THE ELECTRICAL ESTIMATOR

THE TENDER PACKAGE

For you and your sanity.

A well-ordered and organized tender package is the foundation stone of the tender process.

1. Have a tender registering system

This would include a naming and filing system for each tender that covers digital documents, hard copy documents, emails, tender database and everything related to the tender.

Keep the naming system consistent, if using a numbering system for example T032 (Tender number 32) or adding a name to assist you with identifying the project quickly, T032 – Cairns Hospital Car Park. Name every folder related to this tender with this number and heading.

2. Electronic Folder

Start with a job folder which you can download the project documents into. Using the example above it could look like the below:

“Estimating” would be your folder for all things estimating.

“Master Estimating Documents” would contain your company’s master documents used to tender the project such as take-off sheets, tender assist files, pricing database etc. which would be copied, renamed and moved to the corresponding new tender location.

“Tenders” contains your tenders… no surprise. This would be broken down into a sorting system to past successful, unsuccessful, and currently active tenders.

Now your actual tender specific file. This can be vary to suite the unique requirements of the specific project being undertaken but usually you would have the project documents that have been provided by the client “Builders Documents”. Another folder would contain all your documents and information used to tender the project “Company Documents” (insert your company name). It is helpful to keep your finial proposal ‘letter’ separate for quick reference, however this could live in the Company Documents folder.

3. Email Folder

Similar to able have an email folder system to create order in your tendering process. For example:

• Estimating
  • T030 – …
  • T031 – …
  • T032 – Cairns Hospital Car Park
    • Builders
      • Sent
      • Received
      • RFI
      • Addendum
    • ‘Company’
    • Subbies
      • Communications
        • Sent
        • Received
      • Electrical Wholesaler
      • Lighting Control
      • Lightning Protection
      • Switchboards
      • …..

The folders can be as specific or general as you like for example a more general folder could look like the following:

• Estimating
  • T030 – …
  • T031 – …
  • T032 – Cairns Hospital Car Park
    • Builders
    • ‘Company’
    • Subbies

Although the first example it is slightly more time consuming to set up and use it provides more clarity and ease of use when retrieving/searching for historic information.

The second example is quick to set up and use and with the help of word search you can search for particular emails in the masses. You will find a system that works for you, just have a consistent system.

4. Hard Copy Folder

Setting up hard copies is optional and is personal preference over necessity in this day and age. That being said there are defiant benefits to incorporating a hard paper element to your tender folder.

Drawings, take offs, quotes, design elements and critical documents that your tender is built on are handy to have in a hard copy form. All in one folder, easily accessible, easily shareable and not affected by digital issues such as down servers, power outages, accidental deletions.

 A simple leaver arch folder works great for this.

Make the front page consist of the project details, this could be an invitation letter or a title page from the specification or drawings or a self-made document, just something that highlights the project. Follow this with a contents if you wish, however the folder is fairly simple and each section will have a labelled divider page so contents page is optional.

Here is a recommended divider sequence:

• Builders In
• Builders Out
• Addendum
• Take Offs
• Subbies
  • AV
  • Comms
  • Electrical Wholesaler
  • Generator
  • ……

The first 5 main headers set up with a 5 colour divider pack. The subbies use 10 pack plane white dividers, which can be stacked with another 10 pack if the scope of work requires engaging more.

Generally only key information is filed in the hard copy. This would include any RFIs and Addendums that affect your scope of work. Copies of your tender submission with emails sent, your take off and design work, specification notes, Subbie quotes received, and any other information which influenced your decision making, scope, and pricing.

The process of setting up the tender package may seem like a lot. And at first it may feel like it, but with practice it gets much easier and you become more time efficient. The pay-off is well worth it, especially when handing over the project or going back through documentation for critical evidence for a decision that was made. The process also helps mitigate errors such as missed scopes or ‘un-sent emails’ as you are having to plan out and answer these questions as you build the package.