Posted on 28-06-2010 at 01:00
Tender Writing Specialists
Following on from the last blog and discussing the most common issues that clients complain of when writing a tender.
The last three items have been kept together deliberately because I believe that this is where a tender writing specialist can make a difference
3. Experience: They have never had to write a tender before.
This is a very important component when you are writing a tender. Experience helps with every element not just the writing. It helps with the planning and timing. Experience tells you how to format your tender, how to plan your tender writing and how to get your message across. Experience helps but we all have to start somewhere and writing a tender is no different. The only problem of course is that mistakes can be expensive. Not so much in terms of your time but with opportunity costs, if you lose a tender because of your inexperience then it can be an expensive lesson. I would suggest that you either get some training (Be careful with training though because it will not help with items 1, 2 or 5 especially 5!) or that you hire a specialist tender writer and learn the methodologies involved first hand.
4. Understanding: They do not understand how to write a tender or how to answer some of the questions
This is another area where a specialist tender writer can really help out. One of my earlier blogs talks about 17 questions on partnering! It is easy to become confused between the terms used and in many cases some of the terms are new to the SME owner. For instance, many would struggle to describe the difference between collaborative working and partnering. The two are different and are quite distinct in some peoples mind (well ok, it’s just me then!) but the real problem is that some people including some evaluators consider them the same! Other comprehension problems include quality assurance systems and quality management systems. Is a policy the same as a policy statement? Is a framework agreement the same as a service level agreement? (All questions I have been asked) It is difficult to mitigate against lack of understanding, add into the mix “you don’t know what you don’t know” and you are really up against it. Training can help with this aspect and so will time and trial and error.
5. They are not good “writers”
This is a tricky one and one I almost did not include but unfortunately, like it or not, some people cannot write. I am not talking about typing up a blog like this. A blog can be typed up quickly, is relatively unimportant in the scheme of things and can be full of typos. Writing a tender is very different. Regardless of what anyone tells you they remain a technical document. They are business formal, not conversational, are structured, can be highly specialised and the most important part someone is that someone is judging it.
The bottom line is no amount of training can teach you to write if you are below a certain starting point. Throw in lack of time and experience and you are really up against it. I know it sounds like a “hire me, hire me” plea but it is a fact. Most SME owners are of a certain age (most) and most are very able but even the exceptionally good writers amongst them (and I have met several) just do not have the time or the quiet space needed to write a good tender. This is where you need to hire a specialist tender writer.
All in all the two blogs are a little biased to hiring a specialist tender writer but there are some people who will be able to write their own tenders. The biggest stumbling blocks are time, understanding and not being able to write with probably time being the biggest problem.
Lock the door, switch off the phone, disable the e-mail and put the cat out and you should be ok.
First part of this blog on tender writing
Our Tender Writing Services
Home
The last three items have been kept together deliberately because I believe that this is where a tender writing specialist can make a difference
3. Experience: They have never had to write a tender before.
This is a very important component when you are writing a tender. Experience helps with every element not just the writing. It helps with the planning and timing. Experience tells you how to format your tender, how to plan your tender writing and how to get your message across. Experience helps but we all have to start somewhere and writing a tender is no different. The only problem of course is that mistakes can be expensive. Not so much in terms of your time but with opportunity costs, if you lose a tender because of your inexperience then it can be an expensive lesson. I would suggest that you either get some training (Be careful with training though because it will not help with items 1, 2 or 5 especially 5!) or that you hire a specialist tender writer and learn the methodologies involved first hand.
4. Understanding: They do not understand how to write a tender or how to answer some of the questions
This is another area where a specialist tender writer can really help out. One of my earlier blogs talks about 17 questions on partnering! It is easy to become confused between the terms used and in many cases some of the terms are new to the SME owner. For instance, many would struggle to describe the difference between collaborative working and partnering. The two are different and are quite distinct in some peoples mind (well ok, it’s just me then!) but the real problem is that some people including some evaluators consider them the same! Other comprehension problems include quality assurance systems and quality management systems. Is a policy the same as a policy statement? Is a framework agreement the same as a service level agreement? (All questions I have been asked) It is difficult to mitigate against lack of understanding, add into the mix “you don’t know what you don’t know” and you are really up against it. Training can help with this aspect and so will time and trial and error.
5. They are not good “writers”
This is a tricky one and one I almost did not include but unfortunately, like it or not, some people cannot write. I am not talking about typing up a blog like this. A blog can be typed up quickly, is relatively unimportant in the scheme of things and can be full of typos. Writing a tender is very different. Regardless of what anyone tells you they remain a technical document. They are business formal, not conversational, are structured, can be highly specialised and the most important part someone is that someone is judging it.
The bottom line is no amount of training can teach you to write if you are below a certain starting point. Throw in lack of time and experience and you are really up against it. I know it sounds like a “hire me, hire me” plea but it is a fact. Most SME owners are of a certain age (most) and most are very able but even the exceptionally good writers amongst them (and I have met several) just do not have the time or the quiet space needed to write a good tender. This is where you need to hire a specialist tender writer.
All in all the two blogs are a little biased to hiring a specialist tender writer but there are some people who will be able to write their own tenders. The biggest stumbling blocks are time, understanding and not being able to write with probably time being the biggest problem.
Lock the door, switch off the phone, disable the e-mail and put the cat out and you should be ok.
First part of this blog on tender writing
Our Tender Writing Services
Home
