Listed below are ten reasons that briefly explain why external support can be more beneficial than handling the tender project internally.

Leverage valuable insights, advice and guidance throughout the tendering process. They are familiar with best practices, industry standards, local regulations, and any potential challenges that you may not be aware of. In their experience, they can manage projects of any size or complexity, ranging from single consignments procured on a spot basis to large-scale logistics contracts.

You can benefit from an extensive network of contacts with 3PLs and service providers in all served industries. This is an invaluable asset when it comes to identifying potential vendors, obtaining quotes, and negotiating contracts with them. Within this network are also included ‘local heroes’, companies that may have a strong position in a particular region or country; these companies can be highly competitive and agile, and yet remain unknown to most of buyer companies. As mentioned at the beginning, a company based in the EU, looking for a warehouse in the UK is a good example of an organisation that can benefit from a ‘local hero’, that would have remained in the dark without the external input. A skilled external tender expert will also be able to match your specific requirements to the most adequate set of suppliers.

Coordination of the tendering process, minimising your involvement and effort, particularly if you lack expertise in a specific type of tender (e.g., for warehousing or WMS, which are not tendered very often). In this way, you can focus your own resources and team on regular day-to-day activities, which will not stop because of a tender, while the external professional handles the process from start to finish. By leveraging their expertise, external input can assist you preparing a clear and concise tender package, identifying suitable suppliers, and managing the bidding process in a timely and efficient manner. The purpose is to keep your effort dedicated to the project as minimum as possible.

Your project stakeholders would receive an objective and fair assessment of all proposals, taking into account factors such as price, quality, experience, and reliability. This helps you making well-informed decisions and selecting the most suitable vendor. By engaging with a professional firm, your project is conducted in a transparent and equitable manner, through clearly defined evaluation criteria, consistent communication with vendors and unbiased recommendations.

Logistics and supply chain tendering projects can be risky, particularly if you are not familiar with the industry, as it usually involves mid- and long-term costly decisions, which are not always easy to revert. By conducting an exhaustive analysis on all proposals, potential risks are mitigated, ensuring that all contracts are properly negotiated and structured, providing ongoing support throughout the project. This can help ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget. As mentioned before, since the external support is neutral and has no personal gain from a specific recommendation, they will always provide insights in your best interest.

Taking advantage of their expertise and industry knowledge, a professional firm can ensure that the tender project is successful. They can help you to identify potential risks and challenges, develop contingency plans, and ensure that the project is completed with the best possible results and within the budget.

Firms specialising in logistics and supply chain, have access to technology and software that can help improve the tendering process, for example, for network, inventory and/or route optimisation. In addition, this can include tools for vendor evaluation, bid management, scenarios building, and contract negotiation, etc. Leveraging these tools guarantees efficiency and accuracy of the results.

Take advantage of improved communication between you and the suppliers, in addition to clear communication channels and standardised protocols, ensuring that all parties involved are on the same page throughout the process. Also, for you, information exchange would be easier as you would only have one point of contact, the external support.

Receive support to establish a culture of continuous improvement within the logistics operation. They can provide ongoing support and guidance to assist you optimising the supply chain, reducing costs, and improving efficiencies over time.

Lastly, although it may seem counterintuitive, hiring third-party professional services can actually be a cost-effective option in the long run. The firm can help you identifying potential cost saving opportunities, negotiate with vendors on your behalf, and ensure that you get the best possible value for money.