Properly drafted tender documents and an appropriate procedure for evaluating the bids received are the most important steps you must take to find a truly high-quality contractor who will deliver professional work within the agreed scope and timeframe.
That is why we have prepared a two-part mini-series for you: 5 basic rules to guarantee a better night’s sleep, fewer worries and more time for your own business. In the first part, we will explain how to prepare tender documents correctly and approach suitable potential suppliers.
Point one: Preparing the tender documentation
Tender documentation, brief or scope of the requested solution – these are the terms most commonly used to describe the initial document from the first step. More important than the name, of course, is the content, which should cover at least the following points.
Introduce your company and your customers
Just as in personal relationships, so too in business dealings, it is essential to get to know one another thoroughly before any contact is made. Briefly describe (in two to three paragraphs) your company, its achievements, activities and business objectives. A link to your website or any supporting materials related to your field of activity will also be helpful.
Define the scope of the solution
A request such as “we are looking for website development” is not sufficient. It is necessary to set out the parameters within which the supplier must operate. Let us assume that the basic solution will be divided into the following points:
- preparation of an initial analysis (an important part that describes the overall functionality of the website and usually serves as an annex to the contract),
- preparation of a graphic design,
- implementation of a content management system (used for content management and now an indispensable part of any solution),
- customisation (this may include, for example, the creation of a client zone, sophisticated forms or more extensive modifications to standard functions),
- ensuring the operation and technical support of the website.
Describe your expectations and objectives
Refine your brief by setting out clear goals and expectations for your new project. Key objectives include increasing overall or specific traffic (e.g. from specialist portals or target groups), increasing conversions (e.g. the number of submitted forms or orders), but this could also mean greater activity on individual subpages or a higher number of newsletter subscriptions received.
Expectations may, of course, vary depending on the nature of your business, but they could include, for example, increasing brand awareness or enhancing credibility among business partners or target customers.
Set criteria and deadlines for the tender
By setting clear criteria, you will improve the quality of the tender process. Do not focus solely on price, but also take other parameters into account. Consider, for example, the quality of references (we recommend verifying these with the client afterwards), the quality of the content management system, and the company’s background. An ideal weighting of the individual criteria might look something like this:
- 50% price of the proposed solution,
- 20% quality of the content management system,
- 20% quality of references,
- 10% company background.
Alongside these criteria, set the expected timelines for the tender process. Allow the companies you approach at least ten days to prepare their quotations, and the entire tender process, including face-to-face presentations, should not take longer than three weeks.
Set a budget
A high-quality, established agency – the kind you should be looking for – will not be able to offer its services for 20,000 CZK; you must take this into account when setting your budget. The final figure is, of course, directly proportional to the complexity indicated in the tender documentation or the initial project analysis, and determining it is therefore more challenging. If you have no previous experience with website development, try seeking inspiration from your partners to find out how much they invested; otherwise, base your estimate on your existing knowledge. Our company website, for example, can serve as a useful guide. A project of a similar scope – ranging from analysis through graphic design and content management system implementation to content insertion – would be priced at 80,000–120,000 CZK.
If you are confident in your estimate or have a fixed budget, please state this in the tender documentation. Otherwise, wait for the initial quotes and then discuss the budget internally.
Point two: Approaching suitable suppliers
In the Czech Republic, a vast number of companies are involved in website development, but if you apply some basic filtering, the total number will narrow down to around thirty agencies capable of delivering high-quality work. This number will, of course, be refined based on your tender documentation and budget.
Where to start looking?
Start simply – as soon as you come across a nice website that meets your expectations, look in the bottom right-hand corner of the page and click through to the website of the company that created it. If you like their portfolio and other references, add the company to your list.
Another source could be a standard internet search; choose some basic keywords and browse the results on the first, or at most the second, page. Again, add any companies that catch your eye to your list. In today’s ‘social media age’, you’re bound to use at least Facebook, and you can find interesting tips there too. However, this channel can be a bit tricky, as low-quality companies may also appear in search results or directly on your Facebook wall. That’s why it’s a good idea to choose another method as well.
Check out specialist websites. We recommend looking at, for example, the industry-recognised WebTop100 competition, the portals tyinternety.cz, lupa.cz, Mediář or Marketing a Media.
Which companies and how many should you approach?
Use the list you have created and contact those companies whose presentation and references caught your eye at first glance. A more detailed examination of their qualities will come into play only after the tender has been submitted. For the first round, we recommend contacting a maximum of five companies. Request confirmation of participation in the tender from the selected companies, and if any of them (e.g. due to capacity reasons) decline to participate, use one of the alternatives.