At AcrossLimits, one of our priorities is to have a clear picture of the opportunities available at any given time, all year round. This allows us to enable and encourage collaboration for our networks, as well as to plan our work and opportunities accordingly based on the upcoming options.
Most tend to focus mainly on grants but a big part of what we do is also tendering and procurement.
Grants vs Tenders
Grants usually stipulate the maximum budget amount available to achieve specific objectives and outcomes. The applicants/consortium then need to figure out ways to reach the stipulated objectives and outcomes within the agreed upon budget, and then submit an application with their solution. If successful, the partnership will be awarded the grant and the project will then kick off and the consortium will receive payments periodically as they deliver on the proposal submitted.
On the other hand, tenders stipulate the maximum budget available as well, but the activities involved are usually very different from those in grants. Tenders also have a list of objectives and requirements to be reached, as well as a specific duration for the services to be completed. The types of services and expertise requested in tenders could be very broad, involving services such as research and analysis, as well as services involved with catering, construction and education.
That being said, the requirements involved to be eligible for a tender tend to be more rigid than it is with most grants. To be eligible for most tenders, it is usually stipulated that the applicants need to have a minimum financial capacity, stipulating an amount of annual turnover per year. There is also a technical criteria, which usually states the qualifications required for the team that would be involved in the contract if successful. Moreover, supplementary documents and information need to be attached to the application proving that the applicants can provide reliable work with a qualified team that is trained to complete the tender activities detailed.
Tenders are accessible online, either through international online portals that house tenders from various countries, entities and governments or national ones which would be more focused on tenders aimed towards the local markets. Most notably, Tenders electronic daily (TED) is one of the largest online tender platforms where one can find tenders and opportunities.
Tenders are an important way for AcrossLimits to find opportunities because they are a great way to find buyers for services and products, for ourselves as AcrossLimits, our business partners and our clients as well, providing us with more ways to help people collaborate and grow their businesses.
Are you interested in a particular tender but need help in writing it and bringing together the consortium needed? Feel free to reach out to AcrossLimits at [email protected] or [email protected] and we can discuss ways of collaborating.
