Capital Equipment Bidding Guide

Capital Equipment Bidding Guide for D&T Do you need new equipment in your workshop or classroom but need to write a bid? We can help!

V2. Updated 2023

Crafting your bid Crafting a strong bid with no stone unturned will help you source the equipment you need. We've worked with teachers and senior management in schools to put together this guide to help you make your bid stronger.

What can capital equipment funding be used for?

Recycling initiatives...

Investing in a Schred plastic granulator and plastic sheet making press, will give your department the opportunity to run a whole school recycling initiative!

Printing projects...

A sublimation printer gives your school the opportunity to sell items students make to raise money for charity or school fundraising.

Robotics clubs...

Enter national competitions or/and run extracurricular /after school clubs with quick set up, mobile, robotics arenas.

Conduct a needs assessment Identify specific needs and clearly outline the current limitations or gaps in the existing equipment and how the new equipment will address these issues. Involve stakeholders: Consult with teachers, students, and administrators to gather input on the most pressing needs and priorities.

Clearly state the issue Justify why new arrangements and equipment are necessary in the context of existing resources and identify what limitations you currently face.

Where available, include evidence of the impact on educational outcomes that would strongly support the application e.g. impact of purchase or time taken to do a task, will the equipment improve output?

Research and select appropriate equipment Thoroughly research available options: Consider various brands, models, and types of equipment to ensure that your choices align with the educational goals and technological requirements of your school.

Demonstrate cost-effectiveness: Provide evidence that the selected equipment offers good value for money and long-term durability.

Speak with trusted suppliers who work with the equipment every day!

What’s the alternative to purchasing this equipment?

You may want to indicate how your choice represents the best value, has the longest life-span, has the best spec from an education/safety perspective.

Always consider the quality and sustainability of the products you are investing in!

Only choose ‘education ready’ equipment Is the equipment education ready? With the right safety features and able to endure years of daily use.

Does the machine have any safety modifications which are needed for use in an educational setting such as appropriate safety guards, foot stops etc. Remember to include this information with your product specification.

Share evidence You may want to share evidence and case studies of where purchases in other schools or academies have improved results or engagement as additional information to support your case.

Include detail in FULL This may sound obvious but make sure to state FULL details of the equipment you are bidding for, including the name of machine, model number, and what it does.

Does the product come as part of a package?

If so, include this in the detail and any benefits e.g. a laser cutter will require an extractor unit.

Align with educational goals Clearly articulate how the new equipment will enhance the learning experience and contribute to achieving educational objectives.

Connect to the curriculum: Demonstrate how the equipment aligns with the curriculum and supports teachers in delivering high-quality education. Superior equipment can significantly improve student’ learning!

Get your students involved!

Try surveying your students to strengthen your bid by demonstrating their support. This will also demonstrate how new equipment could increase student engagement, especially, if students are invested in the project from the beginning.

Highlight long-term value Emphasise sustainability: Explain how the chosen equipment contributes to sustainability goals, such as energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

Show scalability: If applicable, demonstrate how the equipment can be expanded or upgraded in the future to accommodate changing needs. Can the equipment be moved easily for future changes and room configurations?

New equipment may benefit the broader community, not just the school.

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Will your equipment stretch further?

Proposals benefiting higher numbers of students or multiple activities or departments may be given higher priority e.g. IT, science, art, maths.

Mention if the purchase will be used by more than one department, and include the number and age range of students benefiting per academic year.

Are there any business enterprise opportunities with the purchase? e.g. with sublimation equipment and laser cutters especially, you can create professionally branded products to sell through the school.

Involve the whole community Garner support: Engage Governors, parents, community leaders, and local businesses to support the bid by emphasising the positive impact on education and community development.

Highlight community benefits: If there are any demonstrate how the new equipment may benefit the broader community, not just the school.

0 Consider professional development

Address training needs: Specify how teachers will be trained to use the new equipment effectively, ensuring that it integrates seamlessly into the teaching and learning process.

Emphasise ongoing support: Describe plans for continued professional development and technical support.

Follow internal application guidelines Adhere to guidelines: Carefully review and follow any guidelines or requirements outlined in the application process.

Proofread and edit: Ensure that your bid is well-written, error-free, and professionally presented.

Create a persuasive narrative Tell a story: Craft a compelling narrative that highlights the journey from the current challenges to the positive impact the new equipment will have. Use evidence: Support your claims with data, testimonials, and examples to strengthen the credibility of your bid.

Consider warranty What warranty is included? Considering the number of years of warranty included and what options are available to extend the warranty.

Calculate the expected life cycle - How many years would you expect the machine to last. You may want to seek advice from the supplier on this.

Cover ongoing costs

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What ongoing servicing will be required and what will the cost be? Can you purchase a maintenance package? Do your research before hand and talk to maintenance providers to get a clear idea of frequency and associated costs.

Quality, well built equipment won’t require a large repair budget!

Provide a comprehensive budget Break down costs: Clearly outline all costs associated with the purchase, including the equipment itself, installation, training, and any ongoing maintenance or support fees.

Be clear, concise, and consider everything: calculate the total cost for the number of items required, and make sure to include the expected cost of consumables, and servicing over the lifetime of the machine.

Definitive costs analysis will reduce the risk of push back after submitting your bid.

Justify the budget: Explain why the proposed budget is reasonable and how it compares to alternative solutions. Lifetime costs may justify better quality equipment! Share figures as a total and individually broken down by the annual cost - Cost of the good(s), consumables, and servicing over the lifetime of the machine, divided by the expected Life Cycle.

Example below shows the breakdown costs for a new Laser Cutter...

Considerations from Paul Boyd @ Boyd Education A well respected teacher training consultant and nominated for outstanding lecture by NTU, Paul Boyd has worked in D&T education for many years, and has hands on experience as Head of Department, Director of Learning and other senior leadership roles in secondary schools.

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Source governor support Having the support of a Governor voice is imperative to any internal bid for new equipment. If you don’t know, or don’t have a Governor linked to your department, finding one will strengthen your bid.

The communication with a linked Governor gives you the opportunity to invite them in to look at your vision from a teaching and learning perspective, and look at how equipment can aid the progression of students.

Having a voice within a Governors meeting, who understands your needs as a department, particularly when it comes to funding, will make a massive difference.

Many bids often focus just on the equipment, which leads to them being seen as just a wish list rather than them being required to aid student progression.

Provide a holistic vision Promoting a strong alignment between equipment and the benefits to both teachers and students is extremely important. This, coupled with how your bid links with the national curriculum and the national STEM agenda will provide the senior leadership team with a holistic vision.

Carry out budget research Review who pays for equipment maintenance - most equipment purchased is part of the schools’ capitation. As such, the budget for servicing equipment should come straight out of the schools’ capitation funding and not department funding. In the same way that schools have an obligation to service other generic equipment within the school.

Although the equipment is held in the D&T department, that doesn’t necessarily mean the department holds the responsibility to pay for ongoing servicing and maintenance. However, the department does have to pay for other consumables such as filters etc.

Be cautious about running your department on a shoestring Be cautious about running a department on a shoestring. This can lead to a limited understanding of what D&T is, which in turn reduces the incentive for school leaders to value and invest in D&T.

It can give impression that you are getting on just fine with the supplies and equipment you currently have!

Our top tips in summary!

Here are some of our favourite tips we’ve highlighted from the document...

Be clear what you’re raising funds for including what support you’ll need.

Make sure you’ll be able to describe and relate it to the funders.

Calculate the overall lifespan and lifecycle of your project and include detailed figures to give your funders a very good idea of the yearly and lifetime costs.

Consider enlisting some outside support for your application process. Is there a local company that you work closely with and could you gain some sponsorship for specific projects?

Don’t buy cheap additional extras – make sure to include consumables associated with the equipment in your bid.

Ask stakeholders for their views and gather data that will help you show your funders the breadth of your new equipment bid.

Have you seen our 2023 funding guide?

If you have a project in mind or equipment you need but don’t have the funding, check out our latest guide for a list of grants available and top tips on how to craft a bid for funding!

Download the guide today >

Read guide

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Providing 21st-Century STEM spaces and only the highest quality equipment for educational settings, plus comprehensive service and maintenance packages to future proof your workshop.

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