Bid Writing Consultants

Bid writing experts are few and far between but there a few simple rules you can follow to help you along the way. When companies put a contract out to tender they are often inundated with bids, and many of those fail at the first hurdle. Here are some of the pitfalls to avoid when writing a bid.

1. Template tenders. Templates are available, but you should never rely on one. If you use one as a starting point, make sure you edit it properly to include all the relevant information, especially company names. Better still, write your bid from scratch to ensure it is tailored to suit the customer.

2. Don’t over-fill with technical waffle. It’s assumed that companies submitting bids will already have the technical expertise needed to deliver; it’s the other stuff – staff management, company ethos, price etc – that is of most interest. Demonstrate that you know your industry but don’t stuff your bid with technical jargon.

3. Lack of cohesion. Many bids fail because they don’t have a cohesive theme to them. If your company is strongest in logistics or project management, stick to that all the way through; don’t suddenly become the world’s greatest people manager!

4. Don’t focus on me, me me. As with all good advertising, your bid should sell the benefits you would bring to the contract. Make sure your bid talks mainly about YOU (the client) rather than ME or US.

5. Misunderstanding. Another reason that bids are unsuccessful is that they fail to answer questions accurately. Make sure you fully understand every question and give relevant answers.

6. Lack of accuracy. Make sure that you check and double check any facts and figures you include in your bid – especially your quote and costs. Not only will errors make you look unprofessional but an incorrect quote could make your entire bid untenable.
7. Poor presentation. Your bid is a reflection of your business. To present your company in the best light you need to avoid submitting bids that are scruffy, difficult to read or badly formatted.

8. Errors and typos. Even small typos can create a negative impression – after all, if you leave errors in your tender bid, how much attention to detail will you pay to the project? Don’t just check the bid yourself; get someone else to read it through and correct any typos, spelling mistakes or grammatical errors.

9. Missing appendices. Most bids require you to add appendices, perhaps your Health and Safety policy or references from clients. Make sure you supply everything that is requested.

10. Finally, don’t be late! You absolutely MUST get your bid submitted on time. If necessary, deliver your bid by hand or use a courier to guarantee delivery. Miss the deadline and you won’t be considered for the contract - it’s as simple as that.
Bid Writing Consultants
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