WA Tenders – 2021-22 Contract Awards – Education and Training Services
With the end of the 2021/22 tax year it is the time to look back at some of the big
Below are a few bidding tips to help you improve your future bids
Do not Deviate from what the Commissioner asks you to do! If the end client has given you specific tender documentation, use the templates you have been provided with. Do not modify them in any way, as some commissioners may automatically disqualify you for this. If you do want to make any changes, make sure you ask a clarification question first.
Tenders include response forms which set strict word limits, and ask questions geared towards seeking ideal responders. Make sure you read any prompts and instructions before you set pen to paper.
Each commissioner has their own set of selection criteria, your job is to read between the lines. Think about how questions are worded, and anticipate what kind of answer the client hopes to see. Also try to be succinct and direct in your responses to the criteria. Evaluators will become frustrated with responses that are convoluted or poorly address their needs.
Make sure you have the correct spelling of any organisation and area names you may be addressing in the tender, as well as their correct titles. Putting the wrong name in, or failing to change something copied from another tender, will significantly annoy a commissioner and is likely to lose you marks.
There are many elements in a bid in need of signature, one of the most common tender mistakes is failing to sign sections, or signing bids incorrectly. Check everything is signed correctly before submitting your tender.
It sounds obvious, but the answers you submit on response documents should be clear and concise. Add visuals such as diagrams, graphs, or illustrations, where they assist in conveying more involved ideas.
Putting these in your bid, gives your experience a ‘real’ quality that will make commissioners sit up and take notice. They are more valuable than a comment from yourself saying you’ve done something but without any evidence to back it up.
Is the price right? Various factors must be considered when writing up a budget – company research, market intelligence, competitor insights, as well as your own internal financial constraints.
Before you make contact with a prospective client, it’s important to conduct your own research. Use your researching skills to find out everything you can about the company’s market, organisation, team, and affairs. Sometimes you will need to use your network to gain relevant insights.
What are the USPs both for your company and your specific solution for a bid? Aim to have about three USPs throughout your bid that you can weave in to as many answers as possible.
Research what sets you apart from your competitors; this is what stands out the most when tender documentation is being compared. Point of differentiation is all about distinguishing how your services positively differ to those of your competitors.
Editing your tender is a crucial step before submission, and should not be left to the last minute. Spend time looking for spelling and grammatical errors, and try reading out loud to reveal sections that need revised. If you’re not confident in your ability to proofread, ask a coworker, use programs with spell check, or hire an editor.
If you have been asked to submit materials alongside tender documents such as a cover letter, company statement, or title page, it’s important to review your current design features. A company logo, letterhead, and aesthetic considerations will go a long way in appearing professional.
Your tender should be sent to the client early to allow for possible time delay and unforeseen occurrences. As almost all bids now are submitted online, consider the chance of network errors.
If you’re not winning tenders, assess your current processes, approaches, and situation. When something isn’t working, it’s generally time to take a step back and think about what is going wrong. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback when you are unsuccessful, so you can find out exactly how you could have improved your bid.
Your bid begins the moment you reach out to your prospective client, so make every email and call count. Build value and rapport from the very first exchange and ask questions that can assist you in writing a better tender. Sometimes a client may simply like you or trust you, and will give you a chance.
Whether you are new to bidding or a veteran of it, create a small glossary of key phrases and acronyms specific to the bid. This will be helpful as a quick reference point, both for yourself and contributors, some of whom may not be as au fait with acronyms as a bid writer is.
Having previously marked bids, one of the most annoying things to see is inconsistent styles and formatting. Either for all of your bids, or per bid, create a clear and simple style guide that you and any other contributors can easily follow. This should include as a minimum: font size, line spacing, colour usage, picture usage, heading styles, attachment styles.
The biggest and most important single decision you can make with bidding, is whether to bid or not. Not bidding can be as important as bidding, protecting yourself from a potentially harmful or unstainable contract, which can irrecoverably damage your reputation. With this in mind, have a clear and robust bid/no bid process, with key criteria for decision-making – e.g. geography, service type, financial affordability. Note – I will cover this in more detail in a later blog.
Angus Ward Consulting provide high quality bid services to organisations across many sectors, including in healthcare, social care and other public services.
Whether you need a full writing service, or help with service design, we can help you.
We support clients with business development strategies and horizon scanning. Post-bid we support clients with contract negotiations and service mobilisations.
With the end of the 2021/22 tax year it is the time to look back at some of the big
New governments always mean shifts in policies and priorities, and can mean changes to the world of bidding and grant