Bid writing case study: working with a retained client

Working collaboratively with the client on a retained basis creates a range of efficiencies and benefits to ensure both high quality and best value, including:

Increased understanding: By assigning two lead bid writers to our client, they have developed their knowledge of the client’s business as well as industry-specific knowledge of the sectors the client is bidding in. This enables any future projects to be streamlined by being able to focus on any new topics not previously covered or specific requirements of the specification to maximise our client’s chance of success.

Time efficiencies: As we gain an increased understanding of the client’s policies, processes and business strategies, the time required to complete submissions has been reduced. For example, interviews used to gather all pertinent information required to successfully complete the responses may be reduced, minimising the length of time the client needs to spend with the bid writer. However, new topics do still arise and regular interviews are still held to ensure our bids are still bespoke.

Cost efficiencies: Through increased communication and time efficiencies, the time required to complete projects decreases, especially as we begin to build model answers for common topics and win themes.

Continuous improvement: Feedback received from buyers, both positive and negative, is continually discussed between the client and our internal team, ensuring any areas of improvement are identified and acted upon and any successes are maximised in future responses.

Managing multiple bids across various sectors

Working with a client who bids prolifically within the UK across various sectors and geographical regions requires a stringent and robust bid management process. This is maintained to ensure tender responses are produced ahead of deadlines and comply with all buyer and specification requirements to submit bids of the highest quality, of which we are doing several at any one time. A few of our tasks as bid writer and account manager are:

• Monitoring potential contract notices each morning through government public procurement websites such as Find a Tender and Contracts Finder to identify potential contract notices that may be of interest to our client, enabling us to plan future bids early on and ensure necessary resource and time is allocated to complete the bids in time.
• Maintaining a record of all previous contracts and tracking and monitoring ongoing and upcoming bids.
• Creating a bid matrix for each individual SQ or ITT, clearly defining the deadline of the bid, a breakdown of all written narrative and supporting documentation required and days needed to complete the work.
• Maintaining a bid library of up-to-date company memberships, accreditations, case studies, CVs and high-scoring model answers for common topics to streamline the bid writing process.
• Constantly evolving model answers developed over multiple submissions based on feedback received from buyers as part of our continuous improvement strategy.
• Approaching each bid afresh, ensuring all specific requirements of the buyer are adhered to, that any changes to industry regulations or best practice are incorporated and that responses have been adapted based on previous feedback.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, examples of successful projects we have achieved together include:

Lancashire Constabulary

This bid, for the provision of servicing and repairs of automatic entrance systems, was the first for which we received results for this client. The feedback was extremely positive, with the procurement team at Lancashire Constabulary stating that:

“The overall standard of responses was extremely high, and your submission scored 94.29% out of a possible 100% and was ranked 1st out of the 10 responses.”

Fusion 21 Framework

Out of 14 Lots for the building safety and compliance framework, we bid for the following Lots:

• Fire safety inspections
• Passive fire protection – fire doors
• Passive fire protection – fire stopping
• Active fire safety
• Electronic security
• Warden call and tele-health

Our client was successfully appointed to the framework for all six Lots they bid for, placing first in four of the Lots with a score of 58.6 out of 60, and second for two Lots, scoring 57.2 out of 60.

Optivo

Our client’s most recent contract award with us was for the provision of passive fire remedial works across London and Kent, in which we received the highest quality score of all responses submitted. As part of our continuous improvement process and at our client’s request, a call has been arranged with Optivo, which will include the lead bid writer for the project, to discuss the comparative strengths of the response and any areas for future improvement.

The client above is one of several who are on a retained agreement with Executive Compass for all bid writing and management services.

To discuss how Executive Compass can you support you on a one-off bid, or for long-term bid writing support, contact our team today for a free consultation call.