Having worked with Executive Compass previously to successfully secure a place on Crown Commercial Services RM6184 Offsite Construction Framework and appreciating the expertise of our writers, the client identified our services as the best strategy to enhance their chances of submitting a successful bid in a highly competitive industry.
Main Challenges
With circa 25,000 words of industry-specific content to produce across eight targeted tender responses, the key challenges our assigned lead bid writer, Jack Bowman, faced were:
- Accurately capturing the client’s project delivery process, including detailed narrative explaining pre-construction procedures and a comprehensive explanation of the manufacturing and construction process.
- Development of a contract-specific social value plan, which met, and bettered, the buyer’s critical outcomes of improving environmental sustainability and enhancing community well-being.
- Identifying the key project risks to be eliminated and opportunities to maximise the buyer’s satisfaction with the timeliness, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of the client’s proposal.
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Geographical Region:
Northamptonshire (Midlands)
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Output:
25,000 words across eight quality questions and method statements
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Weighting:
40% Quality / 60% Price
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Submission:
Portal-based
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Outcome:
Pending
Overview
Bid Manager Craig Sutch, programmed in the bid at our side, ensuring that we could complete the submission in good time and allow our client a minimum of one week prior to submission to review the responses and provide input on the content produced.
Jack Bowman was assigned as lead bid writer, based on his experience completing similar tenders for clients in the modular construction industry. To maximise his understanding of the client’s approach to the project, prior to beginning the writing process, Jack scheduled a call with the client’s project management team – establishing a baseline understanding of the specific methodologies they would use to successfully deliver the buyer’s requirements, forming the core of each targeted response.
This initial call was supplemented by several additional calls with multiple elements of the client’s wider team, including their Head of Design, to accurately interpret their approach to more complex topics such as the RIBA Design Stages and achieving sustainability in adherence to BREEAM principles.
By undertaking these calls early in the writing process, Jack was able to progress rapidly with the writing, supplementing his knowledge of the client’s process with research into the codes of practice, working plans and industry-specific strategies documented by organisations such as RIBA, RICS, CIBSE and CIOB. This research facilitated development of highly persuasive responses which comprehensively represented the client’s approach to quality management, health and safety, sustainability and effective project management.
As is standard practice for us, all responses were submitted to the client following a comprehensive review process. During this process, our dedicated Quality Manager John Winder utilised his 26 years’ previous experience in the construction industry to scrutinise each response and suggest additions to enhance our description of the client’s procedures and ensure the client’s unique selling points and areas of added value were highlighted to the tender evaluators, to maximise chances of attaining higher marks during the tender evaluation process.
Prior to handover to the client, Jack also followed our routine practice of submitting each response to our CIEP-accredited external proofreaders – maximising the polish of each response and ensuring they exemplified the professionalism of the client.
A final copy of each response, featuring branding matching the client’s company logo, colours and accreditations, was provided one week prior to final submission. During this period, Jack remained in contact with the client’s project management team to receive and implement any requested changes, ensuring their input was fully incorporated to maximise their satisfaction with the submission’s accuracy, suitability and sufficiency.
Outcome
Although the client is still awaiting news of the project’s award, they expressed their satisfaction with the standard of responses received, including the inclusion of complex detail within tight page limits for each document, and the consistency of communication with Jack throughout the writing process.
With modular construction becoming an increasingly popular method for healthcare providers to expand their facilities and cater for an expanding population, we look forward to assisting them with future opportunities.