Writing Tenders: Advice from Professional Tender Completion Services

Writing winning tenders is much like passing an exam. You must be prepared, go through each question carefully, understand the entirety of each question and respond in a persuasive manner. As one of the leading tender completion services, here is some crucial advice to keep in mind when it comes to tender writing.

Know what you’re up against

The first important factor in the tendering process is to fully understand the tender opportunity and the client. This is ideally done before the tender request is issued. When the tender request has been issued, the tender rules will likely prevent you from meeting one-on-one with the client.

Meeting with a client before the tender has been issued can give you an opportunity to provide feedback and make suggestions on the tender request documents. It can also give you a deeper insight into the client’s requirements, challenges or goals.

In addition to fully understanding your client, you must understand the competitive landscape. Do you know who your likely competitors are and what their strengths and weaknesses are? Do you know what your UVP (Unique Value Proposition) is?

Your tender response must persuade your client as to why they should be choosing your company over your competitors.

Complete a mental checklist before moving forward

Reading through past exam papers helps when preparing for an exam, and just like when preparing your tender, it’s a good idea to read over past tenders that have been issued by the customer. This gives you an idea on the type of questions they will typically ask and may even give you the opportunity to prepare parts of your response in advance.

When a tender request is issued, a good first step is to read the tender documents carefully and create and answer the following mental checklist:

• Do I fully comply with the tender requirements?
• Do I fully understand the client’s needs?
• Does my product or service meet the client’s needs?
• Do I have the capacity and resources to deliver if successful?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, then you might want to consider waiting for another opportunity where you can answer yes to every question.

Consider your quote and tender format

When considering the format of writing your tender response, it is important to select a format or template that is both compliant and compelling. This is when turning to tender writing companies like us can really help. Having an experienced bid writer who understands how to best present your product and services will greatly increase your chances of submitting a winning bid.

Whilst the price is a crucial factor in winning a tender, it isn’t the only factor to consider. Tenders aren’t always awarded to a tenderer who is quoting the lowest price. However, you will also need to demonstrate why your product or service is better value for money to compete with the lowest compliant bid (within 10% or thereabouts).

To work with one of the leading tender completion services in Australia, or to learn more information about how we can assist your tender needs, contact Bidsmith. Call us on 1300 243 294 or explore our website to learn everything you need to get started today.