Stories and anecdotes about bids, tenders and proposals.
One of the most frequent frustrations of the bid process, particularly for larger companies, is that all tenders don’t reach the same quality level and therefore have wildly different success rates. This is often due to an inconsistency in the approaches taken by different sections of an organisation or by different teams within sections. It … Read more..
The tender review process is a vital part of any bid, but it can easily go wrong and sometimes does more harm than good. A reviewer’s red pen can be incredibly de-motivating, if not wielded properly. Comments can come too late in the process, or reviewers can introduce new ideas or radical changes that are … Read more..
Far too many tender documents are long,complex and just plain indigestible. Reading through them can make you lose the will to live, and it can be difficult to pick apart their intricacies, even before you start addressing the overwhelming list of requirements they contain. So what should you do? Take a deep breath – the … Read more..
Many companies base their tender strategy on the unrealistic expectation that every bid is winnable. While you definitely have to be ‘in it to win it’, a go-for-everything approach can waste significant time and resources. Having unrealistic expectations is not only counterproductive, it can also be massively de-motivating. If your bid team don’t think they … Read more..
Waste Management isn’t usually a topic that springs to someone’s mind when they are thinking about winning bids, proposals and tenders. Despite this, it is a critical area and an easy one in which firms can collect additional marks during the evaluation process. Consider a construction company. This could be a micro plumbing business or … Read more..
The quality section of a bid usually includes areas such as methodology, H&S, sustainability, people, credentials and experience. When writing these it is important that you make it non-generic, consider different reader types, describe benefits, include proof and ensure it is a pleasure to read as well as encompassing a win theme. Above all though, … Read more..
When measuring a bid team’s success, it is necessary to evaluate their outputs. This allows a company to judge success, value and possibly return on investment if, for example, training or recruitment is being considered. Many companies use a simple measure of win rates. These are clear and definitive, they are easy to monitor, so … Read more..
Have you ever noticed that people’s attention spans seem to be getting shorter? I’m frequently asked for a one page summary, a two slide presentation or my three top tips. No-one wants to wade through pages or hours of material. While it is useful to spend time learning things in a structured way, it is … Read more..
Finding ‘biddable opportunities’ is the holy grail for some companies. The business development team spend hours at their desks trying to identify contracts which are due for renewal. They search databases, read journals, email their contacts and set up customer visits. Then they go on the road, attend networking events, meet existing customers and make … Read more..
Some people find that meeting deadlines can be extremely stressful yet others find they are useful tools to help prioritise their work. Irrespective of how you view deadlines it is important that you meet them and do so with minimal disruption to your other work and personal life. There are many different techniques to help … Read more..
