Bid Writing Guide for Social Housing

Bid Writing Guide for Social Housing Providers: How Housing Associations Can Win Tenders & Frameworks

For many housing associations bid writing has been one of the key skills for diversification, meeting the needs of their communities and being able to have a sustainable business plan for the future.

In order to win a tender you first need to find it! Housing Associations can find tenders relevant to their services and aspirations via sites such Contracts Finder and Find a Tender. Thornton & Lowe has a free tool called Tender Pipeline, which we have also embedded below. This allows social housing providers to search based on location, buyer name, keyword or CPV code, value and dates. Contract award notices can also be monitored in order to monitor the competition, form partnerships for joint venture bids and help build a plan for upcoming tender opportunities and framework renewals.

Once you have found a tender which might be of interest there are several key areas to consider before you start bidding. Often forming part of a wider bid strategy or bid-no-bid procedure. Bid planning is something every housing association needs to complete in order to maximise their success and return on investment from this commercial activity.

We know what a good bid looks like

We are writing this article based on our experience of helping our clients bid for over 500 bids each year. Offering bid writing services and helping our clients win contracts is all we have done since 2009!

As well as working with Social Housing Providers, providing both professional bid writing and bid writing courses, we also have the advantage of working with a wide variety of public and third sector, SME and leading blue-chip and tier 1 organisations. Our focus is provision of outsourced bid writing support, consultancy to help our clients win UK public sector contracts.

Thornton & Lowe works with housing associations to offer bid writing services and wider social housing consultancy and income generation services.

What do Housing Associations bid for?

Housing associations or social housing providers bid for a large array of tender opportunities.

They usually bid for:

• Property – development, maintenance bids, management and lettings

• Health and social care - linked to the support requirements of their residents and wider communities

• Commercialisation of ‘central services’ and maintenance teams (DLOs) – bidding for neighbouring Housing Association, Local Authority and NHS tender opportunities.

Here’s just a few of the tenders won by housing associations in the last 12 months:

Social housing providers are well positioned to win tenders

Social housing providers or housing associations can be very well-placed to win tenders, if combined with effective bid writing. There are several compelling reasons to bid for formal tenders and develop strong bid writing skills, if you are in the social housing sector:

• Proven Track Record - housing associations and social housing providers often have a proven track record of successfully delivering housing and related services within their communities. This track record demonstrates their capability, reliability, and experience, which can enhance their credibility and competitiveness when tendering.

• Trusted Reputation - these organisations are often well-established and trusted, their longstanding presence and positive reputation contribute to building trust with stakeholders, including residents, local authorities, and other partners. This trust can be leveraged in bid writing to demonstrate reliability, integrity, and a commitment to delivering quality outcomes.

• Commitment to Social Value - the rise in importance placed on social value in procurement processes plays to the strengths of housing associations and social housing providers. These organisations are inherently committed to making a positive impact on the communities they serve, beyond simply providing housing. They often have a broader social mission that aligns with the objectives of public sector tenders, such as promoting social inclusion, supporting economic regeneration, and enhancing community well-being. By emphasising their commitment to social value in tender bids, housing associations can demonstrate their alignment with the priorities of commissioners and differentiate themselves from competitors.

Take a look at our guide to bid writing courses if you are looking to improve the bid writing skills in your organisation.

Book a Free Bid Writing Consultation Today!

Bid Writing Services & Guidance to Win Social Housing Contracts

Comprehensive bid writing services for social housing sector:

We offer end-to-end bid writing services and bid management for our housing associations clients. Including:

1. Identifying tender opportunities. Search & selection
2. Facilitating bid/no-bid decisions. Bid strategy and planning
3. Tender response coordination and bid management
4. Bid reviews, mentoring and training.

Our comprehensive services can streamline the entire bidding process, from opportunity identification to final submission, including social value bid writing and ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for clients.

While having a specialist focus on the social housing sector, we work with a variety of clients across industries such as construction, facilities management, water & utilities, and rail. This diverse client base allows us to share best practice, challenge solutions and drive innovation.

Streamlining the bid writing process

We recognise that bid writing can be a daunting and time-consuming process, especially for those new to tendering. That's why our bid writing consultancy provides access to trained and experienced bid writing specialists who know how to approach bidding effectively.

At Thornton & Lowe 90% of the bids we complete are into the UK public sector and as a result our bid writers also need to be experts in procurement. We combine procurement knowledge with APMP best practice methodology and have a thorough quality assurance process in place to ensure the highest tender response scores.

Bid writing consultancy streamlined process

1. Tender review - we begin by fully reviewing the tender documentation, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the requirements, while discussing your needs, background and context
2. Quote provision - within 24 hours (though usually less), we provide you with a quote for our services, which is a fixed fee and also includes bid design
3. Bid plan development - we develop a detailed bid plan, considering timelines, quality assurance, and completion date
4. Bid Submission - our bid writing team works diligently to complete the bid, ensuring a high-quality submission that meets all requirements.

Ongoing Bid Management

For social housing clients interested in winning more than one public sector contract or securing places on several Framework Agreements, we offer an ongoing bid writing and management services, via our Bid Success Programme. This comprehensive service ensures that you have a dedicated team supporting your bidding efforts, maximising your chances of success.

By using our tender writing expertise, housing association can increase their chances of securing contracts and delivering exceptional services to their communities.

If you work in the social housing sector are interested in improving your bid writing skills, take a look at:

• Bid Writing Ultimate Guide
• Guide to Selling into the Public Sector.

Have more questions? Contact us on 01204 238046 or email hello@thorntonandlowe.com