Tendering

[shop]

I just tendered for a contract for a network installation and got it !! (Woohooo)

The companies I was up against were not the biggest but both well established.

After we'd agreed terms I asked the following questions.

1. Can I see the other quotes :-) to which he said no problem and gave me copies. (Not a major amount of difference in price)

2. Why did you choose me over the others ? to which he answered.. I was thinking about my needs after the quotes were submitted. I thought of something else I needed. It was 19.00 and you were the only person who answered the phone (My office phone is on divert to mobile when the office is unmanned plus I have a few call out contracts so it needs to be on 24-7)

Just thought I's share a few tips with you :-)

[Mark Snowdon]

Congratulations

Well done Shop.

Out of interest how did you find out about the tender opportunity ?

[shop]

Tenders

I live in Wales (Someone has to)

I've went to see the WDA and got onto the short list of the compaines that are used to install IT into SME's in Wales (Part funded by the WDA)

It was not easy and took about 6 months.. (All kinds of thing had to be checked out by them. I think getting Level 3 SC would have been easier)

Trends say that I should get 1 Network install every 2 months.

It all helps

[threaded]

That's the way to do it...

I get a call day or night and I can be inside the clients network poking around within minutes.

(Password are for pansies. )

[janekczekaj]

Re: That's the way to do it...

Shop,

How did you get on the list... I have been going round and round in circles for about 8 months now trying to get on the WDA list... I even had an email, only yesterday, from yet another WDA employee who actually thought that no such list existed...

Dealing with them has been a painfully slow negative experience... No wonder many business people in Wales have such poor opinions of them and some even say it is all a 'closed shop'.

Anyhow, any info would be welcome.

[shop]

What Part

J,

It depends on which part of Wales you are working from ?
There are different departments for each part of Wales.

Be perpared for a long wait once you've contacted them.. But in the end it does happen.

[janekczekaj]

Re: What Part

I am over in Swansea and, IMPO, my local WDA people were worse than useful.

I had this guy come round my house for a meeting... Unfortunately, he came round at 9AM in the morning after I had been up in a teleconference all night with clients in the APAC region... so I looked rough as houses... He then, or so it appeared to me, did not believe that my company had been going for 7 years and that I could reel off a list of well-known global blue chips as clients.

Seemed that the local WDA was, again IMPO, very focussed on backing one or two local 'favoured' companies and, well, that was that...

[shop]

Drop me a mail.

J,

Sorry to hear that the WDA are so bad in Swansea.
Mail me [email protected] I'll give you the name of the person who covers Gwent. She works for a sub in association with the WDA (Maybe has branches in your neck of the woods)