Project Overview
A new client contacted us via referral to support with a short-notice tender to supply and install gym equipment to a healthcare provider with over 100 locations in the UK.
Our scope of work comprised 9,000 words divided across 45 quality responses and method statements for the tender return. Responses ranged from 100 words to 500 words, demanding concise writing and persuasive evidence. Furthermore, the submission format was Excel spreadsheet as per the buyer’s requirements. As such, appendices and external links were not permitted, placing greater focus on the content of the method statements.
Response topics included:
- Organisational details, including industry awareness of emerging trends and capability to operate using a varied supply chain
- Management of similar contracts by experienced and knowledgeable personnel
- Robust data security and data protection measures, including integrated API functionality to provide ease of use to the buyer
- Reporting procedures demonstrating accuracy of information and effective management of queries and complaints
- Environmental management systems and innovative use of sustainability practices across the client’s organisation and their supply chain
- Demonstrable risk control procedures, including suitable training for staff to showcase competency in providing services in a live environment
- Evidence of a proactive approach to mitigating the risk of modern slavery, both within the client’s organisation and throughout their supply chain which extended to manufacturing facilities in China.
Key challenges
Our client had previously completed and submitted tenders in house, however due to the limited timescale of the submission we were approached for our expertise and experience working to deadlines to manage challenges, including:
- Advising on GDPR protocol and procedure, including assessing internal policy efficacy in relation to the specification
- Coordinating a high quantity of separate method statements for submission, ensuring continuity across all responses and identifying the most crucial detail to persuasively answer each question
- Producing responses in line with sustainable procurement requirements as set out by the authority, incorporating contract-specific measures in addition to our client’s existing methodologies.
As a result of effectively managing private tender submissions for clients in the energy sector and commercial cleaning, Ivy Allsop was selected as lead bid writer, having shown her competency in managing short-timescale bidding processes. To ensure that responses were produced in advance of the deadline and provide the client with sufficient time to review responses for suitability, sufficiency, and accuracy, Ivy had the support of three fellow bid writers with demonstrable experience of winning commercial tenders.
Following an initial review of the specification and tender documents, Ivy scheduled the information-gathering call with our client via Microsoft Teams as soon as possible to discuss the opportunity and questions forming our scope in detail. This included advising the client on data protection standards and the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to identify key areas that could be showcased in responses.
Delivery
The scale of the project, with regard to the quantity of method statements, required close communication between the writers and a clear structure of reporting finished work to be submitted. Ivy undertook responsibility for collating finished responses to send to the client and continually liaised with the bid writers involved to ensure work progress was on-schedule, ensuring timely submission.
Responses then progressed through our ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system in accordance with the following steps:
- Quality responses were drafted in accordance with information from the client, contract specification and other documents in the tender pack
- Our dedicated quality reviewers assessed responses internally, checking the wording of the question, the overall persuasiveness and ‘flow’ of writing, and continuity of responses across all four writers ensuring the strongest possible responses
- All narrative responses were proofread by our CIEP-accredited external proofreading team, supporting a polished and professional final version
- Responses were shared with the client in small batches as and when they were completed to provide them with manageable periods for them to review prior to submission.
Outcome
Having successfully submitted the tender to the authority ahead of the deadline, the client thanked us for our ‘invaluable’ assistance and demonstration of our expertise in producing persuasive narrative. We are currently waiting for the outcome of the bid, and look forward to supporting them with future tenders.