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Hustler
21-02-2006, 05:01 PM
Has any one any feedback on local goverment tenders as in about to apply for one any info would be greatly appreciated as i not done this before .
Deano you have been a great help so far its good your only a phone call away . its good to have mates in the industry

Bargain Stickers
22-02-2006, 07:52 PM
Hey Nev, I can't remember which newspaper it was, but if you look at either The Age or The Herald Sun on Saturday, I've seen a section on one of them that gives you information on how to apply for government tenders. It may depend on if they are offering any at the moment but even if it's on another industry, you may get an idea on how to bid on one there.

Lancat
27-02-2006, 10:42 PM
Hi Nev and all in the group

Victorian Government tenders can be found on the following web site e-Tender (http://www.tenders.vic.gov.au)

Seminars on winnning Government Business are run by PACCER Training.
There is a link to PACCER on the e-Tender web site.

Regards

Anthony

My1 Management
28-02-2006, 12:41 PM
Sorry Guys, Off topic but I wanted to say something to Lancat

I was looking at your details earlier and I thought I was looking at my own details.

Your birthday is on the same day as mine and I am in the Werribee area. Of the details you have left they are virtually my own details :) Just thought I would share that with you :)

How long you been in the industry Lancat? I see you are a member of Independent Lawn Mowing.

Ebony
My1 Management
www.my1.com.au

jmk256
01-03-2006, 09:15 PM
beware, government are very slow payers, expect to wait from 30-90 days for payment, they are great for your cashflow. :cool: :cool:

Hustler
03-06-2006, 05:10 PM
They are not worth wasting your time to qoute as i missed out on it .I rated no 1 in the area that i quoted for but got nocked out by a company that is 400 kms away from the area that has taken on the whole shire and it works out dearer than my tender .Local Gov womt look after locals why bother with them they are like politiations full of muck (S_IT)

Hustler
03-06-2006, 05:11 PM
They are not worth wasting your time to qoute as i missed out on it .I rated no 1 in the area that i quoted for but got nocked out by a company that is 400 kms away from the area that has taken on the whole shire and it works out dearer than my tender .Local Gov wont look after locals why bother with them they are like politiations full of muck (S_IT)

Hustler
03-06-2006, 05:16 PM
Plus the cost to set up for tenders EG become a company OHS plans the list goes on there just not worth it you are better off with a 120 private customers the the big contracts you learn by your efforts that dont bite off more than you want it would of been worth about 90.000 per year .

ogsdubbo
17-03-2012, 11:15 PM
Make sure you charge for your Green Waste Disposal charges & Herbicide useage in any Tender/Quote you go for be it Govt or Large Private Companies.

I recently scored a site with James Lang Lasalle who manage alot of Woolworhs sites in NSW Plus I look after an Officeworks Site as well.

I also do Hearing Life who are part of Sonic Innovations P/L. Good prompt payers too.

Too much crap to go through with most Govt tenders.

Large Corporate work is the go along with your smaller private individuals.

The small owns keep your cash flow going but the Big COMPANIES pay you monthly Fuel bills Etc.

Kind Regards

Mick

OGSDUBBO

PhilG
18-03-2012, 05:00 PM
Good advice but 6 years too late....ah ah

HPM
18-03-2012, 08:15 PM
I like doing the bigger companies and small commercial work. I usually invoice monthly and you never see anyone during the job. As long as it looks good you can please yourself when and how it's done.

2eyedcyclone
19-03-2012, 04:30 PM
Don't leave any stone unturned, because it's Government they love things like laying mulch in garden beds to be more water efficient, using 4 stroke blowers to cut back on carbon emissions, being a equal opportunity employer blah blah blah, most organizations don't care for this stuff but the government seems to gobble it up.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
28-03-2012, 09:04 PM
I had a chat with a guy from a big local company doing council contracts today and he said that businesses putting in quotes of 3c per metre are getting knocked back. The company he works for has just laid off a couple of blokes and are now advertising for domestic customers. I know of at least 2 companies doing the same thing. Council contracts are becoming harder to get and worth even less than the time it takes to get them.
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next year or two. Local councils might have to start employing their own people again because nobody will want to work as a contractor for them.

Chris B
28-03-2012, 09:09 PM
I had a chat with a guy from a big local company doing council contracts today and he said that businesses putting in quotes of 3c per metre are getting knocked back. The company he works for has just laid off a couple of blokes and are now advertising for domestic customers. I know of at least 2 companies doing the same thing. Council contracts are becoming harder to get and worth even less than the time it takes to get them.
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next year or two. Local councils might have to start employing their own people again because nobody will want to work as a contractor for them.

far out what are you left with after fuel?

63impala
28-03-2012, 09:46 PM
Iam not a fan of counclers worker do more pludging than work....but there are some good types tho cant stero type them all....

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
28-03-2012, 09:51 PM
far out what are you left with after fuel?

Exactly right. I was talking to them after they had just done a small cul de sac a couple of doors up from my place and he said it would have cost them more in fuel unloading the gear than they would have made on the job.

Mick
28-03-2012, 09:54 PM
My local mechanic/dealer used to do part of the city parks etc here. I think he said, from memory the guys these days are around $0.025/m2.
He ended up with huge debt, got into ressy mowing and has slowly faded that out now he has the shop. His son still does a few for him though. He's passed work onto me at times!
A really good, very knowledgeable guy!
He once told me not to get involved! I believe him!

They would be doing 100's thousands m2. Lets say 200000m2 (49 acres) x 0.03= $6000 1 ztr operator could mow 20 odd acres a day (depending on drive time, size of open areas etc)
Thats what they think anyway!
Labour, maintenance, vehicle costs are huge and very stressful especially catch up after rain. Lots of bureaucracy, rules, regulations etc.


I know of a large mob that came up here from Sydney thinking they could take over. They lasted one year and left! Usually 2yr contracts. Seems some areas come up for tender every year when they shouldnt.
People are going in to low not knowing the difficulties and costs. They dont last!

Thing is, they are very hard to put a true value/cost onto. Some areas require HEAPS of trimming, others like large open areas require less trimming but still, guys need to walk all over trimming around trees, ditches, bollards, signs etc. How to average that to a square meter rte would do my head in.

There is also a very high risk of liability. One lot I helped out for a while, trimmers broke 5 car windows in a day on a busy road. Thats gonna hurt the bottom line for sure. Those guys went under or quit as well!

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
28-03-2012, 10:16 PM
Not sure what its like in other areas but in Casey if its the peak of the growing season and you leave an area looking messy ie clumps of grass everywhere, you get the local residents calling the local paper to complain about the job that is being done. What they don't understand is that you cant just turn up in 2 weeks instead of 3 and still get paid for it. Even though some of these places will be up to your knees in 3 weeks.

Chris B
28-03-2012, 10:25 PM
do any smaller solo operators do the council stuff or just bigger companies with heaps of trucks?
seems like around my area a lot of the grass is cut by council workers . well im just assuming as they all have the same setup with council truck n trailer and mainly john deere or toro diesels

Mick
28-03-2012, 10:46 PM
The Gold Coast is broken up into areas, some have multiple suburbs. There are a few companies that do the different areas.
The ones I usually see have several Scag TT's and 5 or 6 trimmers following the mowers. Others have JD's Toros, Iseki outfronts.
They are all subbed to the council. The council looks after some sporting fields with large tractors with finish mowers and Ive seen them sometimes helping out the subbies.
There is one particular company called Skyline that looks after (I assume) a few "areas." They are a big company, probably the biggest on the Coast.

In the past Ive worked/helped out one small company a few times. I have heard that Skyline does sub out some work but not sure.
I think, if you want to get into it you should talk to the bigger guys and ask to do some subby work for them. I doubt very much if they'll want to pay your rates though given that they dont make a lot themselves.

If you want to get into that sort of work, be aware that there are (here at least) rules. Minimum deck/cut heights for example. Here they are low at 1.5" I think it was. Cutting that low means huge risk of hitting stuff. Im always seeing lawns done with a bent blade. Also punctures are common from broken glass. Its not uncommon to see spare wheels on the back of the trucks.

Im only going off what I see, have heard and experience here. Other places/cities/states may be different.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
28-03-2012, 10:56 PM
Cant say I've seen any actual council workers doing the work for a while. The bigger companies I see are using JD's ,toro and (i'm not sure exactly but it has tiger on it). There is a business I'm seeing doing more and more around here that has a couple of huskies and about 6 blokes on push mowers. The guys on the push mowers seem a bit simple so I reckon they are being well under paid. They do a good job though and can get through a large area in a very short time.

Have also seen a few guys using cub cadet tanks. Which I'm happy about as it makes me feel like I have got a machine that is up for the job.

Mick
29-03-2012, 07:39 AM
Is it something you would like to get into yourself or just be a subby? If you want to get into it, you will need to spend a lot of money. One machine wont do it. That sort of work is very hard on machines, put a heap of hours on very quickly and need to find good operators for other machines and Ive seen what these guys can do. (BMX track getting air for example) Then there's the trimmer guys and possibly and mechanic. If you live in suburbia you'll need a shed/yard to store all the equipment, have office, workshop etc.

I dont mean to be all negative with this, just sharing my experience, what I see and know.

The work I did helping a mob out was great. Mowing large parks was fun and they did pay my rate at the time but that was several years ago when times were better. But I also cut some stuff that should of been done by a slasher. Very hard on machine!

The company that came from Sydney asked me to sub for them, they didnt want to pay my rate and would only pay by machine hour, no travel, picking up rubbish, gates etc. Travel I could deal with but the hour meter on my machine only ticked over when the blades were turning. I had that modified to work from start to shut down but didnt get any work out of them anyway. Then they went broke! haa

Just go and speak to a few of these companies and ask if they'll sub you out. Better than the headache of running the entire show.

Chris B
29-03-2012, 06:41 PM
They would be doing 100's thousands m2. Lets say 200000m2 (49 acres) x 0.03= $6000 1 ztr operator could mow 20 odd acres a day (depending on drive time, size of open areas etc)
Thats what they think anyway!
Labour, maintenance, vehicle costs are huge and very stressful especially catch up after rain. Lots of bureaucracy, rules, regulations etc.




that actually doesnt sound too bad if you can do that much in a day... trimming and spraying etc would be the crap part though...


i was just curious really .... i wouldnt be interested if i can make more money doing small / med commercial etc.. but im sure there would have to be some money in it otherwise it aint worth the investment risk???

Mick
29-03-2012, 07:32 PM
I dont mean to scare you off it.

Im sure others on here have experience with this too. But at the end of the day, its about how much you actually keep in your pocket.
2 or 3 ztrs, couple of utes with trailers or trucks (regos and insurances), another ute or 2 for the trimmers and all there gear, FUEL, shed and costs, tools, mechanic, down time on broken machines and spare parts etc etc. Rain delays then extra time to catch back up. Finding good employees, probably 6 or 7 of them and associated costs.

Im sure 2 ztrs could mow 50acres a day if there a couple of large open parks with little trimming but its when they are parks with 1000 bollards+ trees, drains, slopes, footpaths etc is when it all falls apart.

I used to maintain this small park, http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=Windaroo,+Queensland&hl=en&ll=-27.750487,153.184709&spn=0.001787,0.003329&sll=-25.335448,135.745076&sspn=57.488352,109.072266&oq=windaroo&hnear=Windaroo+Queensland&t=h&z=19
With the square edging, trimming and bollards, extremely fast growing grass it could take me 3.5hrs. Have a look on Streetview to get a better idea. The images were taken at the time I was looking after it.
I used to maintain that entire development, well, theres a bit more to it in the pic now actually. All the footpaths, nature strips, drainage ditches etc. Was a big job done on my own.
Mowing was easy, it was the edging and trimming that was the killer.

I see guys working on this place all the time. A nightmare! Its much bigger than it looks believe me. I used to walk my dog there! Do a street view from the round about! Look how many bollards there are, all need trimming.
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?q=tallebudgera&hl=en&ll=-28.135445,153.437988&spn=0.007086,0.013314&sll=-27.748947,153.185726&sspn=0.001787,0.003329&t=h&hnear=Tallebudgera+Queensland&z=17

Scooby Steve
29-03-2012, 07:53 PM
Its not what u know but who when it comes to council/government contracts :shifty.

Chris B
29-03-2012, 07:59 PM
thats a lot of trimming mick
dont worry im not scared off by hard work... only not getting paid well for it :)

and scooby that doesnt really suprise me hehe

Valley Lawnmowing
30-03-2012, 05:55 AM
About 85% of my work is council contract,About 4 or 5 contractors inc myself all are solo here so its very competitive.It's all based on price not contractor performance or machine capabilities.One guy i know been doing roadside for 20 years lost contracts this time so there's no loyalty what soever.I lost one 12 acre job to a guy that does a lot of resi work in the area,he does it on a 46" ride on and doing a pretty good job so good luck to him but fark he would'nt be making much out of it,time will tell i guess.i,ve picked up from other contractors that bailed out halfway through before,they go in to low don't realize the costs involved,But only way to find out is to get into it or like mick said look for some subby work to save a few headaches lol

Mick
30-03-2012, 07:34 AM
I received an email from a company recently asking me about all this (potential subby jobs for me). Im sure they where just trying to get an idea how much to quote for themselves. Areas where Northern NSW ressy acreage and council parks, verges etc. My mowing price was similar to whats been mentioned here but trimming would of been done on an hourly rate.

Hey Valley, do you mind putting up the "approximate" rates they are accepting? 12 acres on a 46" machine. Thats insane! Is it the council subbing this all out or someone has the tender and is subbing it out?

Valley Lawnmowing
31-03-2012, 09:22 PM
Most of the contracts are a fixed price,some do require an hourly rate as well,so christ this bloke on his 46" i don't how long it takes him but i reckon he would'nt make more than 50 per hour? Council have a crew that do the "good jobs" and sub the Sh!t ones out of coarse,but i think there was company that had tenders a few years back subbed it out,dont' think they did real well though?

SunM
06-04-2012, 06:22 PM
To give you guys a bit more of an idea of how big crews are for council contracts. The mowing contract based out of the depot I work at (I work on a different contract but same company) has ~25 mowers; 6ft front deck mowers, 16ft front deck with those wing mowers that fold down and several tractors 1 with a big slasher trailer with 3 slashers on it. We have at peak times ~60 staff including casuals (most are full timers) and if it really gets bad like the Melbourne weather does (rain one day and sunshine the next) then private contractors are brought in to help with the load. Most of the crews run with a truck/trailer with 1 guy mowing and 1 guy brush cutting, larger areas just have the edges cut and either the 16ft Toros or tractors finish it up. Theres got to be a fair bit of money involved in these contracts because they would have dropped about $500k on new mowers/trucks in the last year.

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
08-04-2012, 11:10 PM
To give you guys a bit more of an idea of how big crews are for council contracts. The mowing contract based out of the depot I work at (I work on a different contract but same company) has ~25 mowers; 6ft front deck mowers, 16ft front deck with those wing mowers that fold down and several tractors 1 with a big slasher trailer with 3 slashers on it. We have at peak times ~60 staff including casuals (most are full timers) and if it really gets bad like the Melbourne weather does (rain one day and sunshine the next) then private contractors are brought in to help with the load. Most of the crews run with a truck/trailer with 1 guy mowing and 1 guy brush cutting, larger areas just have the edges cut and either the 16ft Toros or tractors finish it up. Theres got to be a fair bit of money involved in these contracts because they would have dropped about $500k on new mowers/trucks in the last year.

I spoke to the owner of a major contracting business today and he said they are starting to go backwards. They are now starting to advertise in the domestic market again because there is not enough money in council contracts. He did say unless you start branching out into other fields ie tree lopping, large landscaping contracts and the like. Then you will not survive.

Stripes
09-04-2012, 09:05 AM
There is one particular company called Skyline that looks after (I assume) a few "areas." They are a big company, probably the biggest on the Coast.


Skyline are also in Sydney (not sure if they started here) but have been around for at least 15 years. The reason I remember is they were trying to get the contract for the estate I was in charge of off my old company. They got it eventually long after I had left. The company I used to work for (Sterling Group) have recently been bought out by Citywide who I think are a big Melbourne based company also spreading nationally. It seems the big boys are taking over everything but making very small margins from what I have heard around the traps.
One of my mates worked for another larger company and said with the prices being charged, there is no way they can be sustained. They have since let go of a lot of staff and are concentrating on construction only.

Has anyone on here read the specifications on the tender applications? I started looking at tenders for irrigation work but I would need someone on full time just to deal with all the stuff involved. Some of the documents have over 100 pages of specs. There is so much OH&S stuff involved, and on one tender application one of the sections was something like " please explain what steps you will take on how you will reduce your carbon footprint whilst undertaking this project". I stopped reading after that.

Mick
09-04-2012, 09:16 AM
I think thats basically the crux of what Im saying, "It isnt worth the headache or expense!"

63impala
09-04-2012, 05:11 PM
If you new some one that worked for the yellow pages would they give you a discount if that there departmant dout it they aint cheap ill tell yah that....

SunM
09-04-2012, 05:31 PM
I spoke to the owner of a major contracting business today and he said they are starting to go backwards. They are now starting to advertise in the domestic market again because there is not enough money in council contracts. He did say unless you start branching out into other fields ie tree lopping, large landscaping contracts and the like. Then you will not survive.

Not sure where the money is being made, council do a lot of 'variations' or something along those lines where theres extra work for extra money, we do also do turf for sports ground and landscaping/garden beds under the same contract I think.


The company I used to work for (Sterling Group) have recently been bought out by Citywide who I think are a big Melbourne based company also spreading nationally. It seems the big boys are taking over everything but making very small margins from what I have heard around the traps.
One of my mates worked for another larger company and said with the prices being charged, there is no way they can be sustained. They have since let go of a lot of staff and are concentrating on construction only.

Citywide is big company, expanding all the way up the east coast. Melbourne based, we hold what it seems to be the majority of open space council contracts in the Melbourne metro area. Business seems to be booming because theres lots of new gear and the contracts keep coming in, just not enough staff to fill the gaps. I know for the mowing contract in the depot I work out of, at peak time they get a boat load of casuals from labor hire agencies then once the season drops off they offer the good ones a job and dump the rest. Most of winter they just mow the dew off the grass.

You need to have your **** down pat, all your OHS, all your training/induction procedures, etc. I spent about ~45 minutes going through and signing off on SWMS when I first started, then you get inducted. Unless you got all that + whatever else sorted it'll probably be easier trying to sub contractor during peak season.

Back to Basics
10-04-2012, 10:01 PM
How do I get to the members only section, I have no idea regarding passwords, if I am registered etc!

geoff1969
10-04-2012, 10:11 PM
How do I get to the members only section, I have no idea regarding passwords, if I am registered etc!

e-mail dean at indy he will advise you .

Cranbourne Lawnmowing
10-04-2012, 10:12 PM
How do I get to the members only section, I have no idea regarding passwords, if I am registered etc!

just email or ring dean for the password

m287j
10-04-2012, 10:35 PM
Skyline are also in Sydney (not sure if they started here) but have been around for at least 15 years.

Has anyone on here read the specifications on the tender applications? I started looking at tenders for irrigation work but I would need someone on full time just to deal with all the stuff involved. Some of the documents have over 100 pages of specs. There is so much OH&S stuff involved, and on one tender application one of the sections was something like " please explain what steps you will take on how you will reduce your carbon footprint whilst undertaking this project". I stopped reading after that.

Skyline are a large company starterd by 2 brothers in Sydney over 15 years ago, about 4 years ago one of the brothers moved to Qld to set up the Qld operations, which i believe are doing very well, particularly from what Mick says. In Sydney they are based out of Seven Hills industrial area and have over 50 full-time staff.

Personally, i like Skyline, i picked up 4 largish apartment blocks from their incompetence in one suburb over a 2 year period (big company - poor attention to detail) and i must admit their prices are quite reasonable, certainly not cheap and not over the top either, the 4 jobs i picked up off them i could easily match their price.


As for those specs to those tender applications - i looked at several Dep't of Housing ones years back. Problem was you had to take out a specific Public Liability insurance policy with Marsh and you as the policy owner where responsible for the first $100,000 of any claim. WTF ???? Huge risk and not worth taking is what i figured.

Tender Lovin Lawn&Garden
18-05-2012, 07:19 PM
For those in Brisbane this tender might be worth a look at https://secure.publicworks.qld.gov.au/etender/tender/display/tender-details.do?id=6533&action=display-tender-details

imoww
22-05-2014, 05:51 PM
I think this is the post to put this under...
Recently i ve had 3 body corp jobs request their garbage bins to be put out and put back inside the next day.
Has anyone else experienced this?

Bluey
22-05-2014, 06:01 PM
I think this is the post to put this under...
Recently i ve had 3 body corp jobs request their garbage bins to be put out and put back inside the next day.
Has anyone else experienced this?


No mate but go for it. Just how lazy are ppl becoming

AJD Mowing
22-05-2014, 06:12 PM
I think this is the post to put this under...
Recently i ve had 3 body corp jobs request their garbage bins to be put out and put back inside the next day.
Has anyone else experienced this?

I remember there was a gig getting around years ago people would do that and clean the bins with disinfectant before putting them back.
Go for it Mat you can do that with one hand :)
How is the hand by the way?

mowbro
22-05-2014, 08:50 PM
As stupid as it seems, I can see why they'd be trying to get someone to do it.

I look after a couple of body corps, and there are bins that will stay in the same place, with the same stuff in them for three weeks before anyone actually bothers to put them out.

If it's close by to your existing clients, then it would be easy money!

Bluey
22-05-2014, 10:24 PM
So Paul what would you consider a reasonable rate for the service considering it is essentially a 2 day job. Factor in you time getting to the place and your time on site doing it. Plus the fact that it may have to be early in the morning putting them out. Put all that together and your starting to look at good sum each time. Would body corps be willing to pay. From experience body corps like an idea until they have to cough up the money

GardeningSolutions
23-05-2014, 07:23 AM
I had a holiday house customer want me to put the bins out and bring them in. I figure I have to drive there twice a week it'd $15 each visit out & in. $30 week. I know this client has been getting other quotes for the lawn I do for $50 so theres no way he'll spring the extra $30. I replied sorry, impossible to be in your area on those days. Maybe big Body Corps will go for it, you can only try.

imoww
23-05-2014, 08:28 AM
Thanks guys. They are all close to home.
Put the bins out the night before and when ever the day after to bring them back in.
Hand seems to be recovering Dean.
Thank god I'm a right handed.
Get X-ray's today. Will be interesting.

imoww
23-05-2014, 08:30 AM
What's a good price for this?

AJD Mowing
23-05-2014, 03:49 PM
Your hourly rate x the hours to do it + a bit extra for me for giving you such valuable information :big grin

Bluey
24-05-2014, 09:19 AM
Depending on how many there is and on how long it takes to put them out and bring back in. If less than an hr you may want to set a minimum fee of 1 hrs work. If you can do it as part off your run all the better but if you have you drive there specifically each time factor that in. I would also stipulate that the bins have to be in working order ie. no broken wheels so you dont have problems with them. Also not over full. You dont want to have to clean up rubbish that has fallen out of them on the way down to the front.

imoww
24-05-2014, 10:19 AM
thanks guys. there are around 6 bins at each place. around the corner from my place.
the days i do the maintence is on a 3 weekly now. bins every 2nd week. so it will be a case of a drive by each one. it would take 15 mins max to do each one.

elag
08-11-2014, 06:47 AM
there is a company in Melb and bins is all they do http://www.stinkybins.com.au/

HRTTIM
21-03-2015, 04:20 PM
hey guys

not sure if this is the place to ask this so if not feel free to steer me in the right direction and it is possibly a stupid question but how do you go about finding out where tenders and the like are?

Cheers Tim

Mow And Go
21-03-2015, 04:39 PM
www.tenders.nsw.gov.au for you bud ...not a lot going on there though ...other sites deal with private tenders, but yet to find one that doesn't want to charge to see what they are offering

brodie
21-03-2015, 10:01 PM
hey guys

not sure if this is the place to ask this so if not feel free to steer me in the right direction and it is possibly a stupid question but how do you go about finding out where tenders and the like are?

Cheers Tim

What sort of tenders are you looking for ? Government, commercial or private residential ?

HRTTIM
18-06-2015, 03:08 PM
hey guys been a little while but finally got a little bit of free time..

I am looking for Commercial or private residential tenders so any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

mowbro
18-06-2015, 05:09 PM
Hi Tim, it's worth doing a google search for websites that will send you alerts when relevant tenders to what you're looking for come up for tendering.

Austender.com.au is one such website.

They all charge varying amounts for the service. The benefit being that you don't have to search every single individual local council, government, school website individually to find tenders as they become available.

You could also try emailing some of the local schools in your area. They might not have tenders up for renewal but may keep your contact details on file for the time at which one might.