Care tender checklist: what to confirm before you bid
Before you commit to a care tender, confirm the essentials: you meet the eligibility criteria, your CQC or Ofsted rating is acceptable, you pass any minimum turnover, you hold the required insurances, your policies are current, you have suitable contract examples and references, and you can meet the deadline. Reading the clarifications and scoring grid early stops you wasting time on a bid you cannot win.
The eligibility gate
Start with the pass or fail items, because failing one ends the bid before you write a word. Confirm registration with CQC or Ofsted at an acceptable rating, that you meet any minimum turnover, that you hold the required insurance levels, and that you fit any geographic or service restrictions. Children's homes and 16 plus supported accommodation are Ofsted regulated rather than CQC, so check which regulator the tender expects. An honest eligibility check up front is the cheapest way to avoid spending a week on a dead bid.
The CQC or Ofsted rating check
Most care frameworks gate on a CQC rating of Good or above, and some accept Requires Improvement only with a clear improvement plan. Inadequate almost always rules you out. Confirm the tender's stated rating requirement and check your current published rating matches, including any recent reinspection not yet reflected publicly. For Ofsted regulated services the equivalent rating logic applies. This single item decides eligibility for a large share of care tenders, so verify it before anything else in the quality section.
Financial and turnover checks
Confirm you meet any minimum turnover and that your accounts will pass the buyer's financial test. Buyers often expect turnover at a multiple of the contract value and may cap how much of your revenue a single contract can represent. Pull your latest figures, check filing is current, and be realistic about whether the contract size fits your financial standing. A bid that fails the financial check is wasted effort no matter how strong the care quality, so settle this early in the go or no go decision.
Documents, policies and evidence
Confirm you can supply everything the tender requires: current insurances, an up to date policy suite, your latest accounts, two or three relevant contract examples, and responsive references. Check expiry dates now, not in the final days, because an out of date certificate or a superseded policy can trip a compliance check. A bid library makes this fast, but only if it is current. Gather the evidence at the start so writing time is spent on answers, not on hunting for documents.
Reading the scoring grid early
Read the scoring grid and weightings before you write, because they tell you where the marks are and how to spend your time. Care tenders often split quality and price around 60/40 or 70/30, and up to 90/10 where the buyer is quality led, with social value carrying a meaningful slice. Knowing the split tells you which questions deserve the most effort. Reading the clarification log alongside it catches buyer answers that change how you should respond. This is planning, and it pays back across the whole bid.
Timing and capacity
Finally, map the deadline against your real commitments and capacity. Care tenders commonly run 4 to 8 weeks, and you want roughly a week of genuine writing time plus space for a second reader and for chasing references. Check who will write, who will review, and whether anything in that window competes for the same people. Saying yes to a tender you cannot resource properly produces a thin, rushed bid. Confirming capacity is as much a part of the checklist as confirming eligibility.
Pre-bid checklist at a glance
Work down the gate first. If you fail a pass or fail item, stop before you write.
| Check | Type | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| CQC or Ofsted rating | Pass or fail | Meets the tender's stated rating, usually Good or above |
| Minimum turnover | Pass or fail | Your turnover meets the threshold for the contract value |
| Insurance | Pass or fail | Required cover levels held and in date |
| Contract examples | Evidence | Two or three relevant, recent, with willing referees |
| Scoring grid | Planning | Quality and price split, social value weighting |
| Deadline and capacity | Planning | About a week of writing time plus review available |
Not sure if you qualify for a tender? We check it for free, before you pay anything, and we only take bids we believe you can win. Text TENDER to get started.
Common questions
What should I check before bidding for a care contract?
Eligibility, CQC or Ofsted rating, minimum turnover, insurances, current policies, contract examples and references, the scoring grid, clarifications, and whether you can meet the deadline.
What is the single most important thing to confirm?
The pass or fail eligibility items, especially your CQC or Ofsted rating, turnover and insurance. Fail one of these and the bid cannot succeed no matter how well it is written.
What CQC rating do I usually need?
Most care frameworks gate on Good or above. Some accept Requires Improvement with a clear improvement plan, while Inadequate almost always rules you out. Check the tender's stated requirement.
Do children's homes need CQC registration?
No. Children's homes and 16 plus supported accommodation are Ofsted regulated, not CQC, under the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Check which regulator the tender expects.
How do I know if a tender is worth bidding for?
Check it against the eligibility gate and the scoring weightings, and be honest about your evidence and time. Only commit to bids you can genuinely resource and have a real chance of winning.
How much time should I leave to write?
Aim for about a week of focused writing for a typical bid, plus space for a second reader and chasing references. Map the deadline against your other commitments before saying yes.
Keep reading
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
Got a tender to check?
Text TENDER to +44 7822 030677and we'll tell you free whether you'd qualify, before you spend a penny.