Tender Writing Consultants’ Top Four Tips

As the UK’s leading independent bid management and bid writing company, we are always asked what our top tips are. So, we’ve put our heads together and here are four important things you need to know.

1. Learn the rules

This refers to two things: learning the rules of the trade, and learning the rules of the specific bid.

Writing a tender is like no other sort of writing. It is informative and creative, but must also be convincing without being pushy. Learning how to write a winning bid will take time and practice.

Before starting a submission you must first read through all of the documentation, especially the requirements (or ‘rules’). Always ensure you know exactly what is required by the evaluator.

2. Answer the question

They have been asked for a reason, so answer them! We often review companies’ previous submissions and find they have strayed wildly from the question. Even if you have raised good points, if you don’t answer the question you will fail.

It helps to refer back to the question throughout your answer, just to keep yourself on the right track.

3. Evidence

Always provide evidence on any point you make. This will give the evaluator confidence that you are the right company for the job.

Evidence also takes the form of case studies, which must be of the highest quality. Case studies can be developed even when there is not a live submission, so work hard on them.

4. Review, review, review

Possibly the most important tip – review your work and then get someone else to review it. Our internal review processes are incredibly extensive and ensure that the bid is of the highest quality.

When completing a document you should review it yourself before passing it on to a team member for them to review. They will spot errors that you will not see, as well as raising points you may have missed.

Once you have incorporated any changes you should either have someone else review it again or, if possible, have it professionally proof read. This will ensure that there are no mistakes that could cost you the contract.

Happy bidding!