Contract examples and past performance in care bids
Buyers ask for contract examples to check you have delivered similar care before and can be trusted with theirs. A strong example is recent, similar in service type and size, and shows real outcomes with numbers. If you are new, you can often use relevant private or self funded work, the experience of your registered manager, or smaller contracts, as long as you are honest about scale and read the buyer's instructions on what counts.
What buyers are checking
Contract examples, sometimes called past performance or relevant experience, show that you have done comparable work safely and to standard. Buyers look for a similar service type, a comparable number of hours, packages or beds, and a recent timeframe, often within the last three to five years. They may contact the named client as a reference, so choose examples from contracts that ended well and where someone will still speak positively about you. The point is to reduce the buyer's risk in choosing you.
What makes a strong example
A strong example is specific and evidenced rather than descriptive. Name the service type, the scale, the period delivered, and the outcomes achieved, ideally with numbers such as occupancy maintained, complaints resolved, or care hours delivered safely. Show how you handled a real challenge and what changed as a result. Vague examples that simply assert good care without detail do little to reassure an evaluator. Pick examples that genuinely mirror the tendered service, because closeness of fit is what scores.
How recent and how similar
Most care tenders set a window, commonly three to five years, and ask for work similar in type and size to what is being commissioned. Read this carefully, because an example outside the window or in a very different service may be disregarded entirely. If you deliver several service types, choose the examples closest to the tendered service rather than your largest or proudest contract. Relevance beats prestige here. An evaluator wants confidence you can do this work, not a tour of everything you have ever done.
Choosing referees who will respond
If the buyer takes up references, an unresponsive or lukewarm referee can sink a strong bid. Before you name someone, ask them, confirm they are willing, and check their contact details are current. Brief them on which contract you have cited so they are not caught cold. References that do not respond within the buyer's window are a common, entirely avoidable reason care bids fall down. Treat your referees as part of the bid, not an afterthought added in the final hour.
What to do if you are new
Newer providers can use the most relevant work they have, including private or spot purchase packages and short call-offs, plus the documented experience of the registered manager and senior staff in previous roles. Be clear about the real size of the work rather than inflating it, because evaluators see exaggeration easily and it damages trust. Many frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems are deliberately open to newer providers, so check whether the tender even requires public sector contract history before assuming you cannot bid.
Using your registered manager's track record
Where the organisation is young, the experience held by your registered manager and senior team is a legitimate and often persuasive asset. If your manager ran a Good rated service elsewhere, or led similar packages in a previous role, present that clearly and honestly, attributing it to the individual rather than implying the company holds it. Read the tender's instructions on whether individual experience counts, since some allow it and some ask strictly for organisational contracts, and answer within those rules.
Strong versus weak contract examples
Evaluators reward examples that are relevant, recent and evidenced.
| Feature | Weak example | Strong example |
|---|---|---|
| Service match | A loosely related care service | Same service type as the tendered work |
| Scale | Much smaller or larger, unexplained | Comparable hours, packages or beds |
| Recency | Older than the buyer's window | Within the last 3 to 5 years |
| Evidence | General claims of good care | Numbers, outcomes and a challenge handled |
| Reference | Named without asking, may not respond | Pre agreed, briefed, contact details confirmed |
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Common questions
How many contract examples do care tenders ask for?
Commonly two or three. The tender documents will state the number, the timeframe, and the type of work the examples should cover.
How recent do contract examples need to be?
Often within the last three to five years, but the tender sets the window. An example outside it may be disregarded, so check the requirement before choosing.
Can I use private or self funded work as an example?
Often yes, if it is relevant and the buyer's instructions allow it. Read the requirement carefully, as some tenders ask specifically for public sector contracts.
What if I have no directly similar contracts?
Use your closest relevant experience and the documented track record of your registered manager and team. Many dynamic purchasing systems and frameworks are open to newer providers with limited contract history.
Can I use my registered manager's previous experience?
Sometimes. Where the company is young, an individual's track record can be a strong asset if the tender allows it. Present it honestly as the person's experience and check the instructions on whether it counts.
Why do references cause bids to fail?
Because named referees are sometimes unresponsive or lukewarm. Ask permission first, brief them, and confirm contact details. An unanswered reference is an avoidable reason a strong bid falls down.
Keep reading
Browse all care tender guides, or see care tender writing by service.
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