Doggerland took part in a public tender. In our consideration the work we were tendering for was perfect for Doggerland, namely, innovative solutions were required for pipe- and cable trenching in ultra-shallow waters. After studying all the available documents and conditions we engineered a clever and innovative solution to work on the tidal flats without touching the subsea infrastructure. However, the prospective client had allowed us to use a maximum of only 5 pages for the full method statement including the clarification of numerous compulsory items. Our innovative solution therefore had to be described in a few lines, but we were confident that we would have enough to describe our solution sufficiently.
Doggerland failed to win the tendering process because, although a specific method for the work had not requested, our prospective client considered our proposal too innovative. They had found no proof in our Method Statement that the proposal would work and considered that our tool would damage the subsea infrastructure.
Although disappointed we were determined not to let the result stop us. We would learn from this and go further with more experience and confidence in the future.
What had we learned? The point was clear: our pre-tender client research had failed to identify exactly what the client wanted, which was a continuation of their previously used processes for similarly specified projects. In short, we had not talked to the client sufficiently. Had we done so we could have identified their exact needs. But, any pre-tender correspondence between any parties tendering and the prospective client would have been made open for all parties to read and would therefore benefit our competitors.
This would not have occurred in a face to face meeting if requested as early as possible, which we unfortunately did not, when it could be possible to identify the direction in which the client was really looking.
We will tender our services with this company again, certainly. The learning curve is steep but we have different gears to use and a powerful motor.
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Doggerland: marine and offshore trouble shooters