Q&A: How can an external bid writer work with my company?

We take a look at our bid writing process in more detail, and ask what makes our team of writers qualified to assist with your tender submission and ensure you have the best chance of winning the contract in question.

How does your bid writing process work?

When engaging with a client, the first step for our team is to assess the individual tender submission and any background information. We look at the contract itself, the specification, requirements from the buyer, any history you have with the authority or similar contracts, and whether you have undertaken a bid/no bid decision or need help with the suitability of the contract for you.

Following this, one of our bid writers goes through the tender with a fine-tooth comb to create answer plans. Based on this, they undertake an interview with you. The interview stage is really important – our team are trained in techniques to drill down and source as much information as possible about your company, your processes and procedures, any unique selling points and ultimately the information we need to complete the tender.

Then the writing can begin. All our bids are created from the bottom up – meaning no information is copied and pasted, and a unique bid is written to reflect your organisation and meet the specification from the buyer. The most important stage in our process is quality assurance – every single word written by our team is reviewed by our technical editor or a director to ensure it is of the highest quality. Any amends are then made, the work is sent to our proofreader, and then finally to the client for their review and comments.

Experienced bid writer, Stephen Kennett, explains each stage in the process here:

How can you possibly know enough about our company?

Over the past 10 years, Executive Compass have been involved in thousands of bids. Although each tender is different we do see common themes and topics across the board. We know what contracting authorities are looking for, and the methodology for a winning bid. No, we don’t know every single detail about your company, but we do know the tender process inside out. Via communication with our clients and strong working relationships with organisations, we can bring together knowledge of your company and our bid writing knowledge to create a winning tender – see our >80% success rate!

Because of the exposure and experience our writers have had, they can also provide procurement advice and offer suggestions and new ideas across a variety of topics. Typical areas that require input from our team are in social value, innovation and ‘what good looks like’.

Are all your writers experienced?

Our team of writers are all directly employed by Executive Compass and have had to pass a rigorous interview process to join the team. They are all experienced and from various different backgrounds (find out more here) and tend to write across all industry sectors to build up knowledge and experience across the board, as we work with such a variety of clients. Of course some writers fall into specialisms based on background and certain areas, for example, social care is a big one, but they tend to cover the same topics and win themes for all clients and all projects.

To discuss how our team can support you in securing more contracts, contact us today.