For most organizations aiming to strengthen, expand, grow, and develop their business, acquiring new customers and enhancing relationships with existing clients is crucial. Success in tenders should be an essential part of your business strategy, and having an ISO management system certification in place significantly increases your chances of success.
ISO standards ensure that safety, quality, and efficiency meet industry-required standards, allowing suppliers to be effectively measured and evaluated for compliance. ISO certification has become a common requirement during the tendering process across various industries, often at the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage.
How Can ISO Certification Help the Tendering Process?
The tendering process can be extremely time-consuming and complex, involving many steps from application to procurement. Here are some common issues encountered during the tendering process and how ISO certification helps to alleviate them:
Issue: Structuring and Documenting the Tender Application
- Problem: Structuring and formatting a tender application that clearly explains how your business manages health and safety, delivers consistent customer service, or oversees environmental performance can be challenging.
- Solution: With ISO certification, you have a well-documented management system in place. Many required answers to tendering questions are already documented, such as how your organization manages subcontractors or handles customer complaints.
Issue: Providing Relevant Case Studies
- Problem: Providing relevant case studies with the necessary documentation, evidence, and records can be difficult.
- Solution: ISO certification ensures proper documentation and record-keeping processes. This means you can quickly and efficiently compile case studies that highlight your business’s strengths, making a significant difference in the tendering process.
Issue: Meeting ISO Certification Requirements
- Problem: For some tenders, ISO certification is a prerequisite, particularly in certain industries. Without it, your bid might be rejected early in the process, often at the PQQ stage. Competing against accredited competitors without ISO certification makes it hard to prove equivalent standards.
- Solution: ISO certification provides an internationally recognized standard of quality. Presenting your accreditation documents demonstrates your organization’s competence, simplifying the tendering process.
What ISO Standards Can Help You Win Tenders?
The type of ISO standard most beneficial to an organization depends on factors such as the industry, sector, and areas where improvements would be most valuable to employees, customers, and shareholders. If unsure which standard is most relevant, professional ISO certification consultants can assess your needs and determine which certification would benefit your business.
ISO 9001 – Quality
ISO 9001 is often required during the PQQ stage for many tenders and is crucial for increasing your chances of success. This international standard for quality is relevant across all industries, focusing on delivering consistent, high-quality customer service, streamlining processes, and overall business progression.
ISO 14001 – Environmental
ISO 14001 provides the structure and framework necessary for organizations to recognize, regulate, and manage their environmental impact on processes, goods, products, and services. Benefits include reduced costs, improved corporate image, and better compliance, in addition to increased tendering success.
ISO 45001 – Health & Safety
Due to recent government initiatives, organizations with Environmental and Health & Safety certifications are awarded more points, positively impacting tendering success. ISO 45001 offers guidance for a proactive approach to identifying and resolving potential issues, creating a safer working environment, reducing work-related injuries and illnesses, increasing productivity, and enhancing corporate reputation.
Need Assistance with ISO Certification?
At Kloud Circle, we often assist clients who apply for tenders while working towards their ISO certification. When they win the tender, there is often a rush to implement the certification as soon as possible. Our ISO consultants can provide a letter of intent to demonstrate that you are working towards the chosen standard and are on the path to certification.