How public buyers check your references

You listed three references on your bid. Two weeks later, somebody from the buyer's purchasing team calls one of them. What happens in that ten-minute call can decide the contract, yet most bidders have no idea what is asked or how it is scored.

When do buyers check?

It depends on the competition:

• Before scoring, when references are worth points in an RFP.
• After scoring, for the top-ranked bidder or two, as a pass-fail check before award.
• Only if needed, in tenders where references are listed but rarely called unless something looks off.

The tender usually says. Look for words like "reference checks may be conducted" or a scoring line for references.

What do they ask?

Public buyers try to treat bidders equally, so they usually use the same short script for every reference. Typical questions:

1. What work did this firm do for you, when, and at what value?
2. Was the work done to the standard required?
3. Was it done on time? On budget?
4. How was communication? Were problems raised and fixed quickly?
5. Were there any safety incidents or concerns?
6. Did they manage their staff and subcontractors well?
7. Would you hire them again?

Some buyers score each answer on a scale, then average across references. Others just record yes or no for "satisfactory." That final question, "would you hire them again," carries a lot of weight. A hesitant answer can sink an otherwise strong bid.

What can go wrong?

• The contact cannot be reached. Wrong number, retired, on vacation. Some buyers try twice, then move on and score zero.
• The contact barely remembers you. A vague answer scores poorly even if your work was fine.
• The contact had a different experience. The site manager loved you, but the purchasing manager remembers the late invoices.
• Mismatch with the tender. The buyer asks about cleaning a hospital and your reference only knows your office work.

How to make references work for you

Pick people who saw your work. The person who walked the site every week is better than the senior manager who signed the contract.

Ask first, every time. Tell them which buyer may call, roughly when, and what the new work involves. People give better answers when they are prepared.

Remind them of the facts. A short note with dates, scope and results helps them answer accurately. Never script their answers.

Keep details current. Check names, titles, phone numbers and emails before each bid.

Match the reference to the tender. Use the job that is most like the new work, even if another client is bigger. See references and experience for tenders.

Thank them, and tell them how it went. References who feel appreciated stay willing.

Buyers talk to each other

In a small market, public buyers know each other. Facilities managers move between municipalities, and purchasing staff meet at regional groups. Your reputation travels further than the references you list. Some tenders also let the buyer consider its own past experience with you.

That cuts both ways. A firm that does steady, honest work on small contracts builds a reputation that wins larger ones. Read what public buyers worry about and keeping a contract at renewal.

If a reference goes badly

If you learn that a reference was negative, ask for a debrief. You may find out what was said in general terms. Then decide: was it a fair account of a real problem, or a misunderstanding? Either way, fix what you can and stop using that contact. See how to get a bid debrief.