How many tenders go horribly wrong because the specifications were not right and because they were not handled professionally from the outset?  According to the country’s oldest uniform manufacturer, too many significant and large tenders end up wasting time, money and effort because the information they are given is out of date, ill-researched, inaccurate or just not thought through in terms of the real requirements.

David Gaussen of Sparks & Ellis says: “This is disastrous, not to say frustrating for all concerned.  It means that the clients don’t get what they want and this can lead to suppliers, having tendered for the incorrect product, being forced to withdraw that tender.  As a result there are then unnecessary and substantial delays and higher costs incurred while ‘fill-in’ orders are placed outside of the tender process and while things are then ironed out.

Sparks & Ellis believes it has come up with the solution to this problem and is offering to provide a useful service.  Without obligation, the company will work with tenderers to ensure that the tender specifications are accurate.  Sparks & Ellis knows what questions to ask - whether it’s for a small uniform run or for a head-to-toe solution for thousands of people. The first point of help will come in the form of providing simple and basic specifications which can be easily understood by all potential tenderers.

Sparks & Ellis MD, Sue de Wet adds:  “This service can only help make the tender process a lot more professional and, by helping the industry, this is good for all concerned.  We don’t imagine that we’ll be inundated with requests to write the specs but, if we are, we would look at charging for this service. What we know now is that this service is sorely needed.”