Posted on 13-04-2010 at 01:00
Help with Writing a Tender
Help With Writing a Tender
So, you need help with writing a tender? This is the first of a series of four blogs which I hope will go some way to helping you out or at least calming the nerves.
Tender writing is not straightforward, there are rules, there is best practice and there is process. But everything with rules and process can be learnt and tender writing is no different. Hopefully by the end of the series you will no longer need help with writing a tender. Instead you should feel confident enough to write them yourself.
Tender writing is not straightforward, there are rules, there is best practice and there is process. But everything with rules and process can be learnt and tender writing is no different. Hopefully by the end of the series you will no longer need help with writing a tender. Instead you should feel confident enough to write them yourself.
Private and Public Sector Tenders
A good many people think that submitting tenders for the public sector is very difficult and different from tendering for the private sector. The truth is that while there are differences they are closer than you think.
For instance the PQQ content and submission process for both public and private projects are almost indistinguishable from one another.
The main difference in private and public sector tenders is the process by which they are evaluated, the level of acceptable risk and how much innovation they are prepared to accept in a tender proposal.
How do you determine what to include in your tender proposal? You must research what it is that the public sector body wants.
There is an art to writing a good tender but it is an art that is enhanced by research, structure, planning/preparation and hard work. Very often commercial tender writers who you retain to help you with writing a tender, do very little research or worse, they do poor research!
For instance the PQQ content and submission process for both public and private projects are almost indistinguishable from one another.
The main difference in private and public sector tenders is the process by which they are evaluated, the level of acceptable risk and how much innovation they are prepared to accept in a tender proposal.
How do you determine what to include in your tender proposal? You must research what it is that the public sector body wants.
There is an art to writing a good tender but it is an art that is enhanced by research, structure, planning/preparation and hard work. Very often commercial tender writers who you retain to help you with writing a tender, do very little research or worse, they do poor research!
Research
You need to find out what the customer actually wants. Some people write a tender providing what they think a client needs. Unless it is a very open ended tender request you are unlikely to be successful with your tender submission. Tenders fulfil wants not needs. More of that later!
You must write the tender clearly, offering the customer what they want. The problem is that working out what the customer really wants can be a lot more complicated in the public sector than the private sector. This is due to the political environment in which they operate.
You must write the tender clearly, offering the customer what they want. The problem is that working out what the customer really wants can be a lot more complicated in the public sector than the private sector. This is due to the political environment in which they operate.
For example a local council or primary care trust are spending tax payer’s money to provide services that are designed help and provide solutions to public issues. As the money does not belong to them they must ensure that the money they spend is justified. When writing a tender you must keep this in mind. Your tender must always clearly demonstrate value for money. Your tender will be unsuccessful unless it does so explicitly. You must undertake research before you write your tender so that you demonstrate that your product or service offers value for money for their wants.
Help with writing a tender part 2
More Help with writing a tender
Help with writing a tender part 2
More Help with writing a tender
