How public-sector tenders are scored

Behind every council contract sits a marking sheet, and every bid is judged against it. Knowing the mechanics changes how you draft.

Public bodies must treat bidders fairly and justify their choice. So the rules are published in advance, then each submission is marked against them. They sit in your tender pack, and reading them first is the best habit a small firm can build.

Step one: the gate

The first filter is quick and unforgiving. Most tenders open with questions that are a straight yes or no: company details, insurance cover, safety policies, and sometimes financial standing. Miss one and the rest of your submission may never be read. Nothing here earns extra points, though everything here can lose you the lot.

Step two: quality questions

Next come the points-based questions on how you'd carry out the work. Each carries its own weighting and, usually, a word limit. Evaluators read an answer, set it beside a published scale and award a mark, often running from poor to excellent. They can credit only what is written on the page they are reading. A bare claim scores low; a specific, relevant example scores higher.

Step three: price

Price is usually marked by formula, with the cheapest compliant offer taking the top price mark. The pack states how the weighting falls between delivery and price; service contracts frequently favour delivery. A cheaper submission with thin answers can therefore still finish behind a fairly priced one with strong evidence.

Step four: wider value

This is where a local firm can shine against a distant giant. Many councils add marks for social value: local jobs, training and care for the environment. When asked, they expect specific, measurable commitments rather than slogans.

Habits that earn marks

Small edits to your wording can lift an answer up a band.

• Answer the question that was asked, in the order asked.
• Stay inside the word limit; extra text is often ignored.
• Back each point with something a stranger could check.
• Study the marking scale, since it describes a top answer.

Where to go next

Shaping your records so they fit a scale like this is the craft we sell. £995 secures a full bid, tested against the published marking by a specialist reviewer ahead of your first read. Want opportunities delivered? Firm Bids Leads begins from £29 monthly. Both are laid out on the pricing page, and you can judge our style in the worked example.