on conveying your strengths and how they align with the client’s needs.

Your proposal should be a comprehensive document that looks visually attractive, readable, and aligned with government requirements.

What are the main UK Public Sector Catering Frameworks?

The Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) is a trusted partner for a range of public sector organisations, offering pre-vetted and quality-assured catering suppliers through its CPC Catering Framework.

This framework provides a wide range of catering and hospitality services and products, including equipment, ingredients, and event catering services from both small independent suppliers and major national brands.

Developed in partnership with local authorities, public sector and third-sector organisations, the CPC Catering Framework has been designed to meet customers’ needs.

The framework is available to all public sector organisations, including schools and universities, NHS, central government, local authorities, emergency services and housing associations.

The purpose of the CPC Catering Framework is to provide customers with an easy, cost-effective, and compliant way to purchase catering services and products.

By partnering with CPC, customers can access a range of pre-approved suppliers who have been rigorously assessed against a set of criteria established by CPC.

The Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) is a UK-wide framework that offers Education, Social Care, and other public sector buyers the opportunity to outsource their catering needs.

With a wealth of experience in providing procurement solutions to Schools, Colleges, Universities, and Councils, ESPO has become a widely used framework provider in the United Kingdom.

The recently tendered ESPO framework runs until August 2024 and boasts an impressive roster of nearly 50 esteemed suppliers.

This framework caters to the unique demands of each buyer, providing a range of options that cater to different school types, student populations, and dietary requirements.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Food and Drink is a national framework agreement that is designed to provide public sector organisations with easy access to food and drink suppliers.

The framework covers a wide range of products and services, including catering services, equipment, and related products. It is aimed at improving government procurement processes and commercial relationships with suppliers.

CCS Food and Drink framework is available to central government, local government, health, education, devolved administrations, and not-for-profit organisations. It ensures that all suppliers provide services at competitive prices, while also providing added assurance of quality and safety.

This makes it easier for public sector organisations to find and access the food and drink services they need while also getting value for money.

Contact Us

For more information on how to win catering tenders, call Bid Writing Services today at 07760 514 645 or email info@bidwritingservice.com.

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Syed Hasan

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We engaged Bid Writing Service to support our submission for the GMC tender, aiming to drive potential growth for our business. While we are still awaiting the final outcome, we can confidently say the service has been excellent and well worth the investment. Special thanks to Jessica, Peter, and Francesca, whose professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail greatly contributed to the strength of our submission. Their collaborative approach and expertise made the entire process smooth and reassuring. Highly recommended for any organisation seeking expert bid support.

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Andrew Hobbs

We engaged Bid Writing Service to support us in responding to a public tender opportunity. The service provided was simply exceptional. Well organised, proactive and responsive, accurate, punctual and of course very well written. This is a quality company with some really excellent client facing members of staff. Thank you Rhiannon, Francesca, Thea, Georgia and Lauren. Brilliant first impression and thoroughly recommended !!

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Joseph Palmer

We've been working with Lauren and Rhiannon at Bid Writing Service for a few months now and they have been great! They are super responsive to emails and are always there to guide/support us through the process. As soon as a tender get released that matches our industry Lauren sends it straight over even if it's an evening or weekend so we have piece of mind knowing we won't miss any tenders! Thank you Lauren & Rhiannon

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Ross Nicholson

Rhiannon was very switched on when it came to giving our company advice around bid writing. She produced drafts in a swift and professional manner which was important to us when the deadline was approaching fast.

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Vanessa Varoujian

Incredibly professional, responsive and dedicated. Great to have a team who take the time to get to know the business and our ethos, and understand the pressures of tender and bid writing for a small organisation.

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Vinceo Ferlita

Crown ices Ltd.

One of the best companies we have worked with. From our first conversation to the completed work. Always on hand for any questions we had, very knowledgeable and timely. Would use again and would highly recommend. Thank you for your hard work and such excellent service. Crown ices Ltd.

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James Barber

I can not recommend BWS highly enough. Our first call with Luke was professional and built an immediate trust in the business. Lauren then took on our project at short notice with a 48 hour turn around time. She went above and beyond to ensure it was completed on time. We are now going to have a conversation about building a bid library and them becoming our exclusive supplier.

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Chris C

Lauren from BWS went above and beyond to support us with our tender on extremely short notice. Her dedication, professionalism, and willingness to assist at all hours were second to none. Lauren's expertise and responsiveness made what could have been a stressful process smooth and efficient. I cannot recommend her highly enough for anyone needing reliable and high-quality support.

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GMS SERVICES LTD

We have used BWS to assist with our bid writing services. Not only does this provide us with vital resources when there are multiple tenders we want to bid for, it also provides a quality bid which is written by engaging bid writers who are interested in our business and helping us succeed. They become a part of our business. We would highly recommend their services and many thanks to George Flower who has delivered a brilliant service for us.

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Andrea Gascoigne

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Barry Chapman

We used this company as part of our growth strategy, in that they, and I mean Lauren Moorhouse as their lead, created from scratch a comprehensive Bid Library. This is an excellent process to begin this new phase of our development, to gain more work and raising our branding profile. The whole system, was great to see how it grew into the formidable tool that it is, which we now have at our disposal, with an increase in our confidence to bolster our turnover.

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B&E Boys

We employed BWS to assist with our bid writing and knowledge management resources. The team were always very professional and flexible in working around our schedules whilst maintaining agreed deadlines. We would recommend BWS to others who are looking for a ‘fresh set of eyes’ on any business development material. We will be working with BWS in the future.

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Matt Webb

We engaged with BWS to assist with a bid on a civils project and were very pleased with the work they delivered. There was always clear communication and documents were produced within the agreed timeframes and cost. Being the first time working with a bid writing company they immediately put as at ease and gave us confidence that our submission was as strong as possible which gave us the best chance. Thanks to all the team at BWS!

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Nick Heath

Compass Fuel

We dived into the world of tenders, and Lauren made the process fairly simple for novices like ourselves. Wouldnt hesitate to use their services again. Nick Heath - Compass Fuel

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Josh Lownsborough

Working with Kyle has been a pleasure , He has been working weekends and evenings to get the job ready in time, His responses are superb and he is a real professional at his job. I hope we win the contract and I will certainly use Kyle again in the future

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Matt

My organisation has only recently started working with BWS and we have already seen a win! The team are always professional and work around my schedule. We will continue to work with BWS for future bids, thanks BWS team!

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Tracey Gordon

Excellent, efficient and professional service from Lauren & Rhiannon. Would 100% recommend and will definitely use again.

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James Bell

Great service. Quick turnaround and well written bid. Fingers crossed for a successful tender outcome.

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Chris Davy

We used BWS and found them very quick and efficient, well worth using and will do again

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Anele Griessel

Rhiannon was friendly, listened, and clarified our questions. Thank you very much

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Mirela Stefan