Ambulance Tenders

Each year, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), NHS and additional public healthcare service providers purchase various goods and services from private suppliers to ensure adequate spending of public money. 

One of these investments is the provision of well-equipped ambulance services. These services have become increasingly advanced, and expensive to operate, which often leads the public sector to procure more experienced service providers to fulfil their needs by offering public contracts. 

Ambulance services tenders remain one of the untapped opportunities private organisations can leverage to establish relationships with public entities and elevate their business operations. However, applying for a government ambulance tender can be a daunting task, due to the increased oversight of policies and requirements that are in place. 

In the following article, we will review the benefits of ambulance contracts, and what suppliers need to do when applying for ambulance tenders. 

What is an ambulance services tender?

An ambulance tender is a procurement notice containing various services, including ambulance transportation, emergency patient care, and primary healthcare equipment. 

In the United Kingdom, an ambulance procurement contract may be categorised as a blue light tender, which forms part of police, fire and rescue services. Some ambulance services tenders mat be published on the national ambulance procurement hub which forms part of the braoder procurement process for public sector bodies.

Types of ambulance tenders

There are a variety of different types of ambulance services tenders, each created to fulfil a specific need and requirement. 

Ambulance vehicle tenders

These tenders are the more commonly available contracts and often require the supply of new or refurbished ambulance vehicles. 

Ambulance equipment tenders

The next tender is for the supply of ambulance equipment, which includes stretchers, ventilators and defibrillators. Depending on tender specifications, the type of equipment needed may vary. 

Ambulance maintenance tenders

The third category is ambulance maintenance tenders, which oversee the provision of maintenance and repair services for ambulance vehicles and the various equipment that are used in an ambulance. 

Benefits of participating in ambulance tenders

Participating in ambulance tenders can be a rewarding opportunity for any private supplier that has the necessary experience to fulfil contract requirements and meet the basic tender criteria specifications. 

Provision of essential ambulance service 

One of the first, and perhaps most rewarding, benefits is the ability to provide essential vehicle services, equipment and expertise to the wider ambulance services network within the United Kingdom. 

Fostering new relationships

Through an ambulance tender, a business can build new customer relationships with public entities, or other service providers. Building new customer relationships can help form part of an organisation’s long-term business strategy. 

Opportunity to gain feedback

Another benefit is the valuable feedback received on products and services. As an organisation takes on new responsibilities, it opens itself to putting its systems to the ultimate test, allowing it a chance to improve where necessary. 

Potential to negotiate favourable terms and pricing 

Any ambulance tender bidder can negotiate terms and pricing that are most favourable for their business. This would allow them to provide a quality service on contract specifications that meets the needs of both them and the public buyer. 

Opportunity to increase brand awareness 

Establishing a brand requires time and resources, however, through a tender opportunity, brands can further improve their overall public visibility, market share and overall brand influence. 

How to win ambulance tenders

The tendering process is often highly competitive, seeing as multiple service providers may apply for the same public tender notice. To increase the chances of your business being awarded an ambulance tender, here are some important considerations to keep in mind when applying for a blue light tender. 

Review tender requirements 

One of the biggest mistakes is not carefully reviewing the tender requirements. Each tender will clearly outline specific criteria that will need to be fulfilled by the successful tender bidder. As a business, ensure that you meet all the requirements, and have a firm grasp of the basic services you will be required to fulfil. 

Provide evidence of experience 

Next, you will need to provide well-detailed evidence of prior qualifications and necessary experience in your business. One of the best ways to improve your chances of being awarded a public contract is by including customer references or industry certifications that clearly highlight your background experience. 

Offer competitive pricing 

Public contracts are typically awarded to suppliers with relevant experience and the ability to provide the best value for money. As part of the tendering process, make sure that you have reviewed your pricing structure, and have used historical pricing data to help create a more competitive pricing model that will help improve your chances of winning an ambulance tender. 

Be responsive to inquiries 

One of the best, and perhaps easiest ways to improve your chances of winning public contracts is by responding to all contract inquiries from the tender issuer. Tender applicants often take too long to respond to inquiries, which only reflects poorly on their ability to provide high-quality service. 

Submit a well-written proposal 

After you’ve read all the requirements and have gathered the necessary information, ensure that you compile a well-written and persuasive tender proposal that clearly highlights your experience, background and expertise. 

How to find ambulance tenders?

To bid for available ambulance tenders, ensure that you have reviewed the framework agreements and Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). Both these systems are used to publish available tenders for the procurement of ambulance services, goods and related equipment. 

Make sure that when searching for new tenders opportunities you specify your location, to help narrow down the availability of contracts in your direct area. Additionally, you can specify your area of expertise, which would further filter available contracts based on your experience. 

You can further utilise a bid discovery tool to help you find available contracts or the HCI Opportunity Search for the most up-to-date list of government ambulance tenders. 

Final Thoughts 

Finding new ambulance tenders can often seem daunting, however, advancements in opportunity search tools now make it a lot easier to find applicable contracts that are aligned with your experience and field of service expertise. 

By following these steps, making sure you include enough relevant background information, and offering the most competitive pricing, you will help increase your chances of potentially winning public contracts, allowing you to foster new relationships and boost your overall business growth.