TOP TENDERS
Tender Documents Checklist for North East Trades
Use this checklist to get your “bid pack” sorted once, then reuse it across jobs in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, Durham, Teesside and beyond.
1) Core business details
- Company profile: what you do, where you cover, typical job sizes and your team setup
- Company registration details: registered address, VAT number (if applicable), UTR
- Key contacts: contract lead, out-of-hours contact, accounts contact
- Subcontractor plan: who you use, how you vet them and how you manage quality
2) Insurance and compliance
- Public liability insurance certificate
- Employers’ liability insurance certificate (if you have staff)
- Professional indemnity insurance (often needed for design, surveys, specifications, reports)
- Trade memberships and accreditation evidence (for example NICEIC/NAPIT, Gas Safe, CHAS, Constructionline, SafeContractor)
- Data protection statement and basic GDPR approach (especially if you handle tenant details)
3) Health & safety pack
- H&S policy (signed and dated)
- Risk assessment and method statement templates you can adapt quickly
- COSHH assessments (common products you use on-site)
- Accident reporting procedure
- Toolbox talk records (even basic ones show good practice)
- Training matrix (who has what tickets, and expiry dates)
4) Quality and delivery evidence
- Quality policy (short and practical is fine)
- Snagging and handover process (how you close jobs properly)
- Example paperwork you produce (EICRs, test certs, commissioning sheets, job sheets, before/after photos)
- Response times and how you cover holidays/sickness
5) Case studies that actually win work
You do not need a glossy brochure. You need 2–5 short examples that prove you can deliver safely and on time.For North East trades, strong case studies often include things like void refurb works, occupied properties, reactive repairs, compliance testing programmes, fire safety upgrades, planned maintenance or school/care setting works where safeguarding and professionalism matter.
- Client and location (keep it general if you need to)
- Scope (what you did, in plain English)
- Timescales and how you managed access/tenants
- Challenges (live environment, tight deadline, supply issues) and how you handled them
- Proof (photos, certificates, references, KPIs if you have them)
6) Policies buyers often ask for
These are the ones that get requested again and again. If you have them ready, you move quicker than most bidders.- Equality, diversity and inclusion policy
- Environmental / sustainability policy (even simple commitments are better than nothing)
- Modern slavery statement (sometimes required depending on buyer)
- Anti-bribery / ethics policy
- Safeguarding policy (useful for schools, care settings, vulnerable tenants)
- Complaints procedure
7) Social value and local impact notes
Social value does not have to mean running a charity. Buyers often want to see how you support the local economy and community.- Local employment and apprenticeships
- Using North East suppliers where possible
- Community involvement (sponsoring a grassroots team, supporting a local cause, school careers talks)
- Reducing waste, recycling and efficient travel planning
How Top Tenders helps
Top Tenders is built for North East trades who want to move fast and avoid time-wasters.We flag the likely document requirements on opportunities, highlight the compliance expectations and give you plain-English summaries so you can decide quickly whether a tender is worth your time.
Instead of digging through portals and guessing what you will be asked for, you will know what is coming and can get your bid pack ready in advance.
Quick tip: build a reusable “bid pack” folder
Create one folder with your certificates, policies and 3–5 case studies, then keep it updated every quarter. That way, when a good opportunity lands, you are not scrambling at 9pm the night before the deadline.Top Tenders sends the best North East trades leads and opportunities straight to your inbox!
