Family Run Distribution Company

Type of Project
Bid Management

Delivery model
Remote working (100%), with one site visit

Lead writer
Neil Capstick, supported by
Matthew Walker

Duration of the bid
Three weeks

Value to the client
£800,000

Service
Distribution and portering services

Main Challenges
A must-win bid

A lot of technical information which had to be adapted to the demands of the PQQ and tender process

The large amount of evidence and the number of supporting documents required to support each question, including policies and procedures

• Geographical region – London and South East England
• Output – Narrative for the quality response, Business Continuity Plan and all organisational policies; these were required as the company had not tendered before and so we had to develop a full suite of policies
• Weighting – 60%/40% quality/price
• Submission – Electronic upload
• Outcome – Won

A leading innovative delivery and removals company in London approached us to complete a ‘must win’ distribution and portering contract. They were the incumbent provider, and had been since 1985, but had not previously tendered for the work. We provided a combination of writing, design, bid management services and strategic advice to help them retain their position as market leader in their region.

As the incumbent supplier, the company had the necessary experience, processes and local knowledge to continue to deliver the contract successfully and win the tender. What they did not have was the technical ability to translate their experience and methods into the written words required to complete the PQQ and tender, a common problem faced by most companies when bidding for a contract. This posed a problem as the revenue generated from this contract represented a significant proportion of their overall business turnover, and they had invested in modern tracking methods and created a bespoke distribution process based on experience and contractual expectations. As a result, there was more
pressure placed on the submission, something which only served to focus us and the client on achieving the highest quality submission.

Matthew and Neil conducted an initial site visit for the PQQ, where they viewed the office headquarters and also the distribution centre where the goods were organised ready to be distributed. Once on site, Matthew and Neil conducted interviews and gathered the policies and certificates required for the submission, which was contextualised according to the
questions raised by the tender so that appropriate responses could be provided. Matthew was tasked to research the audit system, which was a crucial element of their business and which needed to be included throughout the submission. He also examined their bespoke distributor tracking systems and how we could best demonstrate its benefits and
importance throughout the tender. Evidence and supporting documents were obtained to help sell the unique selling points raised by these systems as fully as possible. In addition, a full policy suite was developed and branded with the company logo.

We were successful at guiding the company through the PQQ stage, gaining top marks, and once the tender was released, they engaged our services again. Matthew was this time solely responsible for managing the tender submission, further developing the responses from the PQQ. For the tender writing, we felt it important to include live screen shots of the
distribution taking place using the company’s bespoke tracking software. The screen shots were included within the submission, as this was unique to our client and could not be easily replicated by rival firms; it formed a crucial element of the bid theme as we looked to focus on their investment in modern distribution methods and their experience of delivering the
contract.

On the submission we were able to use a graphic design that enhanced the look of the Tender. Owing to the importance of the submission, when planning the works we incorporated a two-week client review period, allowing the client maximum opportunity to strengthen the responses and include any additional items of information. After the Tender document had been reviewed by our external proof reader it was then put through our internal quality management system and strengthened with the help of the client. This ensured that the submission was as personalised and strong as it could be, helping the client win the contract and remain as incumbent.