A call for tenders is a procedure that enables a client to gather proposals from different bidders for the execution of work, according to specifications that he has drawn up. After examining the bids received, the client can compare and select the one offering the best value for money. Invitations to tender exist in both the public and private sectors. They are very often dedicated to building and civil engineering projects. To make sure you don't miss out on a call for tenders that interests you, we strongly advise you to set up a monitoring system on a website that publishes advertisements.
Public tenders
These calls for tender are highly regulated, as they must guarantee free access to the published call for tender and equal treatment for all bidders.
Three types of procedure
Negotiated procedure without advertising or competitive bidding. This type of procedure can be used in certain cases: order value below a certain threshold, urgency of the situation, no bid submitted within the required timeframe, single bid. To gain access to this type of contract, it's important to make yourself known to your town hall or local authority.
The adapted procedure. In this case, the place of publication is left to the choice of the ordering public body: BOAMP, legal gazette, press, website... However, if the order exceeds a certain amount, publication in the BOAMP (Bulletin officiel des Marchés publics) becomes compulsory. In certain specific fields (health, education, security, defense, etc.), publication must be made in the Official Journal of the European Union if the amount exceeds a certain threshold.
Formalized procedure. This is automatically used if the call for tenders exceeds a certain amount. In this case, it must be published in the BOAMP.
Two essential steps for bidding on public tenders
The first step is to select the public invitations to tender that correspond to your possibilities (qualifications required, time allowed to compile the file, location of the place of execution, award criteria...), you can consult the AAPC (Avis d'appel public à la concurrence). This document is a summary of the call for tenders, listing the key points you need to know.
The second stage is where you collect the DCE (Dossiers de consultation des entreprises). Most of the time, you can do this online. The DCE details all the elements attached to the call for tenders, and you need to analyze them carefully to check whether you have a chance of winning the contract. This will help you avoid wasting time bidding for contracts that are lost in advance.
You will find the following documents in the consultation file:
- The consultation regulations, which you should read carefully so as not to miss any important points, such as a visit required before responding, for example.
- The CCAP (cahier des clauses administratives particulières - specifications for specific administrative clauses), which contains information such as the purpose of the contract, price requirements...
- The special technical specifications should be consulted carefully to check that the tenderer has not omitted one or more items that are essential to the perfect execution of the work. If this is the case, it's up to you to point it out.
Respond to selected calls for tender
It's essential to send a complete file by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt, which often includes pre-filled forms, plus a technical brief that you'll need to draw up, detailing the characteristics of the work to be carried out. This document should, among other things, describe your experience in the field and the resources you can make available.
If your application is rejected, make a note of the reasons. This will help you respond more effectively to future public tenders.
Private tenders
Some private-sector companies also operate with calls for tender. This is a private contract between a sponsor and a bidder.
Where to find them?
You can find this type ofadvertisement in the press, but also on certain specialized websites. This is the case, for example, of the chantierprivé site, which lists a large number of private invitations to tender in the construction and public works sector, or the appel-doffre site.
How to respond?
Submissions are not subject to the same strict formalities as in the public domain. For example, it is sometimes possible to make an oral presentation directly, without having to send a dossier in advance. It is also possible to respond to this type of invitation to tender by e-mail. This dematerialized response has the advantage of saving you a lot of time.