How to use it: answer each question yes or no from the notice and the tender documents. Three or more "no" answers in the first two sections usually means walk away. A "no" in the last section means ask the buyer before you go further.
1. Fit: is this really our kind of job?
- Have we done this exact work, at this size, in the last three years? Buyers score evidence. "We could do it" scores far lower than "we did it for X last spring".
- Is the site or service area within easy reach? Travel time eats margin and makes call-outs slow. Check the postcode, not just the county.
- Can we meet every pass/fail requirement? Look for insurance levels, accreditations (CHAS, SafeContractor, ISO and similar), DBS checks and minimum turnover. One missing pass/fail item ends the bid, however good the rest is.
2. Money: will it pay?
- Does the stated value cover our honest price? Divide it by the quantities in the specification (per m², per visit, per day). If the number looks thin, it probably is.
- How is it scored? Find the price/quality split. A 70% price weighting is a race to the bottom. A 60% quality weighting rewards a careful written answer.
- What did this buyer pay last time? Previous award notices for the same buyer and similar work are public. They tell you the going rate and who you're up against. See typical values by trade.
3. Effort: can we write a good bid in the time?
- How many working days until it closes? Fewer than five, for anything with written questions, is a red flag unless you've bid for near-identical work before. Check which date the notice gives: in a two-stage tender it can be the second stage, with a short expression of interest due weeks earlier. The documents say which.
- How much writing does it ask for? Count the questions and word limits. A quote and a one-page form is an afternoon. Eight method statements is a week.
- Is there a portal to register on? Some buyers use their own e-tendering portal. Register early. Portals can take a day or two to confirm an account. Find which portal a buyer uses.
4. Odds and risk: anything we must ask first?
- Is there an incumbent? If the same firm has held it for years, you need a clear reason the buyer would change.
- Are the terms acceptable? Look at payment terms, penalties, TUPE (staff transferring to you), and who carries the risk for delays or ground conditions.
- Is anything unclear? Every tender has a clarification deadline. Ask your questions before it. The answers usually go to every bidder, so ask plainly and early.
Spotted the contract before the tender opens? Then you have more time and more say. See what to do with an early notice.
A worked example
Here's the checklist applied to a real tender: a £20,000 park footpath job for Swanley Town Council. Light paperwork and a site visit made it attractive. A thin budget for about 1,000 m² of path made the answer "ask the council about the budget before you price it".
New to public tenders? Start with how to find council and public sector tenders: where they are advertised, which portals to register on and where small firms win most.
Before you score it, read the tender documents, not just the notice. The real deadline, site visit dates and pass or fail rules often appear only there.
Want a number? Work out whether a bid pays from the value, your margin, the hours and the likely number of bidders.
Rather not spend the ten minutes? Send me the link to any UK public tender, from the list of open contracts or anywhere else. Within one working day I'll reply with what it asks for, who holds the contract now (where the records show it), what the buyer paid last time and my honest view on whether it's worth bidding. It's free. Need the bid written too?
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This checklist is general guidance, not professional or legal advice. Always read the full tender documents before you bid.