The good news is that you do not need to be a procurement expert to write a clear and useful tender. You just need to know what information to include, what questions to ask, and how to tell a good contractor from a less reliable one.
This guide is written for facilities managers, school bursars, estate managers and anyone else in charge of finding a contractor for outdoor spaces. It covers what a solid grounds maintenance specification should include, how to compare quotes fairly, and what to watch out for along the way.
What to include in a grounds maintenance specification
A specification is the document that tells contractors what you need. The more clearly you write it, the more accurately contractors can price the work, and the easier it will be to compare quotes.
For grounds maintenance, a good specification should cover the following areas.
A description of the site. Include the size of the site in square metres or hectares, the types of surfaces (grass, hard standing, paths, car parks), and any features that need special attention such as ponds, slopes, listed structures or tree preservation orders.
A list of services required. Be specific about every task. Common services in a commercial grounds maintenance contract include grass cutting, hedge trimming, weed control, leaf clearance, litter picking, and tree inspections. If you need seasonal work such as gritting or snow clearance, include that too.
Visit frequencies. State how often each task needs to happen. For example, grass cutting might be weekly from April to October and fortnightly during quieter months. Hedge trimming might be twice a year. Write these out for each service, not just a general figure.
Quality standards. Describe what a finished result should look like. You might specify that grass should be cut to a particular height, that hedge cuttings must be removed from site, or that paths must be clear of weeds between visits.
Health and safety requirements. Ask contractors to confirm their compliance with relevant legislation, hold adequate public liability insurance, and carry out risk assessments before starting work. The Crown Commercial Service has published useful guidance on how to write a specification for service contracts, which is worth reading before you start.
Contract length and start date. Be clear about how long the contract will run. A one-year contract with an option to extend is common, but some organisations prefer a two or three-year arrangement to give the contractor time to plan resources effectively.
Key questions to ask a contractor before signing
Once tenders come in, you will want to speak to contractors before making a final decision. Here are some straightforward questions that will help you understand whether a contractor is right for your site.
- How long have you been working on commercial sites of this type?
- Are your staff trained and qualified for the tasks in the specification? For example, do they hold NPTC qualifications for chainsaw or pesticide work?
- What equipment will you use, and is it maintained regularly?
- Who will be my main point of contact once the contract starts?
- How do you handle complaints or missed visits?
- Can you provide references from current or past clients with similar sites?
- Do you carry out COSHH assessments for any chemicals used on site?
The answers to these questions will tell you a great deal about how a contractor organises itself, and whether it is the kind of business you can build a working relationship with.
How to compare quotes: not just on price
It is tempting to go straight for the cheapest quote, but price alone is rarely a reliable guide to value. A lower price might mean fewer visits, less experienced staff, or the use of cheaper materials that do not last.
When comparing quotes, use a scoring system that covers different areas. The table below gives an example of how you might weight different factors.
| Evaluation area | Suggested weighting |
|---|---|
| Price | 30% |
| Relevant experience and references | 25% |
| Quality of proposed approach | 20% |
| Health and safety record | 15% |
| Environmental practices | 10% |
You can adjust these percentages to reflect what matters most to your organisation. For a school or hospital, health and safety might carry a higher weighting. For a local council, environmental practices might be a priority.
When looking at price, make sure each contractor has priced the same specification. If one quote is significantly lower than the others, ask the contractor to walk you through how they have arrived at that figure. Gaps in the pricing often point to services that have been left out.
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Red flags to watch for
Even if a contractor looks good on paper, there are some warning signs worth taking seriously.
Vague method statements. A professional contractor should be able to explain clearly how they will carry out each task, what equipment they will use, and how they will manage health and safety. If the response is generic or thin on detail, that is a concern.
No references or reluctance to provide them. Established contractors will have a client list they are happy to share. Ask for references from sites similar to yours, and follow them up with a phone call.
No public liability insurance, or cover that is too low. For most commercial grounds maintenance contracts, you would expect to see at least five million pounds of public liability cover. Some sites may require more.
A quote that prices everything identically. If a contractor has not differentiated between, say, cutting a large open field and trimming an ornamental border around a listed building, they may not have read the specification carefully.
Pressure to sign quickly. Reputable contractors give you time to consider. Be cautious of anyone who applies unnecessary pressure.
How ALS handles the tender process
At Anglian Land Services, we have worked on commercial grounds maintenance contracts across East Anglia for many years. We understand that the tender process can feel complicated, particularly for buyers who are doing it for the first time or moving away from a long-standing contractor.
When we respond to a tender, we take time to read the full specification carefully before pricing. We visit sites wherever possible so that our quote reflects the reality of the work, not just a set of numbers on a page. Our method statements are written specifically for each tender, not copied from a template.
We are also happy to talk you through our proposal before you make a decision. We can explain how we would approach different areas of the site, what our visit schedule would look like across the year, and how we handle issues if they arise.
If you are putting together a specification and would like to discuss what to include, or if you are ready to request a quote, get in touch with the ALS team and we will be happy to help.
