Posted on 29-11-2009 at 12:30
Bid and Tender Writers
There are 100.000 public bodies in the UK plus many large private companies are now using the PQQ, bid and tender process to select suppliers.
Submitting a bid or tender is a great way to grow your business. The process can be slow and frustrating but it can and does provide small companies with a great springboard for growth.
The process is slow because it is public money and has to be seen to follow due process and offer best value.
Because it takes quite a while and because there are often delays, cancellations and clarifications you should never pursue bids and tenders to the detriment of your normal prospecting and work winning/marketing activities. These medium sized bid and tender projects (in excess of £50k) increase your turnover, enhance your reputation, offer great testimonials, give you fantastic experience, are usually paid on time (although sometimes the terms are lengthy or staged) and can lead to more work . But do not focus purely on winning large tenders unless you have enough cash to see you through the whole sales cycle (at least three times). Much better to have a strategy of a mix of small, medium and large projects going through at the same time.
So, following of from the last article, I thought it would be useful to post some do’s and don’ts and common reasons for failure when completing PQQ, bids and tenders.
Do
1. Submit a bid or tender- Submitting PQQ, bids and tenders is a great way to grow your business.
2. Collaborate on bid and tender submission. By working together you can leverage your strengths into the bid or tender document.
3. Make sure you submit the bid or tender in plenty of time. You may think it impressive to submit your tender two minutes before the deadline but the client will think that is how you will deliver the project-last minute!!
4. Attend any bid or tender briefing sessions.
5. Read the tender guidance notes several times before you begin.
6. Gauge by the word count the importance and weighting that is placed on each question. If the word count limit is 1000, do not submit 100 words in your answer.
7. Find out which companies have won similar tenders in the past, and why?
8. Find out about the mission, vision and organisational objectives of the awarding body. If their stated higher aim is to reduce environmental impact, make sure your PQQ, bid or tender makes reference to it somewhere. Even if it does not ask for it!
9. Ask for clarification for any questions you don’t understand. All questions by all bidders are usually published and forwarded to everyone submitting the bid.
10. Research your competition and try to find an edge for your bid
11. Use positive language. Change “we believe” to “we are”. This is no place for modesty, do not use “we think” or “we can”.
12. Try to get through the benefits to the client of using your products and services. Let the tender "speak" to them.
13. Make sure you include references to risk. Public sector and large private sector companies are risk averse. Tell them you will have a live risk register and make sure you have the correct elements identified in it. Sustainability is another hot topic in bids and tenders at the moment!
14. Find out your competitors strengths and counter them in your bid.
15. Find out your competitors weaknesses and highlight them. For instance, if you competitor has never operated in this sector make sure you hammer home your experience. If they are not locally based, reiterate you local/regional links. You cannot mention their weaknesses in your bid but you can highlight your strengths.
16. Work out your cost model to the nearest penny. Any fool can win a bid or tender, but you do have to deliver it profitably.
17. Make sure the font is consistent throughout the document.
18. Use standard black font with no gimmicks.
19. Ask someone to proof read it for typos and other errors.
20. Make it flow and don’t waste the word count repeating other sections
21. Go for ISO accreditation. It’s cheap and it makes winning a bid or tender easier. Plus in some sectors, especially manufacturing, ISO is funded.
22. Make sure you have all the appropriate policies and insurances.
23. Use formal business language in your bid.
24. Answer the question, often they have two parts.
25. Make sure that if you submit a winning bid or tender, you can deliver the project.
26. Tell the truth- Do not lie in your tender. You will be found out!
27. Make sure your PQQ, bid or tender has been received. Once submitted check they have received it.
28. If you lose the tender ask for feedback.
29. If you win the tender ask for feedback (you may have just scraped through)
30. Make sure you keep on submitting PQQ, tenders and bids. Very few companies win at their first attempt but once you start winning it becomes a habit.
Do Not
1. Exceed the word count, not even by one word.
2. Submit the PQQ, bid or tender late
3. Express an interest and then not submit without giving an explanation.
4. Tell lies in any part of the bid or Tender
5. Use slang words.
6. Just describe you company. Tell them what benefits you bring.
7. Rush. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the PQQ, bid or tender
8. Ignore your competitors.
9. Make assumptions
Where you may fail
· Beaten by a stronger bid with a good proposal
· Design deficiencies in your tender
· Full requirements cannot be supplied
· Inadequate experience
· Personnel skills are inadequate
· Weak after sales
· Equipment deficiencies
· Inadequate quality management
· Weak financial standing
· Cost control inadequate
· Essential information missing from the bid or tender.
· Unacceptable delivery period
· Poor organisation and administration
Very often several of the strongest bidders will be invited to give a presentation. If you have made it to the presentation it means your bid or tender has been good but its not over yet.......
Interested in our bid and tender writing services? Click here
Are you in a hurry? Did you forget about your PQQ or tender?The process is slow because it is public money and has to be seen to follow due process and offer best value.
Because it takes quite a while and because there are often delays, cancellations and clarifications you should never pursue bids and tenders to the detriment of your normal prospecting and work winning/marketing activities. These medium sized bid and tender projects (in excess of £50k) increase your turnover, enhance your reputation, offer great testimonials, give you fantastic experience, are usually paid on time (although sometimes the terms are lengthy or staged) and can lead to more work . But do not focus purely on winning large tenders unless you have enough cash to see you through the whole sales cycle (at least three times). Much better to have a strategy of a mix of small, medium and large projects going through at the same time.
So, following of from the last article, I thought it would be useful to post some do’s and don’ts and common reasons for failure when completing PQQ, bids and tenders.
Do
1. Submit a bid or tender- Submitting PQQ, bids and tenders is a great way to grow your business.
2. Collaborate on bid and tender submission. By working together you can leverage your strengths into the bid or tender document.
3. Make sure you submit the bid or tender in plenty of time. You may think it impressive to submit your tender two minutes before the deadline but the client will think that is how you will deliver the project-last minute!!
4. Attend any bid or tender briefing sessions.
5. Read the tender guidance notes several times before you begin.
6. Gauge by the word count the importance and weighting that is placed on each question. If the word count limit is 1000, do not submit 100 words in your answer.
7. Find out which companies have won similar tenders in the past, and why?
8. Find out about the mission, vision and organisational objectives of the awarding body. If their stated higher aim is to reduce environmental impact, make sure your PQQ, bid or tender makes reference to it somewhere. Even if it does not ask for it!
9. Ask for clarification for any questions you don’t understand. All questions by all bidders are usually published and forwarded to everyone submitting the bid.
10. Research your competition and try to find an edge for your bid
11. Use positive language. Change “we believe” to “we are”. This is no place for modesty, do not use “we think” or “we can”.
12. Try to get through the benefits to the client of using your products and services. Let the tender "speak" to them.
13. Make sure you include references to risk. Public sector and large private sector companies are risk averse. Tell them you will have a live risk register and make sure you have the correct elements identified in it. Sustainability is another hot topic in bids and tenders at the moment!
14. Find out your competitors strengths and counter them in your bid.
15. Find out your competitors weaknesses and highlight them. For instance, if you competitor has never operated in this sector make sure you hammer home your experience. If they are not locally based, reiterate you local/regional links. You cannot mention their weaknesses in your bid but you can highlight your strengths.
16. Work out your cost model to the nearest penny. Any fool can win a bid or tender, but you do have to deliver it profitably.
17. Make sure the font is consistent throughout the document.
18. Use standard black font with no gimmicks.
19. Ask someone to proof read it for typos and other errors.
20. Make it flow and don’t waste the word count repeating other sections
21. Go for ISO accreditation. It’s cheap and it makes winning a bid or tender easier. Plus in some sectors, especially manufacturing, ISO is funded.
22. Make sure you have all the appropriate policies and insurances.
23. Use formal business language in your bid.
24. Answer the question, often they have two parts.
25. Make sure that if you submit a winning bid or tender, you can deliver the project.
26. Tell the truth- Do not lie in your tender. You will be found out!
27. Make sure your PQQ, bid or tender has been received. Once submitted check they have received it.
28. If you lose the tender ask for feedback.
29. If you win the tender ask for feedback (you may have just scraped through)
30. Make sure you keep on submitting PQQ, tenders and bids. Very few companies win at their first attempt but once you start winning it becomes a habit.
Do Not
1. Exceed the word count, not even by one word.
2. Submit the PQQ, bid or tender late
3. Express an interest and then not submit without giving an explanation.
4. Tell lies in any part of the bid or Tender
5. Use slang words.
6. Just describe you company. Tell them what benefits you bring.
7. Rush. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the PQQ, bid or tender
8. Ignore your competitors.
9. Make assumptions
Where you may fail
· Beaten by a stronger bid with a good proposal
· Design deficiencies in your tender
· Full requirements cannot be supplied
· Inadequate experience
· Personnel skills are inadequate
· Weak after sales
· Equipment deficiencies
· Inadequate quality management
· Weak financial standing
· Cost control inadequate
· Essential information missing from the bid or tender.
· Unacceptable delivery period
· Poor organisation and administration
Very often several of the strongest bidders will be invited to give a presentation. If you have made it to the presentation it means your bid or tender has been good but its not over yet.......
Interested in our bid and tender writing services? Click here
Don't panic our tender writers can write that out for you too Last Minute PQQ or ITT
More on PQQ and tender writing services: Bid and Tender Writing Services
More on Bid Management services and writing tenders :Bid Management Services
More on PQQ, Bid and Tender writing services in the Public Sector: Public Sector
More on PQQ, Bid and Tender writing services in the construction industry: Construction
Difference between a PQQ and a Tender: Difference between a PQQ and Tender
What is an Invitation to Tender?: What is an invitation to Tender
Completing a PQQ: Here
Bid and Tender writing pitfalls: Here
To speak to someone about our bid and tender writing services call us on 0700 3496128
For top quality PQQ, Bid and Tender Writing Services Executive Compass cannot be beaten
For top quality PQQ, Bid and Tender Writing Services Executive Compass cannot be beaten
