What pre-tender information should a good installer request?

Did you find this article helpful? If so, please let us know!

Yes No

What is pre-tender information?

Pre-tender information in the context of construction refers to the documentation and details provided to potential bidders before the formal tender process begins. It should not be confused with pre-construction information (please see our article on pre-construction information to better understand the differences). This information is crucial for ensuring that bidders understand the project requirements and can prepare accurate and competitive bids. It typically includes:

Project Overview: A summary of the project’s objectives, scope, and key milestones.
Site Information: Details about the location, site conditions, and any relevant environmental or regulatory considerations.
Design Specifications: Preliminary drawings, designs, and any specific technical requirements.
Budget and Funding: Information about the project budget, funding sources, and financial constraints.
Contractual Requirements: Overview of the contractual terms and conditions, including any specific legal or insurance requirements.
Schedule: Timelines for the project, including deadlines for bidding and expected completion dates.
Stakeholder Information: Details about key stakeholders, including project owners, architects, and consultants.

Providing this information helps ensure that bidders can make informed decisions, ultimately leading to a more efficient bidding process and better project outcomes.

This portion of the project serves as the foundation for everything moving forward. Just like the foundations of the building itself, the quality of the work completed at this stage impacts the quality of the work overall. This aspect of the work is now heavily regulated to ensure that buildings are properly designed. It also serves to ensure that the budget allocated to the project is accurate and the contract properly reflects the work involved. The process protects everyone involved. A lack of interest by a party at this stage could suggest a lack of commitment to the project. A good installer should be keen to confirm the information available via paperwork at an early stage.

Who should produce the pre-tender information?

The responsibility for producing pre-tender information in construction projects typically falls on multiple parties, depending on the project’s scope and requirements. In the UK, under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), the client holds the primary responsibility for ensuring adequate pre-construction information is provided. This includes outlining health and safety requirements, potential risks, and other relevant data to inform tendering and initial planning. The client must also appoint a principal designer to manage and organize health and safety aspects during the pre-construction phase, ensuring necessary details are communicated to the principal contractor and other stakeholders involved in the tender process.

The principal designer is often instrumental in compiling and coordinating pre-tender information by working closely with the client, architects, and engineers to ensure that comprehensive documentation—such as site risks, logistical requirements, and specifications—is included. This enables potential contractors to assess project details accurately before submitting bids.

Additionally, consultants and other specialists may contribute to the pre-tender documentation by providing technical input relevant to their areas of expertise, further ensuring that tenderers are well-informed about project demands.

For more on responsibilities related to pre-tender information, you can explore sources like the HSE website or Designing Buildings Wiki.

When is it not appropriate to rely upon pre-tender information?

Generally, pre-tender information is accurate enough to provide a cost for the works but there are times that it simply isn’t appropriate to rely on the pre-tender information provided. This can become a greater concern once the project itself is underway.

Naturally, contractors often hope to restrict the information that they send out during the bidding stage for commercial reasons. It’s often the case that information needs enhancing once contracts are entered into. When this is the case at the pre-tender stage, a competent installer should make this point clear in their submission, highlighting the deficiencies and what they would need once in contract.

Instances when information would need improving upon during the pre-tender stage can include times where:

There is missing or contradictory information;
Some of the information is obviously wrong and needs verifying on site;

Is a site survey required at this stage?

Site surveys aren’t generally required at the pre-tender stage. Suppression systems are being installed in new builds more and more often. These projects don’t often have anything to survey and so experienced installers should have procedures in place for costing projects without the need to survey.

One aspect which often creeps up at this stage for surveying is the water infill from the public water supply. Again, this isn’t necessarily available for the pre-tender information for new builds. Although retrofits will usually already have their infill in place, which can be assessed to size the water supplies.

As part of our sprinkler and mist proposals, we detail the infill which we would require in order to for the system to be compliant. For dwellings, these figures are usually the pressure and flow required for a direct mains feed (so a system which would require neither a pump or a tank). These figures do not need to be verified by a sprinkler installer at this stage and so we encourage prospective clients to reach out to a local plumber to confirm the values.

This approach benefits from impartiality. You know for a fact that the values which your plumber provides are honest and accurate. Sprinkler and mist installers who verify the infill before confirming the water supplies have a vested interest in providing the most pessimistic figures in order to secure an order for water supplies, or overly optimistic figures in an attempt secure approval. We don’t want to sell anybody something which they don’t need, or which we know may not work. If, within your pre-tender information, you are able to meet the infill requirements detailed in our proposal, we will gladly provide you with a direct feed. Clients are, however, asked to note that we do verify the infill of all installations prior to commissioning.

This approach also benefits from being able to leverage contractors who may already be on site. New builds may already have a plumber on site for the central heating installation, while larger retrofit developments may have onsite personnel who are able to provide the measurements needed.

How do you ensure that the information provided is accurate?

To ensure pre-tender information remains accurate and up-to-date, clients should adopt several strategies throughout the tendering process. Firstly, they can work closely with experienced professionals, such as quantity surveyors and project managers, who ensure that cost estimations, project timelines, and specifications are realistic and current. Regular communication and input from these experts allow the client to refine the information based on evolving project requirements and industry standards.

Utilizing centralized data systems or project management software can also help clients store and manage tender documentation in an organized manner, making it easier to update and access the latest information. Cloud-based systems allow multiple stakeholders to access and edit documents in real-time, minimizing discrepancies and ensuring that everyone is working from the most current data.

In addition, clients should periodically review and revise any technical or regulatory specifications, ensuring compliance with current building codes and legal requirements. Conducting thorough audits of pre-tender documents before issuing them can reduce the likelihood of errors that could impact the tender’s accuracy. By implementing these practices, clients can provide contractors with reliable information, facilitating a more efficient and successful tendering process.

What information should installers be asking for?

A construction pre-tender information pack is crucial for conveying project-specific requirements and ensuring potential contractors can accurately assess the project’s feasibility. Key components typically include (items which are typically available for domestic installations are shown in bold):

Sectional detail
Floor plans: An overview outlining the project’s scope, objectives, and timeline, including details about key stakeholders like the client, designers, and consultants, which helps establish communication channels.
Structural, ceiling frame, and steelwork detail
Fire strategy, risk assessments, and fire engineer’s reports
M & E specification
Clients and insurer’s requirements
Detail of potentially obstructive services to be co-ordinated with: Ventilation, lighting, cable trays
Preferred and existing locations for components: Risers, plant room, valve sets, electrical junction boxes, water infill
Detail of any existing protection: drawings, O & M manuals, most recent pump test reports
BMS and alarm panel detail
Confirmation of storage requirements:
Health and Safety Requirements: Following the UK’s Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2015, the pack should detail known site hazards, such as asbestos or structural integrity issues, enabling contractors to plan for safe working practices. See out article on Pre-Construction Information for more detail on this.
Environmental Constraints: Information about surrounding areas, like schools or protected habitats, is vital for managing operational planning. Logistics related to site access, delivery restrictions, and parking are also included.
Design Risks and Construction Safety Protocols: Contractors benefit from understanding potential design challenges (such as historical listings for the property) and required safety measures, which aids in developing health and safety plans for the construction phase.
Previous Surveys and Reports: Including earlier structural assessments helps identify existing site conditions and possible challenges.

For further reading, you can explore resources from CHAS, Fife Council, and Goddard Consulting.

What if there a concerns about privacy, security, or commercial sensitivity?

In the pre-tender stage of a sprinkler or mist contract, maintaining boundaries around privacy, security, and commercially sensitive information is vital for protecting the interests of both clients and contractors. Handling data responsibly and complying with privacy laws, like the GDPR, fosters trust and mitigates risks related to legal and financial exposure.

During pre-tender exchanges, contractors often access personal data, such as client or stakeholder contact information and employee details for project management. Under the GDPR, contractors are responsible for ensuring this data is processed lawfully and securely. Data minimisation is critical—only the necessary information for assessing the contract should be requested and shared. Contractors must document the lawful basis for processing this data and ensure its security through encryption, secure file storage, and restricted access policies.

To strengthen GDPR compliance, contractors should maintain clear policies on data handling and provide training to their team members on confidentiality obligations. This also involves ensuring that subcontractors or consultants who access pre-contract information adhere to the same data protection standards. You can find our own privacy policy on our website.

Security Measures

The security of information shared during pre-tender discussions is paramount to avoid data breaches or unauthorised access. Contractors should implement cybersecurity measures, such as encryption, secure document sharing platforms, and regular security audits. Limiting access to only those team members involved in the contract negotiations helps reduce the risk of inadvertent data leaks. Contractors should ideally use secure channels like encrypted emails or designated file-sharing systems to exchange project documentation and other pre-contract data. Although this is rarely implemented in practice for routine information and developments, the security measures available should be ready to scale with the needs of the project.

Physical security is equally important in safeguarding sensitive documents. Pre-tender information, such as printed plans or reports, should be securely stored and accessed only by authorised personnel. In some cases, a party may require recipients to destroy any documents received once they are no longer involved in the project.

Commercially Sensitive Information and NDAs

Pre-tender information often includes sensitive data like project budgets, unique methodologies, or early-stage designs. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) serves as a legal instrument to protect this information. An NDA establishes a confidentiality framework that clarifies what can be shared, under what conditions, and outlines repercussions for breaches. By signing an NDA, all parties involved are legally bound to protect the information and limit its use strictly to project evaluation purposes.

We have signed NDAs for sprinkler projects in the past due to the Client’s concerns about leaked information reaching competitors and their technology being reverse engineered.

While generally overkill for most projects, an NDA is especially useful for contractors, as it not only protects their proprietary information but also ensures that clients’ commercially sensitive data—such as project financials or design specifications—remains confidential. This level of protection fosters a secure environment for open, detailed discussions, allowing both parties to make well-informed decisions about project feasibility and terms.

Implications of Not Using an NDA

We treat all sensitive material, which we are provided access to, with discretion regardless of whether an NDA has been signed. All information which we receive is stored securely on the Cloud and pre-tender information is rarely printed (reducing impact and risks for both security and the environment). Information is sent only to those who the client has approved of.

If an NDA is not in place during the pre-contract stage, commercially sensitive information may be at risk, creating potential liabilities for both clients and contractors. Without a formal confidentiality framework, contractors may face uncertainty about the boundaries of data sharing, leading to accidental or even intentional misuse of information. In cases where disputes arise, having no NDA complicates legal recourse, potentially damaging trust and increasing the risk of reputational harm.

Further, clients and contractors without NDAs may appear negligent in upholding data protection principles, increasing their exposure to compliance-related risks. A lack of contractual confidentiality may also complicate accountability under GDPR, especially regarding data handling and privacy obligations during early project discussions.

Conclusion

By implementing NDAs (where necessary), adhering to the GDPR, and establishing robust security protocols, contractors overseeing fire suppression developments can protect data integrity and uphold boundaries around sensitive pre-tender information. Without such measures, both client and contractor are vulnerable to legal, financial, and reputational risks. Ultimately, using confidentiality safeguards supports a professional and compliant approach to the pre-contract phase, building trust that can lay the foundation for a successful project. For further guidance, resources like the ICO’s guide to GDPR, Tendereyes, RICS, and C-Link’s construction privacy articles provide additional insights.

What is the best way to provide pre-construction information?

Clients should compile comprehensive and accurate documentation that includes design specifications, project requirements, timelines, and health and safety guidelines. Organizing information in a structured way enables potential contractors to assess the project thoroughly, making their bids more accurate and minimizing misunderstandings during later project phases.

When sharing this information, using secure and centralized digital platforms is essential. Cloud-based project management tools, for instance, allow controlled access, enabling clients to share documents securely while tracking who has accessed or edited them. These platforms can also streamline communication and updates, ensuring all parties work with the most current information. Secure document-sharing practices—such as encrypting files and applying password protections—add an extra layer of security, which is particularly important for sensitive data.

What if you don’t have all of the information available?

The CDM Regulations expect Clients to provide all information which is reasonably obtainable by the Client or on their behalf. This can mean chasing around the other contractors for the most up to date and accurate information. However, we generally offer to reach out to the other contractors on the Clients behalf (providing the Client is willing and able to authorise this).

Typically, Clients will already have much of this information in their possession already.

If information is required which isn’t already available, or reasonably obtainable, the first question to consider is whether or not gathering or creating this information is proportionate to the risk presented by the project. If not, it may be appropriate to use an alternative source of information. If it is proportionate, this information will be need to be gathered and shared.

In some cases, the required information will not be available for some time. This isn’t unusual, particularly for new builds when there’s not anything in place to survey. Pre-tender information is often reviewed, revised, and updated throughout the co-ordination period of the project. In which case, there should be some alternative available at the early stages which confirms the expectations and intent for later stages.

We can often assist with the preparation and monitoring of this information and Clients are encouraged to reach out if this may be beneficial. Sometimes a site visit is required and it simply makes sense to have the specialist carry out the survey. In these cases, a phone call is often all that’s required to set the ball rolling.

What support is available for this stage?

Clients can access several resources and forms of support to help with providing and sharing pre-tender information in construction projects. Engaging a project manager or consultant is one effective way for clients to ensure that pre-tender information is thorough, accurate, and presented clearly. These professionals can help compile and organise the necessary documents, including design requirements, budget estimates, and risk assessments, creating a comprehensive package for potential contractors. By working closely with consultants, clients can also identify any project-specific risks or regulatory requirements that must be addressed early in the tender process.

In addition, clients can use templates and guides provided by industry organizations like the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) or the Construction Industry Council (CIC). These organizations offer standardized formats for pre-tender documentation, including requirements on health and safety, environmental concerns, and project timelines, which can help streamline the pre-tender preparation process.

Legal advisors are another valuable resource, especially when it comes to drafting confidentiality agreements like NDAs. This ensures that sensitive project details are safeguarded when shared with potential contractors, helping maintain boundaries around commercially sensitive information and reducing risk.

For further guidance, clients may explore resources from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Construction Industry Council (CIC).