Tendering 101 For An Industry Newcomer

Finding Tenders & Writing Successful Tender Applications

When picking to go down the tender path, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, this is a commitment you make for your business model. Put in the time to brief yourself on the steps required to ensure you achieve optimum success. Putting things into perspective by asking yourself basic questions is essential to understand if tendering is the right fit for your company.

Figure out what exactly you’re selling, who’s willing to buy it and how. Tender writing companies can make the process easier especially if you’re a smaller business that has minimal resources to spare.

Find Your Tender

Before dwelling on how to write a tender application, let’s focus on narrowing down avenues that will help you find a tender first. Government agencies put up tenders that require services and goods throughout the year. Often, they allow you to sign up to receive notifications about relevant job opportunities. As Government tenders can be competitive,tender writing companies can come in handy, specifically in the case of newcomers to the tender scene.

Non-government opportunities are also freely available online — always ensure you are setting yourself up with an authentic website before fully committing. Bidsmith offers a tender notification system for matching opportunities as well.

Reaching out to our team at Bidsmith in the early stages of your tender process is a feasible option too, prior to a potential tender release. Getting your documents and resources in order prior to the tender being released is a great way to plan ahead. Modifications can be made to ensure tender submissions go as smoothly as possible within the allotted time.

If you aren’t ready to reach out to a tender writing company, sometimes the best thing to do is some simple research. Look up experts in your field, ask for their advice, and focus on networking. Often, people know of future opportunities before they are officially listed and make for great resources.

Asking around within an industry or market can also give you a great competitive perspective as well as an idea of what a tender is truly asking for. Taking the risk of reaching out to those higher in the supply chain, could just cinch the deal for you when it comes to future tenders; especially if it means you’re getting registered as an official supplier with the company.

How To Start Writing A Tender Application

Sometimes, a tender application will put up their own format or template for you to follow. Keep in mind word limits and file formats. While these are basic requirements, people tend to look over them and risk missing out on a tender.

While it is important to directly address selection criteria, always give examples as to how you fit this criteria. Simply stating you meet the criteria doesn’t differentiate you from other clients. Supplement your application with relevant information — make a checklist beforehand and ensure all of it is ticked off whilst writing down your tender.

Ensure all your referees have been briefed about the tender and understand exactly what you offer as a service. A last thorough check of your application is essential to maintain consistency throughout your application as well as to ensure no errors are made within the copy.

Finally, after all your hard work, make sure you’re submitting your tender on time. Give yourself some breathing space (more so if you’re posting your tender application). If you’re worried about the entire process and want to increase your chances of winning, getting a tender writing company with years of experience like Bidsmith to guide you through it is the best the way to go.To see how we can help you, contact us today.