We speak with Natalia Pan, external tender manager of GAMBICA’s Tender Alert Service - TAS. The service allows members to access and win more public tenders, it’s a new and unique benefit for our membership.

What’s your background and how did you come to work on this service for GAMBICA?

With a pharmaceutical degree and over 15 years’ experience in the chemical and laboratory market, including 10+ years in public procurement, I bring hands-on expertise in sales, procurement and tender management. Since then, I’ve helped TAS grow by introducing the automation & control stream and adding EU tenders.

What does the Tender Alert Service do?

I scan thousands of tender notices every week – from UK government, NHS, universities and international portals – and delivers curated alerts for our members. These are not one-to-one personalised reports; they are sector-focused alerts. That means each report covers opportunities across the whole laboratory or automation & control sectors, not just one company’s keywords. This broader approach ensures you don’t miss tenders that might be described differently but are still highly relevant to your business.

Why do members need TAS if free tools already exist?

Free platforms are technically open, but in practice they’re inefficient: too many duplicates, irrelevant notices, and even expired tenders. Worse, you risk missing opportunities hidden under unexpected terms – for example, a lab fit-out tender that requires sterilisation systems. Many suppliers pay £2–6k a year for commercial tools like Tenders Direct or Tracker, but the noise remains. TAS is smarter – it cuts through the noise and provides sector-specific alerts, so you get the big picture of what’s happening in your market.

What’s included in TAS alerts?

TAS covers three streams:

• Public sector tenders – live notices from government bodies, NHS, universities and utilities, including early market engagement alerts.

• EU tenders – high-value contracts in life sciences, instrumentation, energy and infrastructure.
• Commercial projects – upcoming lab and factory builds, giving early insight before procurement even begins.

You’ll also see competitive intelligence – who won contracts, their values, and market trends – so you can benchmark your position.

How often are the alerts sent?

Members receive two reports per week for the laboratory sector and two reports per week for automation, control & measurement. This rhythm keeps you up to date without overwhelming your inbox and ensures you always have fresh intelligence on opportunities across your sector.

What are the key benefits for members?

The biggest benefit is the sector-wide vision. If you only search for your own product names, you see a narrow slice of the market. TAS shows you opportunities where your products are part of a bigger project.

It helps different types of members in different ways:

• For smaller companies, especially those new to public sector procurement – TAS is a cost-effective way to explore opportunities without hiring extra staff or paying for multiple commercial platforms.
• For larger, more experienced companies – TAS works as a double-check to ensure you don’t miss anything. Even if you already search tenders in-house, TAS acts as a safety net.
• For business development managers – TAS is a constant stream of new leads, helping them discover opportunities early and position their brand before procurement decisions are finalised.

For laboratories, public sector tenders remain one of the most important sales channels. But in automation, information about upcoming commercial projects is equally vital, because these projects often last for years – and the earlier you know about them, the greater the chance to have your brand specified.

Why should members be excited about the service?

TAS is more than a list of notices. It’s early intelligence, delivered directly to your sector. Every week, members get a clear, structured view of new opportunities. For many, a single contract win more than pays for years of TAS access. It’s proactive support – the tenders come to you, giving you the edge to act faster than competitors.