Writing a winning tender is a vital skill for any organisation seeking to grow through contract opportunities. A compelling tender submission does more than outline your offer—it demonstrates your understanding of the client’s requirements, showcases your strengths, and communicates the value you deliver.
This guide walks you through the tender writing process, from planning and research to writing and reviewing, to help you submit high-quality, competitive proposals.
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Before you start writing, it’s essential to understand the tendering process. A tender—also called a bid—is a formal proposal to deliver goods or services in response to a client’s Invitation to Tender (ITT).
Most tenders are part of a structured procurement process, particularly in the public sector. They ensure transparency, value for money, and equal opportunity. Clients assess each tender against specific criteria to select the most suitable supplier.
Want to learn more about how tenders are evaluated? Download our Bid Management Brochure.
Effective tenders begin with strategic planning. Taking the time to assess your fit and prepare your team will boost your chances of success.
Not every opportunity will be right for you. Review the contract requirements to check if they align with your capabilities, experience, and capacity.
We offer a Bid/No Bid Decision Support Service to help you assess opportunities with confidence. Explore our tender evaluation support.
Study the client’s objectives carefully. Review their procurement strategy, mission statements, or prior tenders. Understanding what matters most to them enables you to tailor your offer accordingly.
Successful tenders are rarely solo efforts. Assemble a bid team and define clear roles. Assign responsibility for content writing, pricing, compliance, and submission.
Struggling to resource your tender team? Our Outsourced Bid Writing Service supports in-house capacity. Learn more about our writing support.
Research helps you meet client expectations, avoid common pitfalls, and position your solution effectively.
Read the ITT, specifications, appendices, and scoring criteria line by line. Ensure you understand the deliverables, deadlines, format, and evaluation process.
If anything is unclear, submit clarification questions before the deadline. This shows professionalism and prevents costly assumptions.
If you’re familiar with likely bidders, analyse their strengths and weaknesses. Use this to shape your unique selling points (USPs) and demonstrate what sets your proposal apart.
Once planning and research are complete, begin structuring your response.
This is your first impression. Summarise your solution, benefits, and alignment with the client’s needs. Keep it client-focused, not company-focused.
We offer tailored Executive Summary Coaching to ensure your opening message lands well. Find out more.
Address every question directly. Use headings that mirror the ITT and respond with structured, evidence-led answers.
Don’t just describe your service—explain the outcomes it achieves for the client. Link features to benefits throughout.
Use case studies, client feedback, and quantified results to prove past performance. This reassures evaluators of your reliability.
Need help gathering persuasive examples? Our Case Study Development Service can support. Discover how we can help.
Follow all formatting, word count, and document submission rules. A non-compliant tender may be disqualified, regardless of content quality.
Strong writing makes your tender easier to read and more persuasive.
Use short sentences and plain English. Avoid industry jargon unless it’s requested. Aim for clarity over complexity.
Organise your content using headers, bullet points, and consistent formatting. This helps evaluators navigate your response quickly.
Emphasise how your solution meets the client’s goals. Use positive, confident language that reflects your capability and enthusiasm.
Include tables, charts, or process diagrams to break up text and reinforce key information. Ensure all visuals are high quality and captioned.
Not sure your tender looks professional? Our Tender Design & Formatting Service can help. See examples of our tender layouts.
Before submission, allow time for a thorough review process.
Check spelling, grammar, and formatting. Ask a colleague to proofread—fresh eyes catch errors easily missed by the author.
Revisit the ITT and scoring matrix. Have you answered every part of every question? Have you followed all instructions?
Invite colleagues or an external consultant to review your submission. They may spot inconsistencies or suggest stronger phrasing.
Incorporate all feedback and finalise the document. Rename and format files as instructed before uploading.
Need a professional review before submission? Our Tender Review & Compliance Check gives you peace of mind. Request a review today.
Writing a winning tender requires more than good writing—it demands preparation, insight, and precision. By planning thoroughly, researching intelligently, and presenting a clear, benefit-driven proposal, you improve your chances of success with every submission.
Each bid is an opportunity to build a relationship with the client, establish credibility, and position your organisation for future contracts.
Contact us today to improve your next submission. Get expert bid writing support now.
A tender is a formal proposal to deliver goods or services in response to a client’s request, often part of a competitive procurement process.
Compare the requirements against your team’s skills, capacity, and past experience. Look for a strong strategic fit.
Summarise how your proposal meets the client’s objectives. Focus on benefits, outcomes, and alignment with their needs.
Be client-focused, evidence-led, and benefit-driven. Use persuasive language, and make your document easy to navigate.
Related blogs : The Complete Guide To Writing Winning Bids In The UK
