Own The Build
Own the Build is the podcast for Quantity Surveyors and Commercial Directors who want to sharpen their commercial edge and lead with confidence.
Hosted by Paul Heming, former Commercial leader and now co-founder of C-Link, each week’s conversation dives into the realities of modern commercial management — from procurement and contracts to digital transformation and leadership in construction.
Through honest discussions with industry leaders, forensic planners, and forward-thinking QSs, Paul explores how the best commercial teams deliver profit, performance, and project certainty in a changing industry.
If you’re serious about mastering the commercial side of construction — this is where you build your advantage.
Own The Build
Tendering from Both Sides of the Fence: What Main Contractors and Subcontractors Miss (EP 263)
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In this episode, Paul is joined by Pamela Cunningham, consultant at Growth & Performance Solutions, to unpack one of the biggest inefficiencies in construction:
The disconnect between main contractors and subcontractors during tendering.
Having worked on both sides of the fence, Pamela brings a rare perspective — combining Tier 1 procurement experience with hands-on support for SMEs trying to win work in today’s market.
The conversation explores what each side consistently gets wrong.
From the main contractor side:
- why poor tender packs and missing pricing documents create confusion and low engagement;
- how lack of feedback damages long-term supply chain relationships;
- and why simple actions like picking up the phone are still a competitive advantage.
From the subcontractor side:
- why many SMEs struggle to understand expectations and position themselves effectively;
- how resource, structure and strategy are becoming key differentiators; and
- what separates businesses that win work from those that don’t.
The episode also tackles wider industry challenges — from supply chain underdevelopment and skills shortages to the unintended consequences of risk transfer and poor procurement practices.
The conclusion is clear:
better communication, better information and more intentional procurement processes would transform outcomes for both sides.
A practical, honest discussion for QSs, procurement professionals and subcontractors looking to improve how tenders are won, assessed and delivered.
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📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:
Want to connect with Paul?
Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at paul@c-link.com or through, C-Link.
C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.
Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.
