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It is no secret that the tendering process can be complex and requires planning, the dedication of time and resources and experience to complete a tender successfully. However, there may be a few things which you are unfamiliar with in the world of tendering. Get to know these top 10 tendering secrets and upgrade your tender response!
A tender is a formal document for procuring goods/services from a supplier. Tenders are used in public procurement and private transactions for a variety of goods and services. They are normally submitted in response to an invitation to tender (ITT) issued by the buyer, who is seeking to purchase a particular service or product. Tenders typically involve the submission of detailed proposals from potential suppliers and involve a competitive bidding process. The successful bidder is usually the supplier who offers the best quality and most cost-effective solution.
The tendering process can vary between sectors; however, the process typically involves the following steps:
Suppliers must prepare their bid documents carefully, including technical specifications, delivery terms, and pricing.
Suppliers must submit their proposal documents to the buyer.
The buyer evaluates the proposals, taking into consideration factors such as price, quality, delivery time, and other specific requirements.
The buyer selects the most suitable supplier based on the evaluation.
The buyer awards the contract to the chosen supplier and they sign a contract for the supply of goods or services.
The supplier delivers the goods or services as stipulated in the contract and receives payment from the buyer.
Below are our top 10 tendering secrets you should know if you want to start your journey to becoming a tender expert:
The evaluation and selection process for tenders is usually based on objective criteria, such as the most competitive price, quality, and delivery times.
Tendering is not just about submitting a proposal and waiting for a response; it involves engaging with the buyer, understanding their needs and objectives, and building a strong relationship.
Ensure your tender is well-written and free from errors. Consider having it reviewed by a professional for any potential errors.
Tendering can be a long process. Depending on the contract and the complexity of the project, the tendering process can take several months to complete.
Your tender should be professional and well-presented. Use a clear layout and include visuals if appropriate to make your proposal stand out from the competition.
Tenders are not just for big companies and governments. Small businesses and individuals can also submit tenders for projects or services.
You may be tempted to over-saturate your tender response with technical jargon to show the buyer how knowledgeable you are. However, if the buyer is unfamiliar with your area of expertise, they will be put off by the readability of your response. It goes without saying that if the buyer cannot understand what you are saying, they are far less likely to award you the contract!
The planning process is just as important as what you write in your response. The old saying ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ rings true, especially in tendering! Whether you write the response yourself or outsource to a professional, a plan must always be in place to ensure you include all the content you need, cover every detail in the specification and meet that all-important deadline.
Different countries have different rules and regulations for tender processes. So, always make sure you are aware of the relevant regulations that will affect you.
Good communication with all parties involved is essential for success when tendering. This includes the buyer, stakeholders and your tender writing team.
Read the tender documents for the contract, including the invitation to tender, specifications and terms and conditions. Understand what the contract entails and whether it is suitable for your business.
Assess if you have the necessary skills, resources, and capacity to successfully deliver the contract.
Check the eligibility criteria carefully to ensure that you are eligible to apply for the tender contract.
Prepare a comprehensive response to the tender that meets the requirements set out in the invitation to tender.
Submit your tender response in accordance with the instructions in the tender documents.
Now you know the top 10 tendering secrets, you may be wondering how we can help you. Below is a list of our services from tender writing, review, preparation and improvement. Not to mention our portals to help you find tenders and our in-house design team who can transform your tender responses with eye-catching designs.
Once you’ve found the perfect bid for your business, send it our way. Our Bid Writers can take care of the whole thing for you they’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll let you know what they need from you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown.
Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is perfect for businesses that have never tendered before. A Bid Writer will work with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully. Tender Ready offers your business:
If you’ve been tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts, our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Team will assess your previous responses and tender documents. They will work with you to improve for future submissions. This package includes a 12-month subscription to a Hudson Discover portal and additional tendering development services.
If you’ve written your tender response and need it double-checked for errors, Tender Mentor can help. A Bid Writer will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar, or spelling mistakes. They will also ensure it’s in line with the specification before you submit it. This is a great way of improving your skills and understanding of how to polish your tender.
Contact us to find out how we can help your business SUCCEED!
Do you only require assistance with PQQs or SQs? We can help!
Submit the relevant information regarding the work you need, and we will provide a quote for the work agreed upon.
We provide support at all levels of the bid writing process, so if you simply need it proofread before you submit it, we can also help with that!
Upgrading to Discover Elite can optimise your tendering efforts!
Our two new time-saving tools can improve competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract:
The Ultimate Time Save Package (for those on the go!)
The Become a Pre-Bid Master package
Wanting to impress a buyer? Our creative content agency Vocal is always on hand to help!
Our Vocal team are never afraid to be heard – we’re a loud bunch!
From micro-businesses to large organisations, we provide ways to make your business stand out from the crowd. We can transform your bid into a professionally designed tender document!
Vocal specialises in:
Our online virtual learning environment for Education, Enterprise and Home Learners is currently being used to power our platforms – Tender VLE and Procure VLE (Coming soon).
We believe in learning at your own pace, wherever you are!
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