Client: Lanes Group
Lanes is a major facilities management company that provides innovative services to clients across the UK. They wanted their bids to reflect their innovative approach.
Relationship
Lanes Group is the leading waste water utility solutions provider and largest independent drainage specialist in the UK. They provide drainage and civil engineering services to companies across the country and has some of the UK’s major infrastructure organisations as their clients. The clients that Lanes services include Thames Water, Network Rail, London Underground, and Transport for London. These are predominantly public bodies or regulated bodies and as such fall under the remit of Public and European procurement regulations. These bodies typically procure services through frameworks which are retendered every five, ten or fifteen years. Whilst being experts in their field, with an enviable track record of successful delivery, Lanes recognised they needed additional support when retendering or positioning themselves for procurements run under European regulations. They turned to The Bid Team for this support and we have been providing bidding services since 2013.
In 2013 Thames Water announced that they were looking to change the way they procured and worked with service providers across the whole of their network and services. This new way of working was called the ‘Thames Water Alliance’ and represented a step change in the way organisations work together, collaboratively and in partnership, rather than the more traditional contractually led arrangements. Lanes was already providing significant services to Thames Water through the AMP5 framework and wanted to be part of the new way of working. Initially they commissioned The Bid Team to put together a position paper to be presented to Thames Water to demonstrate the innovative new solutions that Lanes had. This position paper was called “Strategy 2025” and provided not only a new way of thinking for service delivery but a new way of presenting information. The Bid Team produced a highly visual, graphic led document, that presented the Lanes’ future vision in a way that was clear, striking and informative. The Bid Team further supported Lanes in the various stages of Infrastructure Alliance invitation to negotiate. Lanes was successful in their negotiation with Thames Water. They increased their proportion of the work by adding in new services and areas. They now have a fully collaborative partnership with Thames Water, working as integrated teams in the same offices.
The success of “Strategy 2025” and the ITN was a milestone in Lanes strategy for growth. They have continued to engage The Bid Team when additional resources are required or when innovative bidding solutions are required.
Bidding Services
Since 2013 Lanes has engaged The Bid Team to undertake the full range of bid services. We have established a comprehensive bid library of Lanes material and use innovative design to ensure Lanes present themselves as a fresh, forward-thinking organisation. Our writers ensure that the bids are written to maximise the evaluation scores and hence produce winning solutions. Some of the significant wins that we have had with Lanes include:
•Tube Lines Ltd – Reactive and Planned Building Fabric Maintenance. In 2015 Lanes engaged The Bid Team to manage, write and produce their response to provide FM service to part of the London underground. This was a major facilities management programme and a must win for Lanes. Lanes extended their supply of services through this win.
•Network Rail – Building and Civils works. In 2016 The Bid Team provided bid management and bid writing services for Lanes’ successful submission to a major framework for all Network Rail routes to undertake building, reactive and planned maintenance services.
•Transport for London (TfL) – Bridges and Structures Maintenance. In 2016 Lanes bid for the highly competitive TfL tender for facilities management service for bridges and structures across their network. The Bid Team produced a series of highly graphical tender documents though several stages of the bid, for this successful tender.
•TfL – Drainage Maintenance. This was a core service for Lanes and a must win bid. Throughout 2016 The Bid Team bid managed and wrote 15 submission documents for this facilities management contract. The submission used a new presentation layout and format that presented Lanes as an innovative service provider. The bid was successful and the new presentation formed the catalyst for the new Lanes look and feel.
•TfL – Corrective Works. As part of the 2016 TfL competitive tendering for facilities management service, Lanes identified the corrective works as an additional service to expand their transport division. The Bid Team produced 21 documents as part of this successful tender, managing the bid and writing all sections with input from the Lanes technical team.
•Balfour Beatty – Track Partnership: Drainage. Lanes acquired the business and assets of UKDN Waterflow Technical Services. In 2016 Balfour Beatty was renewing a series of framework contracts. The Bid Team supported Lanes and UKDN Waterflow throughout this successful bid process, producing a highly visual bid, compelling copy and introducing a new look for the partnership.
•TfL – Fabrics & Premises Maintenance. Lanes identified the TfL bundle 3 framework as a key transport framework that they must win. The Bid Team bid managed and wrote 47 submission documents over the period 2015 to 2017 for the 4 stages of this bid. Lanes was successful on this submission and now provide these facilities management services across the TfL network.
Bid Functions Provided
For Lanes we have provided the full range of bid service from pre-bid consultancy to position the company; strategic bid direction to drive the key themes of the bid; bid management to ensure deliverables are met; bid writing and bid graphics to turn technical content in to bid copy; and reviewing the submission mid-bid to ensure that the bid strategy was being implemented.
With all the demanding work going in a response, your final repsonse should demonstrate the importance you assign to the tender and hence the purchasing organisation. The right binding solutions will make you stand out.
To enquire about any of our services please fill out the contact form below and we will be in touch.