How a 12-person construction firm tripled its public tender revenue
Vanderstraeten Bouw went from 2 to 8 won government tenders per year. Here's how they did it.
This is a fictional case study based on typical user profiles. Names and specific figures are illustrative.
Vanderstraeten Bouw is a family-owned construction firm near Mechelen, Belgium. Twelve employees, specialising in renovation and restoration. Contractor classification D (general contracting) class 3, with an additional D23 (restoration) class 2.
When owner Marc Vanderstraeten started using TenderWolf two years ago, his company won an average of two government tenders per year. Last year, that number was eight.
The situation before
Marc checked e-Procurement regularly, but not every day. As a hands-on owner, he was also on-site, managing quotes for private clients, and doing the bookkeeping. Searching for government tenders was something he did “when he could” — usually on Sunday evenings.
The result: he missed publications, discovered tenders too late, or spent hours on specifications that didn’t match his classification. “I’d see tenders that were perfect for us, but only after the deadline had passed,” Marc says. “And I had no idea how many I was missing entirely.”
What changed
Marc started with TenderWolf’s Free plan and set up three search profiles:
- Renovation Flanders — classification D class 3, NUTS region Flanders, specification keywords: renovation, refurbishment, remodelling
- Restoration — classification D23, whole country, keywords: restoration, heritage, monument
- Small works Mechelen — no classification filter, NUTS region Mechelen + 30 km radius, maximum value €200,000
Every morning, he received an email with new publications matching at least one profile. No more checking portals, no more wading through search results.
The impact of AI Quickscan
The real time-saver was specification analysis. Marc used the AI Quickscan to see in seconds whether a tender suited his company: required classifications, selection criteria (references, turnover, VCA certification), award criteria and weightings, estimated value.
“I used to read a 60-page specification only to discover on page 43 that they required three references above €500,000. Now I see that in 10 seconds and move on to the next one.”
This changed the dynamic: instead of thoroughly reading three specifications per month, Marc scanned ten and selected the two or three where he had a real chance.
Lots as strategy
A turning point came when Marc discovered that TenderWolf showed individual lots. A hospital renovation project — total €2.4 million, well above his class — contained a separate lot for interior finishing worth €180,000. Exactly his specialisation, exactly his class.
“I would never have found that lot on e-Procurement. The publication was listed under ‘hospital renovation’ — I don’t search for that. But the keyword ‘interior finishing’ was in the specification, and my search profile picked it up.”
He won that tender.
Competition insight
Through company profiles, Marc could see who had previously won tenders from the same contracting authorities. With two municipalities in his region, he discovered that the same competitor consistently won with rock-bottom prices. “With those authorities, I’ve learned: if price is the only award criterion, I don’t participate. My strength is quality and experience, and I now specifically look for tenders where those count.”
That shift — bidding more selectively rather than bidding more — was ultimately more important than finding more tenders.
The numbers
| Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Tenders found per month | 5-8 | 25-30 |
| Specifications seriously assessed | 3/month | 8-10/month |
| Bids submitted per year | 6 | 14 |
| Tenders won per year | 2 | 8 |
| Average contract value | €120,000 | €155,000 |
Marc’s advice
“Don’t start by bidding right away. Monitor for a month or two first. Look at what’s being published in your sector, who wins, what the amounts are. That gives you a market picture you can’t get anywhere else. And it costs nothing — the Free plan is enough to get started.”
Does this sound like your situation? Start free with TenderWolf →