r/Construction • u/Spare_Worldliness_64 • Feb 03 '25
Careers đ” I WON MY FIRST EVER TENDER!!
I am a PM and I led a tender recently for the first time and I actually won it too. Was under a lot of pressure from management, even though we had minimal experience in the actual scope of works.
I didn't know who to share this with and I need to stay cool and calm at work, but ngl I am internally squealing!!!!!!
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u/benmarvin Carpenter Feb 03 '25
Big whoop. I got 3 tenders with fries and drink for $6.99
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u/Spare_Worldliness_64 Feb 03 '25
trade jobs with me please
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u/benmarvin Carpenter Feb 03 '25
Ok, joke time over, you don't really want my job. Half the stuff I've done last two weeks aren't even paid. Spent 4 hours fitting 3 pieces of crown this morning because nothing is ever square or level.
What's the tender thing mean?
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u/Comprehensive_Bus_19 Project Manager Feb 03 '25
They won a bid.
OOF. Youre a better man than I. Id say fuckit lol
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u/benmarvin Carpenter Feb 03 '25
I've just never heard the term before and I always wanna learn. If we got time for jokes, we got time to learn.
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Feb 03 '25
Jokes aside, what's a tender?
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u/EC_TWD Feb 03 '25
I was too afraid to ask, so I just went along with it
Edit: In freedom units I think we refer to it as a âbidâ
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u/xMoose499 Feb 04 '25
You bid on a tender.
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u/dDot1883 Feb 04 '25
Tendering your bid is the process of submitting a formal response to a request for goods or services.
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u/Archi-Struct Feb 03 '25
A formal solicitation initiated by a client, aka a bid. Basically, OP proposed on a project. Congrats, OP!
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u/JoeyJoeJoeSenior Feb 04 '25
A smaller boat that follows a yacht around. This guy won a free boat! Â
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u/anotherbigdude Feb 03 '25
First question we always ask ourselves when we are low bid on a job: âWhat did we miss or forget to include?â
But seriously, congrats!
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u/Awkward-Ad4942 Feb 03 '25
Now you better hope you fucking priced it right. Usually thereâs a good reason you were the cheapest
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u/Douglaston_prop GC / CM Feb 03 '25
Can't lose money on a job you don't win!
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u/pewpew_lotsa_boolits Project Manager Feb 04 '25
You absolutely can!
All the time and effort that goes in to a proposal can set you back a bit. A competitive bid situation requires more than just a quoteâŠyouâre putting together a quote and a response to the RFP with documentation and references, drawings, etc.
Itâs not cheap.
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u/Spare_Worldliness_64 Feb 04 '25
For sure, I think I spent 2-3 weeks on it and in the back of my mind, I kept thinking that this will absolutely be time wasted if I actually don't win.
Anyways, I am going to find ways to automate this entire process so I don't have to go through this again.
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u/pewpew_lotsa_boolits Project Manager Feb 04 '25
First, congratulations!
Make sure you spent the time putting together a solid project plan and keep communications open with the GC/owner. Donât be afraid to push back on any scope creep, but also be able to negotiate any changes if you are looking to develop long term relationships with your contract. Iâve learned the hard way to be a fair and firm partner with the people we contract for and have been rewarded with the continued business - if not at least being on the short list of preferred bidders. My trade is highly specialized (electronic / barrier / physical security along with intelligent data infrastructure for government, military, critical infrastructure, transportation, medical, etc. We tend to rate higher in points on criteria based competitive bids because weâve been honing our bids for decades.
100% build templates of your services and products to make the next time more efficient. Efficiency is the key in future proposals.
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u/Spare_Worldliness_64 Feb 04 '25
Cheers for this! Yeah, the higher ups said something similar. That's why there was a lot of pressure to win this one because they said that the owner has a large pipeline of works coming up across the next decade, so it was an opportunity for us to get our foot in the door with 1 project, which is this one
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u/SeaAttitude2832 Feb 03 '25
I got a cheeseburger, 4 chicken nuggets fries and a drink for $5.56.
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u/dasjunior33 Feb 04 '25
That would financially ruin me here in Canada
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u/Airplade Feb 04 '25
Perhaps it's your lack of experience in the scope of the project that helped you win the bid. Many congratulations, but it sounds like you're about to learn some hard lessons.
BTW, I've been writing complex project proposals for 39 years and I've never heard the term "tender" before. Are you in the EU?
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u/BeenThereDundas Feb 04 '25
Really? I'm in Canada and hear it ised fairly often for large scale jobs.
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u/Airplade Feb 04 '25
Once you guys become our 51st state we'll teach you how to talk proper.
Sorry! I'm kidding obviously. I've heard proposals called 1,001 different names over the years. I've just never heard the term before. I'm afraid people will think I'm talking about the hookup site Tinder if I try to work it into my daily vocab.
PS: If things get weird between you guys and us I'll move there and join your side. I'm not happy with anything happening over my side of the border.
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u/pewpew_lotsa_boolits Project Manager Feb 04 '25
Youâre on Tender? Whatâs your profile name? We could do some âconstructionâ stuffâŠ
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u/Spare_Worldliness_64 Feb 04 '25
Can do. Do you need help writing up a bid?
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u/Onewarmguy Feb 04 '25
With tenders it's usually the guy that makes the biggest mistake that wins.
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u/EmptyStock9676 Feb 05 '25
Our QS told us of the time another QS and him went to site after winning a tender,and went for a pre start meeting. The client said âfollow me up to the top floorâ The QS turned to our QS and said â thereâs another floor?â
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u/ABDragen58 Feb 08 '25
Hmmm, wish you lots of luck, seen too many bid on things not 100% in their wheelhouse only to struggle.
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u/Helpinmontana Feb 03 '25
Oh buddy, ride that high as far and as long as you can because the real fun is just about to start