Tips to improve the effectiveness of your bid strategy, to win more work at higher prices.
When a client issues scoring guidance, you should use it to frame your response because it indicates the areas in which they are most interested. Take note of the weightings and marking proportions you have been given, and use this to decide about the level of detail you need to provide. Some questions may contain … Read more..
Many ITT documents contain word or page count limits and these often seem prohibitively low. The temptation can be to squeeze as much text into the available space as possible or to bend the rules by over-using graphics. Where limits have been given they should be accepted in the spirit they are intended and your … Read more..
It is a difficult decision to withdraw from a bid, particularly once staff have started to compile responses or work on technical solutions. Many firms continue investing time and energy in a document despite knowing that the solution is not viable and/or the bid is not going to win. Good bid managers recognise that new … Read more..
ITT (invitation to tender) documents usually give guidance about the evaluation criteria which will be applied. You should ensure that you take account of all the requirements in order to score maximum marks. If you only answer the basic question, you can only expect to be awarded average marks.
To show relevant experience, you should produce case studies of completed projects. The case studies should concentrate on the added value you delivered and the challenges you overcame. If you only describe the technical scope of each project, the client will not know if you performed well or otherwise.
If a client awards a submission time extension, make sure you use the time wisely. Many bidders will take their ‘foot off the gas’ and enjoy a period of respite from the pressure. Wise bidders stick to their original timetable but use the additional time to carry out a more thorough review of the final … Read more..
While it is important that a document is well presented and looks attractive, do not work on this aspect at the expense of producing strong content. What you write must be compelling, address all parts of the client’s requirements and clearly describe the benefits of your offering. Good content may partially offset poor presentation but the reverse is … Read more..
When you are asked to describe your methodology in a bid, it can be tempting to provide extensive detail about your processes. Remember, the evaluators may not all understand what you are delivering. If you describe the benefits of your methodology as well as giving evidence of what it has achieved in the past, you are more … Read more..
It is not always possible to meet all the requirements set by a client when presenting case study examples. The client may request project examples which are similar in size, scope, duration, location or delivered by the same project team. You need to make a considered judgement about the likely impact of the non-compliance to … Read more..
Writing bids and tenders is time consuming and can be quite stressful. If you project manage the process, you will reduce the likelihood of unwelcome surprises regarding availability of resources. It helps to know how much time each task will take e.g. drafting a four page reply or reviewing a method statement, so that you … Read more..
