Our client is a leading tarmac and asphalt contractor based in Dublin, primarily operating within the private sector. EiB Ireland’s Operations Director, John Ennis, met with the client in person to gain a detailed understanding of their business, operating model, and growth ambitions. This engagement enabled EiB to build a clear picture of the client’s strengths, capabilities and future aspirations, ensuring the Fit to Bid assessment was tailored to their specific needs.
Why did the client use our Fit to Bid services?
Our client identified public sector work as a strategic opportunity to diversify. Through an in‑person meeting at their Dublin office, EiB gained insight into the barriers the client faced when entering public sector procurement. These included a lack of familiarity with public procurement processes and routes to market, minimal experience of bid writing best practice and the absence of structured bidding materials. Fit to Bid was engaged to provide clarity, direction and a practical route into public sector tendering.
What were the client requirements?
Our client sought a clear understanding of what was required to compete successfully in public sector procurement and how they could improve their bidding success rate in a structured and sustainable way.
What kind of assessment did we conduct?
EiB delivered a comprehensive Fit to Bid and Readiness Assessment through a structured interview with a senior company representative. The assessment explored the client’s company profile, experience, capabilities, accreditations and certifications, existing bidding knowledge and processes, and organisational competence. In parallel, EiB worked with the client to identify their target public sector clients, preferred pipeline, and longer‑term business and growth objectives, ensuring alignment between procurement activity and strategic goals.
What trends did we identify?
The assessment confirmed that our client already operates to a standard aligned with public sector expectations for quality and safety. The key opportunity identified was the need to formalise and evidence these strengths in a way that meets public procurement requirements. To maximise success in public sector tendering, the business would benefit from more structured systems, governance and documented evidence. Key development areas included limited experience within formal public frameworks, the absence of a structured evidence library and bid governance processes, and the need to plan for ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification as part of their future growth.
What recommendations did we make?
Based on the assessment findings, EiB provided a clear, phased set of recommendations designed to build capability quickly while laying the foundations for long‑term success.
Short‑Term Priorities (0 – 6 months)
- Develop structured project and evidence registers to capture experience effectively
- Establish a SharePoint‑based document control system
- Populate a training matrix and CV library to demonstrate competence
- Introduce bid / no‑bid decision making and tender review governance
- Provide bid writing training to upskill the internal team
- Identify and pursue a live Local Authority tender with EiB support
- Deliver the tender using best‑practice storyboarding, structured review and challenge, and a post‑tender lessons learned process.
Medium‑Term Priorities (6–12 months)
- Implement ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 readiness planning
- Formalise risk management and pricing governance
- Enhance technical documentation and update policies
- Undertake a progress review and readiness benchmark
- Develop a 12‑month Procurement Action Plan and ISO readiness roadmap.
Results
To support sustained improvement and successful entry into public sector procurement, EiB developed a proportionate, practical and phased programme of follow‑up support. This ongoing support includes reviewing and strengthening evidence materials such as case studies, CVs, and policies; challenging early tender submissions to improve quality and compliance; advising on opportunity selection and readiness tracking; setting up robust document control and governance systems; and providing hands‑on support through the delivery of a live public sector tender.
Client feedback
The client found the Fit to Bid assessment highly valuable, gaining clear insight into their existing strengths and the specific actions required to succeed in public sector work‑winning. The level of detail provided gave them confidence and direction, with the recommendations offering a clear, achievable pathway to improving their public sector bidding capability and long‑term success.