Getting the most out of your tender writing

It’s fair to say that at this time of year, as we return to our offices, shops, factories and general highways and byways, we have thrown a good deal of “stuff” out. While this is not normally a good thing (remember the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ mantra), as far as tender writing is concerned it can be a very good thing indeed.

We do of course need a good solid bid library. Something that contains our standard responses and that can help with completing a PQQ and some of the elements of a tender. Too often, however, firms retain all of the PQQ and tender submission information and keep inserting it in every document that comes along.

Lesson 1: PQQ and Tender writing is not like throwing mud at the wall. It is the quality of the mud and not the quantity that counts. If you constantly use the same material in your bid writing submissions you will get the same results and fail - Every time!

Lesson 2: It is fine to have a solid repository of your best answers but do not keep them forever and don’t use them for every response.

So why can you not keep your responses indefinitely? The answer is straightforward enough: they have a shelf life. The modern business world changes so quickly these days that the information within your bid library cannot be used for writing tenders indefinitely. It must be updated, refurbished, repaired or thrown out! Even when you do use it, the information must be carefully edited, adapted and placed into context. A good thing to remember here is that just because you were successful with one tender, it does not mean that you will be successful with the next if you use the same or similar material. One tender does not a tender writer make.

I was asked today to quote for a generic tender. There is no such thing: it does not exist. It is the same with the individual responses to the PQQ or invitation to tender responses. It is impossible to shoehorn previous responses into current requirements. Your answer to a question on sustainability must surely alter over time.
When writing a tender response we need powerful, persuasive text. Text that makes the buyer want to read on, choose us and give us the contract.

Here is an extract of a question from a grounds maintenance tender:

Based on your experience please show how the Applicant has addressed sustainability and the green agendas within the scope of the following:
he execution of the grounds and tree maintenance and arboriculture services carried out by your organisation including recycling and selection and use of chemicals

The response to this question must change over time. New processes, new methods and new chemicals will all alter your response.

Bid and tender writing is not about recycling. Professional tender writers do use material that they have written in previous tenders. The key though, is that it is adapted, refreshed and made stronger.
Keep the bid and tender libraries for your PQQ writing. In fact, you must create a library: it will make your tender writing easier and more productive, but when it comes to tender writing, recycle sparingly.

Why does Executive Compass win so many tenders? One of the reasons is we don’t recycle as much as some others. Our tenders are environmentally friendly, but are refreshed and strengthened with new material each time.
I have spent the weekend working on a small tender for a long established customer. I have previously completed PQQs and tenders for them and have a huge amount of information. I was amazed at how long it took me to write what, at first glance, appeared to be very straightforward tender responses. The problem is that all of the questions in tenders are different. They can be a little like those ‘spot the difference’ competitions you see in magazines, but the differences are there and they make all the difference as to whether you write a winning tender or an also ran. Copy and paste at your peril.

Completion of a tender does take time but don’t rush it by recycling your rubbish.