Subcontracts

What is a subcontractor?

A subcontractor is a person who is hired by the main contractor (another general contractor/project managers) to complete a specific job as part of the overall project and is normally paid for services provided to the project by the originating general contractor.  The most common concept of a subcontractor is in building works and civil engineering.  For small businesses not quite ready/capable of performing as a prime contractor, subcontracts can be an excellent way to break into the contracting market. For example, a construction company can offer external staff/subcontractors and better handle temporary periods of high work volumes by subcontracting portions of their projects to other businesses/sole traders.

How do you search for subcontracting opportunities?

For sole traders and small businesses not quite ready or capable of performing large projects or don’t have the capacity to be a prime contractor, subcontracts can be a great way to break into the contracting market.  While searching for subcontracting opportunities is in some ways similar to searching for prime contracts, Australian Tenders are here to provide subcontracting leads. Simply become a Supplier by subscribing to one of our subscription plans that suite your business needs and navigate to the Search page.

Locate the Categories and scroll down to select Subcontractor Requests category. Once you have selected this category (along with other search criteria, i.e. Regions), press search button and you will see a list of Subcontractor Requests opportunities. Using our daily alert subscription system, Australian Tenders website is updated with the latest tender and subcontractor requests information, gathered from the leading sources of tender information throughout Australia. Australian Tenders’ subscribers can receive a daily email alert of new expression of interests and subcontracts to submit their pricing/ quotations.

How can Subcontractors Win Jobs?

If you’re a subcontractor, the process that Primary contractor use to choose whom to hire may be unclear to you. To understand what the issuer is looking for in subcontractors is a big step toward landing more jobs. If you’re looking for ways to improve your next bid and start winning jobs, keep the following tips in mind:

•  Know What Your Strengths Are

  
  Bidding on a subcontracting job is competitive, and often the general contractor may not be able to distinguish the difference between different subcontractors other than price. But it is not always about who can offer the lowest fee for the most work. Your bid can stand out from the crowd by applying a approaching the bid as a marketing project. This starts with knowing exactly what you do - that is different from your competitors that make you the better subcontractor for the job. For example, you may regularly attend training to keep up with the latest procedures in your service industry, have other workers helping you to get the job done faster, or have a proven safety record. Overall setting yourself apart from the competition can help your bid/quotation stand out and be shortlisted to the top.

• Use Marketing Skills
  

  Subcontracting jobs are not awarded solely based on price, which many suppliers may think. Having a marketing plan is an important aspect for subcontractors as it is for any other business. Start by knowing who you’re marketing to, this includes who the decision makers are and what their biggest needs and problems are. This may involve more than one person at each firm, as most General Contractor have multiple decision makers for choosing subcontractors.

  Once you’ve identified who the decision makers are, address their specific needs and problems in your marketing materials. For example, most General Contractors may find it difficult to in learn about upcoming jobs in order to form an accurate bid. As a subcontractor, you can form a relationship with the primary subcontractor and letting them know about new jobs you hear about, you can make their job easier and as a result they may appreciate your input and help which will move your name a little farther up their subcontractor list. To find out about future tender and subcontractor requests opportunities, subscribe to Australiantenders.com.au.

  
  The next advantage is to have a good knowledge base of who your competitors are and what they are doing. Knowing this information will help you find the difference in your business and your competitors and as a result you can communicate to the decision makers/General Contractor how you’re different and how you can make your client’s life easier.

• Learn Successful Marketing Tactics



Below are lists of few ways you can market your services to the General/Primary Contractor.  Keep an eye out for upcoming tenders and forward valuable leads to the General Contractor with whom you have a relationship (as mentioned earlier).  Point out potential drawbacks and weaknesses to your General Contractor, such as legal liabilities related to your field of work that could affect the job.  Have on going training programs for yourself and your team to ensure that skills are up-to-date. Type of training includes training in your service industry and it can also be the skills to know how to tender for more tender and subcontractors opportunities.

If you require skills to responding to tenders and subcontractors requests, book our Beginning to Win: Fast Track to Tendering for Success Workshop by Australian Tenders & BidWrite, click her for more info.  Once you have completed your training courses and feel confident with your new skills, why not promote your achievements. The following platforms are great way to mention your ongoing training efforts: your business website and social media accounts.

• Be Professional



Presenting a professional image and reputation is important to your long-term success as a subcontractor. Ensure your finances are in order as you will be more content and won’t be seen as too anxious or distressed. Some General Contractors may have a regular payment schedule, and many may operate on net 30 payment terms for subcontractors, if you insist on immediate payment because of various business requirements on your end, you’re unlikely to win another bid.

Conduct weekly safety meetings so you/your work team can help ensure jobsite safety. Ensure you don’t leave jobsites looking disorderly as this will reflect poorly on you, and your General Contractor will likely to take note of small things like housekeeping when the next bid comes around. These are just a few things we found from secondary research on how you can boost your chances of winning tenders/bids and make more money! If you got some great ideas for landing more jobs, share it with us, click here we would love to hear from you.