Tools — Tendering Is my project ready to tender?

Answer twelve quick questions to check whether your project is ready to go to the market, and see exactly which gaps to close first.

Indicative only. Our free tools and information are a general guide to help you think about your project. They are not advice on your specific project. Every project is different, so we can only give firm advice once we have spoken with you and fully understand your requirements and scope. Book a conversation

How to get your project ready to tender

Going to tender before a project is ready is one of the most common causes of inflated tender prices, heavily qualified bids, provisional sums and costly change once work starts. A good pre-tender process makes sure the brief, budget, design, surveys, planning and tender documents are all in place before contractors are asked to price.

Our quantity surveyors and project managers prepare cost plans, procurement strategies and tender packages, run competitive tenders and produce tender reports for clients across Birmingham, the West Midlands and the UK.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a construction tender pack?

Typically: the form of contract and any amendments, the Employer’s Requirements or specification, drawings, preliminaries, a pricing schedule or bill of quantities, site information and surveys, pre-construction health and safety information, and clear tender instructions.

What RIBA stage should design be at before tender?

For design and build, design is usually developed to RIBA Stage 3 (Spatial Coordination) before tender. For a traditional route, design is normally completed to RIBA Stage 4 (Technical Design) so contractors price a complete design.

How long should a construction tender period be?

For most building projects, four to six weeks is typical, longer for large or complex schemes. Too short a period leads to rushed, qualified or inflated prices.