[kelly acs]

I recently found out that there was a contract up for grabs in my area. The council advertised it in our local paper so i called the number straight away. I was told there had been a printing error and that it would be re advertised. It wasn't so I called them again several times and could never get hold of the relevant people.

I emailed the guy responsible for the tender applications, still no response. So I got in touch with a friend on the local council and he made some calls for me and spoke to this guy. They said they had had no emails or calls for me.

I forwarded my email to my friend on the council. I still have this as evidence an in the email I clearly ask for the relevant application forms. I got an email from the council last week saying that this is not enough evidence and that I shoud have asked for a pqq. Well i'd never heard of a pqq so i just asked for an application form, what is the difference?

Is it not illegal for them to ignore some one who expresses an interest in tendering for a contract? I am really frustrated as it feel there is underhand tactics going on here and I have been treated unfairly. Does anyone know the laws on this and what my next move should be as I can prove that I showed my interest before the closing date for pqq's.

[pro-clean]

I can understand your disappointment, we;ve been in much a similar situation, we actually had at one stage a council phone us and ask us if we could help them with their disposal policy of household goods, which we did and also put a tender in  for cleaning and clearance of their properties they sent us the deadline date but it just happened that our tender was returned as too late, it turns out the deadline date was a week earlier,  but they used our disposal policy word for word, this was some years ago
We were recently invited by the same council to come and meet the buyer after a lot of preparation we got to meet the buyer which happened to be the official dealing with property cleaning and clearance but she categorically said that she didn't know anything about that side of it and said she would pass our details on to the person that dealt with the tendering side of it, 3 weeks passed and we received no confirmation of our meeting so we phoned the department and asked for the person that we had dealt with, after a long wait on the phone a gentleman answers and says that they have no use for our type of services (drug paraphernalia search, bio hazard cleaning etc) he bluntly put the phone down on us, the company that's got the contract has had it for the last 15 years and the initial lady that we dealt with which happens to be the aunty of the contractor, so it seems that it;s a matter of keeping it in the family, it's extremely frustration when such said officials can lie to your face and waste your precious time, as for making an official complaint at the time we was far to busy and let it go but looking back on it i wish i did

[mark dew]

I've found the best way to complain about any council department is not to bother complaining to them directly, but by phoning the town hall complaints department and telling them you would like them to send you the paperwork to make a written complaint.
Get all complaints in writing and make sure you have a record of who you have spoken to and the times and dates.
Email as well.
I got my complaint acted on satisfactorily within a day without them sending me the paperwork. Councils don't like written complaints cos it leaves a trail.
If you want to make their day, complain over the phone. They will lie and deny at a later date.
Always start your telephone conversation with, "who am i speaking to?"
Also worth contacting your local mp office. Especially if the mp is from a different political party than the council. But they will ask you for basically a log of what/when you did and who were you speaking too.
It will be too late for this contract but if nepotism is at work a written complaint sent to various members of the council will mark their cards for when the contract comes up for renewal.
Go for it and the best of luck. But it might harm your chances of future work if you manage to get someone fingered.
To summarise: 
town hall
local mp.

There is a local ombudsman as well if you don't have satisfaction from tthe council.

[Ian Gourlay]

Most Councils have a form that you fill in to make a complaint.

This is then investigated by the Chief Executive.

He has to publish a report on a regular basis regarding complaints.

I would also contact your local Councillors and explain what happened. More important if you think dodgy dealing is going on.

If you  do not get satisafaction from phone call letters emails on future dealings visit the Council Offices, in person make sure thry give you a ref number.

It could be the contract in question was below the Councils Tender Limits hence the withdrawl of advertisment.  My Council is 10k

Then all council is obliged to do is get three qoutes

[BDCS]

I have lost count of the times I have made contact with my local council - waste of time. I have now think you have to join the right lodge to get the work no matter how much you can save them. They use four different drain jetting firms all from out of the district, I can't even get to give prices and I live here

[rob fryer]

You now have to join a national reg this will give yoy all info on local or national tenders you have to pay for the plesure and its an arse to set up provide two years books and all the h&s stuff and insurance polices ect
your local council bunch over payed under worked un helpfull ba----ds!!!

[BDCS]

I get the supply2gov emails and attended the business link seminars which only made me think the whole lot was a waste of time, I have had far better leads that have led to work from this forum ! The business link seminars were not aimed at the one man band on the way up but the bigger companys that want to hit the big time. They suggested that I register for VAT and file a nil return just to give a good impression to the bigger companys.  The olympic seminar got you in only to list for hours that you needed a policy for this n that, ethnic policys, enviromental policys and every other worth less piece of paper - we did meet the lady that did the cake car for the skoda advert ! I have all but given up with the council work, I don't think I'd get in a lodge so I'd better concentrate on the comercial subcontrating route. Oh and they only let you tender for a percentage of your turnover so unless you been trading for years and turn a heap already then you won't be tendering for much - suits don't understand us working class with aspirations

[murky]

The councils where I am  use regular registered contractors, I look out for them doing boiler repairs, building works etc and then contact them.

The workmen they use generally dont care at all and regularly leave boot marks or damage something on site.

Then I work for the contractor rather than the Council. As long as your not too greedy and give good service they will use you regularly.

Murky

[creweexcel]

i was lucky i did a job at the house of someone who worked on the council and he asked if i wanted to clean the kitchen at the town hall , 3 years later im still there, 2 times a year.

[kelly acs]

Just an update.

Thanks to my friend on the council kicking up a fuss about this they have now had to re advertise the contract and they have emailed me inviting to apply! lol! Wether I get it or not doesn't matter I am just chuffed that they have accepted they were wrong to over look me! What a result I'll let u know if we win!