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Client: General Farming and Contracting Ltd
Sector: Grounds Maintenance
Support Provided: All-round guidance from tender kick-off to post-award due diligence
Key outcomes:
- 100% success rate for a first-time bidder
- Won two framework tenders for Hampshire County Council
- Strengthened client’s internal tendering capability and confidence
- Building a pipeline of direct award contracts
- Enhancing reputation and credibility with local buyers and commissioners
- Small company punching above their weight in a hugely competitive sector
Why did the client come to us?
General Farming and Contracting (GFC) is a family-owned business based in Wickham, Hampshire, run by Nigel and Rosie Blackman – the sixth generation of Blackmans to farm the land, where they also run a grounds maintenance and landscaping business.
Nigel approached Complete Tenders in November 2023 for bid writing support on a landscaping tender with Hampshire County Council (HCC). GFC already had a strong reputation as a sub-contractor on major projects for a national water company, alongside a healthy portfolio of private sector clients, but Nigel was ready for GFC to make the leap from sub-contractor to main contractor. He believed a public sector framework was the right route in: a lower-risk way to learn how tendering works, understand what buyers were really looking for, and start building direct relationships with contracting principals instead of working through them. It was a shrewd call – and one that would pay off far beyond that first framework.
How did we help them?
Frameworks can take different forms. This one was for HCC’s Property Services and Countryside Teams to call-off landscaping services such as mowing, planting, hedge planting, maintenance and arboriculture for various locations (schools, offices, libraries, care homes, country parks, and recreation spaces), either by direct award or mini-competition.
The advantage of a framework for the buyer is that suppliers are pre-approved and vetted already, so buyers can either directly award to one supplier or hold a mini-competition between several. It simplifies and speeds up the buying process as well as removing risk of supplier selection. Public sector bodies can be very risk averse, so this is a major plus point for them.
For the supplier, getting on a framework means they are on an approved list. Although that doesn’t guarantee work; because they are pre-qualified, there are  limited number of competitors and therefore better positioned to win work. For this tender, up to four contractors would qualify. Being on a framework also gets your name out there so you can start building a reputation, which was exactly what Nigel and Rosie wanted.
Although GFC were new to formal tendering, they already had some processes in place from years in the private sector. Rather than starting again, we built on what was already working, sharpening their policies and procedures to meet public sector requirements, rather than replacing them wholesale. Tendering is often as much about project management as it is about writing responses. The HCC tender was heavy on compliance elements, which meant that gathering, organising and formalising evidence such as contract experience, staff qualifications, risk assessments, and records of safety briefings  was a vital part of the process.
This is key to how we work: build on what a business already does well, and strengthen the weaker parts. As we guided Rosie and Nigel through the process, they became familiar with the documentation they needed to provide and the commercial thinking behind a compliant, attention-getting tender response.
In February we got the news that GFC had not only been successful for the Lots they applied for, but they were ranked first out of the four successful tenderers with full marks. The feedback was that the GFC tender stood out from the others because it fully addressed what the compliance elements that buyers wanted, while meeting the stringent health and safety compliance requirements. This was an impressive achievement and more than GFC had hoped for on a first attempt, something they could grow with and build upon.
Building A Pipeline
Nigel contacted us a year later when HCC issued another framework tender for Grounds Maintenance. Because of budget cuts, there had not been a great deal of work forthcoming from the previous landscaping tender – remember that work is not guaranteed on a framework. Nevertheless, Hampshire County Council encouraged GFC to bid on this one because they had been so impressed last year.
This tender was split geographically into four sectors, and functionally into standard locations and  locations with sports fields, which need extra work such as line-marking, erecting and dismantling goalposts, pitch rolling and so on. GFC applied for standard and sports locations in a single sector, for which only one supplier was to appointed.
This tender was slightly more involved, with more quality questions to be answered and a mobilisation plan to be provided. Mobilisation for a framework can be tricky – because work isn’t guaranteed it can be hard to scale. We tackled this by splitting mobilisation into two phases, where phase 1 was preparing to receive orders and phase 2 was mobilising for those orders. We brought GFC’s key strengths of nimbleness and flexibility to the fore. We also helped GFC develop their Business Continuity plan, Lone Working and Modern Slavery policies to both strengthen the response and improve their business processes.
GFC were awarded the geographical sector and both lots within that sector in March 2025. Not only did we still have a 100% success record, but the feedback was even better and GFC were firmly placed as important suppliers to HCC.
Building A Reputation
We keep in contact with our regular clients to find out whether and how they’ve benefitted from the contracts we’ve won and where their business is at as a result. When we called Nigel, it turned out that GFC were on the crest of a wave. Not only had they won substantial work off the Grounds Maintenance tender, they taken over another Lot on the HCC contract after the original contractor pulled out. Winning one piece of work enhanced their credibility and led to doubling the geography they covered, bringing more opportunities for direct awards. Gosport and Fareham Councils both appointed GFC without having to tender themselves, because they could use the HCC framework.
There were even benefits on the private sector side of the business. GFC had quit being a sub-contractor at the major water company as it wasn’t working for them financially. After a few months, the water company  realised that, actually, GFC had supplied most of the services, and when they left, service levels plummeted. They dismissed the main contractor and appointed GFC in their stead.
Building A Future
Even after that first success, GFC knew there was further to go. A compliant, attention-getting tender response takes ongoing work, not a one-off effort. That’s the kind of partnership we set out to build at Complete Tenders: rather than making clients dependent on us, we actively encourage businesses like GFC to write some of their own responses once they’ve found their feet, while we take on the more complex or unfamiliar tenders alongside them. It’s a model built on the same values GFC brought to their own business: attention to detail, a long view on growth, and a willingness to put in the work now for a stronger position later.
That approach is already paying off. With a solid pipeline of public sector contracts behind them, GFC have found that success breeds success. They’ve recently commissioned us for two more pieces of work on public sector tenders for a client in a different sector, expanding their operations in Hampshire further and creating employment and career progression for their growing team. Together, Complete Tenders and GFC have built more than a client relationship, it’s a genuine partnership that works brilliantly for both of us.
If you’re running a business that’s ready to make the jump from sub-contractor to main contractor, or you want a partner who’ll build your tender writing capability rather than gatekeep it, get in touch to see how we could help you build the same kind of track record.
“As a small company wishing to expand, we engaged the services of Complete Tenders to assist us in the tendering process. Twice we had the pleasure of working with Tony who was incredibly efficient and knowledgeable, delivering high quality work that clearly evidenced the strengths of our business, as twice we were successful!
We couldn’t be happier with the results. Tony provided invaluable guidance throughout the tendering process, helping us craft compelling proposals to agreed timescales that truly stood out. Thanks to Complete Tenders, we have successfully secured new contracts and are now well on our way to achieving our growth ambitions. We highly recommend their expertise to any business looking to take their operations to the next level.“
Rosie Blackman, Operations Director GFC
FAQs
Can a small business win public sector grounds maintenance contracts?
Yes. GFC was a relatively small business and a first-time bidder when it successfully secured a place on its first Hampshire County Council framework. Buyers will assess businesses against the requirements and evaluation criteria set out in the tender, so being able to demonstrate your experience, processes, compliance and ability to deliver is important.
Is being awarded a place on a framework a guarantee of work?
No. A place on a framework means you have been approved as a supplier, but it does not necessarily guarantee any work. Contracts may be awarded directly to framework suppliers or through further competitions, depending on how the framework operates.
Can you bid for a council tender if you have never tendered before?
Yes, provided your business can meet the requirements of the opportunity. GFC already had considerable private sector and subcontracting experience but had never formally tendered for a public sector contract. We helped them translate that existing experience into the evidence, policies and processes required for their first council tender.
How can tendering help a business move from subcontractor to main contractor?
Winning public sector contracts can give businesses the opportunity to build direct relationships with buyers rather than delivering through another contractor. For GFC, securing places on council frameworks helped strengthen its reputation and opened the door to direct awards and further contract opportunities.
What support can Complete Tenders provide with framework and council tenders?
We can support businesses throughout the tendering process, from assessing the opportunity and understanding the requirements through to gathering evidence, developing policies, writing responses and managing the submission. Our aim is also to strengthen your internal tendering capability so that your business becomes better equipped to pursue future opportunities.
