how to write a tender proposal

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How to Write a Tender Proposal: Cracking the Writing Code

Pedro Bernardini

Writing a winning tender proposal is like crafting a key. Imagine a high-stakes opportunity. Just like the right key unlocks a door, the right proposal unlocks a specific opportunity.

Writing that proposal, however, is not without its challenges. Complex requirements require expertise. Writing demands time and teamwork. It only pays off if you write a proposal that unlocks that door.

Ready to crack the writing code? Become a writing key master with these tactics. 

The Requirements

Want to unlock the door to your next lucrative project? Begin by understanding the client's needs and priorities. Otherwise, you're just sitting for an exam without studying.

• Face Value . Read the Invitation to Tender (ITT), then, read it again. At face value, what are they looking for in your response?
• Meaning . Read between the lines. Look for the implied meaning. What are they thinking about? What are they really asking for, and why?  
• Misconceptions . Identify and discuss with your team. But avoid opinions and interpretation. Use the ITT's process for clarifying questions. Just be careful not to reveal anything strategic.
• Scoring . Read with the requirements in mind. What do they prioritize? What do they value?

The Outline

Your outline is essential for ensuring you design the right key for the right door. Without one, you’ll end up with grooves in the wrong place. With the right outline, you’ll leave no detail behind.

• Order . Do not stray from the outline mandated by the ITT. Instead, use it  to your advantage. For example, showcase your ability to communicate value within the given outline.
• Flow . Within the outline, design a logical flow of requirements and information. Between the sections, create coherent transitions. Both help readers follow your reasoning.
• Visuals . Improve understanding by using visuals to support your content. A good rule of thumb; complex (flowcharts, drawings), some complexity (charts, graphics, timelines), simple (improve your visual appeal).
• Space . Allocate more space for where you shine and score big. Strive for balance and contrast; help readers see and understand the relationship between items on the page.

Pre-Writing

A common misconception is that experts know exactly how to respond to requirements. They certainly have the expertise, however, they are not writers. Annotate to give them direction and clues to get them started. This helps minimize rewriting as you design the right proposal for the right opportunity.

In fact, teams who begin with a pre-writing plan are more likely to deliver on expectations without rewriting.  

• Expectations . Include how you and the team interpret the requirement.
• Value . Include the points that appeal the strongest to decision maker drivers.
• Evaluation . Include how you and the team believe you will optimize your score.
• Annotate . Point to existing content for reuse and tailoring. Identify evidence that helps writers support their claims.

Assembling your team is about more than just assigning tasks and deadlines. Often times you're bringing together a group of cross-team experts from across your organization. Each with their own full-time jobs, shifting priorities and conflicting schedules.

Be flexible, and use their time wisely. For example, make time for upfront questions and concerns about strategy and process. Foster an environment of clear communication and seamless collaboration.

Depending on the complexity of your tender submission, your team might include:

• Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), for example engineers, contribute to the requirement responses.
• Manager, for example a project manager, contributes to the approach and work plan.
• The Legal Department contributes to compliance, and uncertainty that could disqualify you.
• The Pricing Team contributes cost estimates and pricing scenarios for optimizing your score.
• Writers weave expert information and writing tactics into a cohesive and persuasive narrative.
• Reviewers contribute feedback on accuracy and improvements for strengthening your proposal.

How to Write a Tender Proposal

Copy and paste a generic proposal and evaluators will overlook it. Tailor a custom proposal and you will stand out from the crowd. And increase your chances of unlocking that opportunity door. 

• Educate . Establish your team as a credible source by keeping your content relevant. Dive into problems, and the consequences of inaction. Support claims with data and statistics.
• Persuade . Demonstrate your value beyond the technical specifications by making it easy to visualize the outcome.  
• Connect . Humanize your solution by connecting with the reader's frustrations and aspirations. Describe how you will help them overcome their fears and achieve their dreams.

Reviewing and Editing

When time is tight, this step can easily fall by the wayside. Hold firm.

Reviews confirm compliance and accuracy. Editing corrects shortcomings, and strengthens your narrative. Would you read this blog if you found errors and it was tough to understand?

Assign different types of reviewers to cover readability as well as accuracy and strategy. Throw in some reviewers who are unfamiliar with the opportunity. Be clear what you expect from them; actionable feedback, not "this needs more" opinions.

• Accuracy . Inspire confidence by delivering an error-free proposal that demonstrates your attention to detail. Identify and correct where accuracy is in jeopardy.
• Clarity . Foster acceptance by delivering a proposal that is easy to read and understand. Identify and shorten sentences and simplify word choice.
• Compliance . Avoid noncompliance by following requirement and formatting guidelines. Identify and correct compliance concerns.
• Score Yourself . Optimize your score by testing yourself. Identify and improve areas that increase your score. For example, shifting a feature into a benefit.  

Writing Tools

When it comes to writing a tender document, there are a range of tools available to support your process. They can eliminate repetitive manual tasks and process detours. They can also boost your efficiency and help you enhance the overall quality of your proposal.

• Content Library. A library stocked with accurate content, evidence and visuals, eliminates recreating the wheel on every bid. Just be sure to tailor what you use.
• Writing Software. A writing tool centralizes documents and writing activities, easing collaboration and boosting efficiency. It eliminates redundant manual effort while helping managers keep their finger on the pulse of progress and status.  
• Smart Document Builders. Combine these guided, step-by-step questionnaires with your content library for faster turnarounds on less complex tenders.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI). An AI tool can help you evaluate the ITT, and identify relevant content in your library for reuse. Giving you more time to invest in clarity.

Now you hold the key to cracking the proposal writing code. Take a deep breath, put your newfound know-how to the test, and get ready to unlock the door to your next lucrative project. 

Read more: Achieve Your Proposal Management Goals with XaitPorter

Pedro Bernardini is a Junior Business Development Manager & Sales Development Lead at Xait. With a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from UCFB, he has a strong background in sales, marketing, and recruitment in the sporting industry. His passion is helping sales and bid teams resolve complex business-critical issues relating to their bid-management processes. When he's not working hard at Xait, he avidly reads sales books. Chances are, if you find yourself at any random electronic music festival on the planet, Pedro will also be there.

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How to write a tender: The Complete Guide

9th april 2020.

Table of Contents

The complete guide on how to write a tender

Last updated: Mar 17, 2022 @ 3:56 pm

It’s safe to say that tendering for contracts is a great opportunity to develop your business, providing services for the public sector . With over 150 tenders uploaded to our 11 portals each day, there is an opportunity for every business – including yours.

Once you’ve found your opportunity, you’re going to want to make sure you maximise it. So, in this blog, we’re going to run through how to write a tender properly.  

Don’t just jump in

One of the more exhaustive, yet essential processes before writing a tender is to make sure you know what you’re writing about – not to mention this process is often overlooked by many taking on tendering for the first time.

Yes, it’s easy to quickly jump in and try and answer the question in front of you without a moment’s hesitation, but this can quickly snowball into missed requirements and drafting something that doesn’t answer the question.

More often than not, those who are new to tendering can often end up ensconced in their own echo chamber – putting down the answer to the question they think the evaluator should be asking, not what they’re actually looking for.

This approach to writing tenders will, more often than not, score poorly.

Know what you’re writing about

Before you start writing bids – make sure you can actually fulfil the criteria as set out in the specification, avoiding wasted time. Consider:

• Do you meet the minimum financial criteria ?
• Can you feasibly meet the requirements of the buyer?
• Do you have the required accreditations and memberships?
• Do you possess the relevant experience to undertake the contract?

From here, you can make a bid/no-bid decision – if you can’t meet the likes of the above, you’re likely to be excluded from the process altogether or end up scoring poorly.

So now we can get into the fundamentals of how to write a tender. So, we’ve evaluated the specification, and now we’re ready to tackle the submission.

PQQs or pre-qualification questionnaires (or sometimes referred to as selection questionnaires ) typically ask questions regarding what you have done in the past previously and are used as the first stage of selection, as part of the restricted tender procedure – open procedure tenders seldom use PQQs.

As discussed in the previous point, we are going to want to explain how our experience makes us suitable for delivering the contract.

Typically, completing a PQQ involves:

• Filling in basic company information, such as registration numbers
• Confirming that you haven’t breached legislation, or became a James Bond villain overnight
• Technical and professional ability – or case studies (see next section)
• A declaration and contact details

Some PQQs are different than others, however, this is the typical process. Some PQQs, such as PAS91s in the construction sector, consist of several additional sections, which often entails a far more detailed, evidence-based approach.

Case studies

Normally included in the PQQ section under ‘Technical and Professional Ability’, case studies ask you to describe 2-3 contracts of a similar nature that you have completed, or are currently undertaking, in the past five years.

These case studies are an opportunity to sell yourself and demonstrate previous successes, and how you can bring similar results for buyers.

With word counts typically within the 500-word mark, you could consider:

• What is the scale of the contract? For example, how many properties do you renovate within a given period?
• What is the nature of the relationship? How did this start?
• How did we mobilise and deliver the contract?
• Have you had any key challenges, and how have we learnt from them?
• To summarise, what are the results? Did you finish on-time and within budget, and has the contract been renewed or extended?

ITT section

Now we move to the ITT section . This is where knowing how to write a tender will come in handy, as this is the proposal section. This is what we WILL do.

Typically, questions in a tender may cover the likes of:

• Quality management
• Health and safety
• Environment and sustainability
• Social value
• Mobilisation
• Service delivery
• Complaints handling
• Continuous improvement
• Supply chain and subcontractor management

Deconstruct the question

Tender questions are often made up of several key points which a buyer will want you to address, with marks distributed equally across each section. Consequently, to maximise your marks, you should always deconstruct the question in such a way that all points are addressed. You can’t know how to write a tender without first breaking down the individual elements of the tender questions. Let’s look at this example:

The principal contractor must provide details of how you propose to manage your sub-contractors and supply chain (including placement of orders to ensure appropriate lead times ).

In your response, please include details on the below:

• Provide 2 examples of a problem which occurred completing similar work and how did you overcome this ?
• Provide 2 examples of problems you have faced with sub-contractors in the past and how did you overcome this ?

So – let’s deconstruct this one. The bold sections are the mini-questions, shall we say, which should inform our structure. Note, the buyer has been kind to us on this one also, with some bullet points to point out some other points they want to see covered.

We could, therefore, adopt the following headings and subheadings:

• Management of our subcontractors and supply chain
• Placement of orders to ensure appropriate lead times
• Problems occurring during similar work
• Problems with subcontractors

As such, this clearly highlights to the buyer that we have addressed each point of the question, making their life easier. Not to mention it makes sure we cover the points they’re asking!

Make life easier for the buyer: be concise

Buyers will, potentially, have hundreds of tender submissions to evaluate, and as such, you want to write content that is easy-reading and clearly highlights conformance with the specification. Some pointers to make your submissions as easy reading as possible include:

• Use headings matched to the deconstructed parts of the question
• Don’t use filler or fluff content, this doesn’t add anything of value, and instead could frustrate an evaluator
• On a similar note, be to the point – if you can say something in fewer words, do it
• Bullet points are your friend – they are easy to read, and can often allow you to say a lot more with tight word counts

You still want to make sure that, even when you’re being concise, that what you’re writing both:

• Is coherent, makes sense and answers the question
• Is grammatically correct, free from colloquialisms and mistakes

The above will leave a negative impression with the evaluator; we’re all human, so we don’t want to put them in a bad mood. An unhappy evaluator is one that is more likely to deduct marks.

Avoiding filler content

This idea of being to the point is especially important when we consider word counts. It’s not uncommon to see these restricted to as little as 200 words, for example, whilst asking for several things to be covered in a response. Here, being concise and avoiding ‘filler’ or ‘fluff’ content is vital – see the example below:

‘Here at Tendering Company Ltd, we are passionate about quality and strive to implement quality into all we do’

This is a particularly empty statement which doesn’t answer the question, especially in the context of a short response. Think about it – this is 19 wasted words, nearly 10% of the word count saying absolutely nothing. No company is going to say they don’t care about quality, right?

Review and proofreading

So, once you’ve written your response, you should always make sure it has been proofread. After all, spelling and grammatical errors reflect badly on your submission, highlighting a lack of attention to detail.

Ask a colleague, a manager or director – an additional pair of eyes will always prove useful when:

• Identifying mistakes, such as sentences that do not make sense
• Contradictions or points which may come across negatively
• Additional content or points that could be fed in

For example, here at Hudson Succeed , we use a three-stage checking process for all tender responses:

• The writer will conduct a self-review before sending it for proofreading
• This will be passed to another member of our bid team for review
• Our Head of Bid Management, or Bid Manager , will review the content before finalising

Tender submissions can be requested by buyers through a variety of means:

Email submission

Postal submission, uploading to a procurement portal.

The latter is, by far the most common. To mitigate the chance of any potential IT errors, it’s always best to ensure you handle the submission in advance – usually days – to eliminate the chance of any last-minute mistakes and stress. Late submissions – even by 1 second – are often disregarded and won’t be evaluated. So, plan ahead, and get it submitted in good time. We always try to get tenders submitted at least a day prior to the submission deadline.

Sit down with our Managing Director, Jill Hudson

Jill has over 20 years’ experience with Tender Writing. She knows how lonely it can get when you see rejection in the early days.

I quite quickly went from a success record of <15% in my very early days of tender writing to >70% just by spending the time needed to digest feedback and eliminate silly mistakes. Mistakes I seemed to be making all the time without evening realising I was doing it.”

The thing you need to realise very early on is that feedback is the route to success.

No one really likes  reading the feedback  of how they’ve missed the point of the  tender document. The response didn’t hit the mark – at all , or you’ve forgotten to proofread and your response to a question is littered with mistakes. Queue – kick yourself under the table and put the kettle on. It’s important to get back to the ‘Tender Basics’ every time you’re  writing a bid .

However, without this feedback, you will continue to make these mistakes. The most common mistake you will make is not understanding the time it takes to respond to a bid correctly. Assuming you’ll write a winning submission in 2-hours is unrealistic whilst ABC Ltd are using all their resources.

Tender Basics:

You need to quickly realise that the only way you will start to win is to get back to the tender basics:

• Believe you can win it – ensuring you have the right credentials.
• Do your homework – research is key.
• Spend the time needed to  write a winning  submission.
• Don’t leave it until the last minute – this is how mistakes happen.  Time Management when tendering  is key.
• Ensure you understand the  point scoring mechanisms   to ensure you are maximising your answers to the questions asked.
• Answer the question with the information they have requested, not the information you believe they should know about your business.

We’re sure you’ve established that our main piece of advice over the many blogs we have written, is to  be sensible with your expectations.   If you turnover around £100,000 per annum, you’re not going to win a £2,000,000 contract. Nor should you want to put all your eggs in one basket like that. So, if this is the course of action you’re taking you will continue to receive the rejection letters.

Tender writing is an art form. It isn’t for everyone but you will reap the rewards if you spend the time learning and assessing what you need to in order to win.

Jill states  “I’m a firm believer that the only person you should ever be in competition with is yourself. That way you will always get better.”

Eliminate the noise and … focus!

The 6 most common mistakes made when tendering

Throughout our 60 years of bidding experience, we have seen many mistakes made by suppliers who don’t understand how to write a tender. We want to share these with you to ensure that you never fall into these traps.

Not answering the question that is asked

Many companies answer a question based on what information they think the tendering company should know about their business, their processes and their experience.  Instead of what they’ve actually asked for.  If you are being asked to submit a response to a question, double check you’ve answered what they’ve asked of you.

Not doing your research

Research is king! The tendering organisation will want to see that you’ve taken the time to do your homework.  Your tender response will be stronger for it.

Not taking the time to submit your best response

If you’re not going to give it your all, it’s pointless  submitting a bid .  Someone else will put all of their company efforts into winning this work, and is it really the impression you want to leave for your business?  We’ve all been there when we’ve seen the tender response 24 hours before its due, but sometimes it really is best to pass than to enter a response that isn’t your best work.

Missing the deadline, but sending it anyway

This shows a lack of respect for the tendering process , making it look like you can’t or won’t achieve the deadlines.  Your tender response would be disregarded anyway, so if you’ve made a mistake and missed the deadline, don’t send in your response and use it as a learning experience.

Ignoring the requirements of the Invitation to Tender 

Many  tender documents will ask you to complete the tender documents in a specific way.  Don’t ignore these requests.  If the ITT asks for you to submit your response using their pre-defined questionnaire, don’t ignore this, use it.  The client may fail your response for not following the guidelines provided.  It’s a lot of work to get your tender dismissed.

Bidding for absolutely everything 

So many businesses make the mistake of tendering for absolutely every piece for work and wonder why they don’t win anything.  You’re so much better off responding to five tenders extremely well, then 15 tenders quickly and rushed.  Create a tender checklist that gives you an understanding of the tenders you would like to win, can deliver well, and stick to it.

Need Support?

Using these tips and pointers, you should be well on your way to figuring out how to write a tender properly and take control of your Bid Management . If you’re struggling with writing tenders and need a bit of help – we offer four  tender writing services .

Our Success

Bidding for tenders is a vital process for securing new contracts and growing your business. Depending on your industry, it is likely that your competitors are bidding for the contracts they’re securing. As well as other strategies such as marketing, tendering is one of the most effective ways to grow your organisation.

Hudson Succeed  is a Durham-based business development consultancy. We were founded by husband and wife team, Jill and John Hudson. Jill has been supporting global organisations with their business growth efforts for almost two decades. Hudson was founded based on her experiences of tendering and procurement.

Across the   Hudson Group , our mission is to make tendering a fairer and more transparent playing field for all businesses.

Whilst working with the 700+ businesses that we support, we noticed a common misconception from SMEs in particular. It seems that some SMEs are under the impression that they are too small to tender for work. This is not the case.

Our Head of Bid Management, Daniel Hall, said:

“You have to be realistic when making your  bid/no-bid decision . You should always consider the contract value and assess the experience requirements before bidding.   

However, there are advantages to being an SME when tendering for work. For example, the UK government has a target to spend £1 in £3 with SMEs. This means that public sector organisations want to work with smaller companies.

SMEs also have the advantage of not competing with industry giants on smaller projects. Larger businesses tend not to bid for contracts with smaller values, therefore increasing your chances of winning.”

Since launching our Hudson Succeed suite of  bid writing services , we have been thrilled to work with businesses around the world. However, as a company with strong roots in the North East, it is always a pleasure to support local businesses.  

Securing 4-years’ income for Imagine You Can UK

Imagine You Can UK is a leading provider of the National Citizen Service (NCS) in Redcar and East Cleveland. They also work across the North of England, delivering opportunities for personal development and employability skills for young people.

The company’s Director approached the Hudson Succeed team and enquired about our bid writing services. They required support with the submission of a tender for the provision of additional delivery partners to provide capacity for delivering an NCS programme.

Challenges  

When bidding for tenders, there will inevitably be challenges that you didn’t foresee. With experience, these obstacles become easier to mitigate. Due to the nature of this tender, we knew that we would encounter challenges with sensitive information. The work required detailed information regarding Imagine You Can UK’s safeguarding and data management procedures.

Tight deadlines also posed an issue to our time management. As the company was a new client, we did not have a bank of information at hand, as we do with returning organisations. This meant that the team had to extract the necessary information in a short timeframe to ensure maximum quality marks.

A detailed communication procedure was therefore created to obtain the information needed. The team then underwent a thorough bid plan, outlining the necessary activity for both parties.

Due to the deadline of the tender, work was allocated across our team of bid writers. They proactively took charge of each response and produced high-quality, well-researched and detailed tender responses.

Our team produced 5,000 words within a little over 24 hours of the work being commissioned.

As a result, Imagine You Can UK were successful with their endeavour and they were accepted onto the framework. This secured them sustainable, ongoing income for the next four years. Due to this success, we have developed an excellent relationship with the company, and we look forward to working with them in the future.

“Daniel and the team gave me excellent instructions on the content they needed to complete this tender. The whole process was seamless and I’m glad to say we were accepted onto the framework. It was a pleasure to work with Hudson and we look forward to collaborating in the future.”  – Dave King, Director at Imagine You Can UK.

Find more case studies.  

Winning a DPS place for APM Cleaning Ltd  

APM Cleaning provides commercial and domestic cleaning services on a national scale. The company contacted Hudson Succeed for support after identifying a tendering opportunity. They expressed concerns with developing the quality responses and providing the evidence required to win a place on the framework.

After our initial consultation with APM Cleaning, the Hudson team found another contract opportunity using our  Facilities Tenders   portal. The team made the client aware of the second opening which was a Facilities Management DPS with Prosper Housing.

Once the work was agreed upon, our team began working on both tenders for the client.

The deadlines were very close together which meant that both submissions needed to be developed in tandem, necessitating splitting the workload between two bid writers. This, combined with ongoing tenders we were already compiling for other clients, posed a challenge to our time management.

APM was also a new client with Hudson Succeed which meant that required company details needed to be extracted.

Through the creation of Hudson’s staple bid plan, a communication procedure was implemented between us and the client. The two assigned bid writers collaborated effectively to ensure no overlapping in requests for information from APM.

Once completed, the tender response underwent a thorough, internal review process. Our Head of Bid Management took the lead on all stages of content development.

Both tenders were signed off and submitted four days ahead of the deadline.

As a result of our team’s combined efforts, we successfully secured APM a place on the second DPS. We were successful in all the LOTs applied to.

We are still awaiting the results of the initial tendering opportunity.

Due to this success, we are pleased to say our working relationship with APM Cleaning has continued. We have since supported the submission of four more tenders. One has been successful. We’re awaiting the results for the others. We also look forward to working with the client on a future bid, later this year.

“The Hudson team was very reactive in their ways of working and handled all communications very effectively and efficiently. This partnership is credit to the recent win for the Prosper DPS for Facilities Management, which we were successful on all LOTs applied. We would recommend Hudson to any company who require bid support of any kind!”  – Samantha Reid, Director at APM Cleaning Ltd.  

Find more testimonials.

Advice for SMEs

We understand that bidding for contracts can seem daunting during a pandemic. However, it is important to remember that businesses are still actively seeking suppliers.

Understandably, some   SMEs don’t know how to tender for work. The practice is more prevalent in some industries than in others. In construction, for example, most businesses are either actively tendering or have been involved in the process before.

However, bidding for tenders does carry   advantages . For example:

Public sector contracts guarantee pay

It might seem strange to sign a contract and not be guaranteed pay. Unfortunately, we hear of this happening in the private sector more often than we would like.

The Crown Commercial Service’s Prompt Payment Code means that this won’t happen in the public sector. The code stipulates that invoices must be paid within 60-days. This gives suppliers peace of mind, knowing that income is guaranteed, and the profit can be accounted for.

Build your experience

If you’re a relatively new business, building a portfolio of experience is crucial before you go after the big contracts. By securing smaller value projects, you can demonstrate relevant and impressive experience when the time comes to “bid bigger”.

Also, building a portfolio of experience means building a bank of contacts. Bidding for tenders helps to connect you with buyers that you may not have had access to previously.

Frameworks can help your sustainability

Winning places on long-term frameworks increase your chances of securing contracts sustainably. Some frameworks can last up to 10-years or more. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to bid for this work as the projects are published.

So, time to get cracking

Our team of experienced bid writers and managers are on-hand to provide whatever level of support you require with your qualitative submissions, from writing bids , to help with the tending process. 

Call  or  email  us for a free quote and find out how we can help your business grow.

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

• How to win a tender
• The tendering process
• Writing winning bids
• 7 tips for tendering for contracts
• Tips for bid management
• Bid writing services
• The types of tendering procedures
• Writing bids
• Writing tenders
• Bid writing consultants
• Submitting a tender response
• And many more .

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How to Write a Bid Proposal (Steal This Free Template)

When your team comes across a request for proposal (RFP) or similar questionnaire, you have a great chance to wow potential clients with your response.🤩

But how can you actually stand out through your bid? Keep reading to learn how to write a bid proposal, as well as the 8 key elements of every winning response. Plus, scroll to the end for a handy template to simplify your process—and impress your prospects.

Get started by learning:

• What is a Bid Proposal?
• How to Write a Bid Proposal
• 8 Essential Elements of a Winning Proposal
• Bid Proposal Template (PDF Example)

What Exactly is a Bid Proposal?

Before we dive into the elements of a winning bid, let’s start with the basics. A bid proposal is document that outlines your organization’s response to a request for proposal—or a request for bid.

In the bid, you’ll be asked to respond to a series of questions from the buyer, in order to determine if your product is the ideal fit for their business. Your bid must contain information like pricing, deliverables, and timing to help the procurement team make their choice. Beware, you could be among dozens of bidders for these big projects. 🤯 That’s why writing a proposal that breaks through the noise is critical for your company’s success.

How to Write a Stellar Bid

A good proposal submission must be clear, yet compelling. Comprehensive, yet easy to digest. The list is practically dizzying . 😵‍💫

Despite the temptation to rush against a deadline, it’s essential to review all requirements thoroughly, so you can tailor your bid to meet the specific needs and expectations of the buyer. But don’t worry, writing a persuasive and personalized response is more straightforward than it seems.

Effective proposals successfully demonstrate these three elements:

Technical Competence

Why do your features, experience, or credentials qualify your team to take on this project?

Understanding the Client’s Needs

How can your organization offer unique solutions to the client’s challenge? (Be sure to conduct competitive research and customize your answers.)

Compelling Value Propositions

How is your solution different from the competition? What sets your organization apart? (Think pricing, feature benefits, or another distinct offering.)

8 Essential Elements of Winning Bid Proposals

Like a great resume, a successful bid proposal should stand apart from the pile of responses each RFB receives. While the template below is a helpful starting point for baseline information, it’s how you present your differentiators that will make your organization stand out from the competition. 💪 A few key elements in an effective bid proposal are:

1. Client Information

The first few fields of a business proposal are pretty straightforward. The client’s information should include their name and contact details. Just like a job cover letter, it’s ideal to address the appropriate individual, too.🔍 Hint: It’s worth sleuthing around on LinkedIn or the client’s company website to understand who should be addressed in the bid proposal.

We have started to put more of a personal touch on our responses by referring to each customer by name and calling out their current issues or headaches. Then, we identify how out product alleviates those pain points.

2. Contractor Information (A.K.A. Your Details)

Display your contact information front and center. You want to make it easy for the potential client to know exactly who you are, look up your website, and even review your past work and success stories.

3. Job Name

Include the project title or job you are bidding on. As mentioned, these first three fields are the easiest to get right. But perhaps for that very reason, they’re also the easiest to get wrong. If you’re copying from old templates and past bids, double-check you’ve updated these fields correctly.

💡 Process Tip

Incorporate proofreading and editing into your RFP process checklist . Nothing fails to impress a client more than feeling like they’re getting somebody else’s boilerplate answer.

4. Job Summary: Scope of Work & Key Deliverables

This is where the rubber hits the road. Provide project details, including the scope of work and deliverables. You may also want to elaborate on your methodology here, highlighting what makes you unique so you stand apart from other bids.

“If you use an app like ChatGPT, try playing with it to get inspiration on how to write your proposals better. Let it know the style you wish to apply (professional, friendly, simple, short), what information to add, and which benefits to emphasize. It will give you plenty of ideas.”

5. Project Budget: Pricing Information & Payment Schedule

Give it to them straight, and don’t undersell (or oversell) yourself here. Remember that while winning bids doesn’t always come down to price alone, it is a key decision-making factor. So, be transparent about your pricing requirements and estimated costs per the scope of work outlined. Detail the key milestones and payments required for each step.

6. Terms and Conditions

Include any “ifs, ands, or buts” in your scope of work, schedule, or payment information. For example, mention any variables that could impact timelines (such as client decision-making, feedback, or even weather) . This section may be a little more legal in its tone, but remember, it’s there to protect you and the client.

7. Project Timeline / Work Schedule

Share a tentative timeline for the project with a proposed start and end date. If your organization is at capacity, you may want to offer a later start date. Again, be realistic here. There’s no point trying to win a bid on aggressive timelines only to blow past your proposed delivery dates.

8. Signature Fields for Both Parties

Signing your bid adds a personal and professional touch. Leaving a signature field for prospective client makes them feel like they’re just one step (or signature) away from kicking off their project.

Bid Proposal Template

Want to improve your bidding process? Here’s a simple project proposal template you can use to create your bid proposal.

FAQs About Business Proposals

What is included in a bid proposal?

High level, your bid proposal should include:  

• Client information
• Contractor information
• Project/job name
• Project/job scope of work/summary
• Project/job budget
• Terms and conditions
• Client signature
• Contractor signature

While the format and content of a bid proposal changes depending on the project, industry, and requirements within the RFP. The elements above are standard across most bid proposals.

What should a winning bid proposal look like?

A great bid should be well-structured, persuasive, and tailored to the specific needs of the client or organization issuing the request for bid (RFB). While the exact format and content may vary, here are some key characteristics and elements a winning bid proposal typically possesses:   Compelling Content

• Compliance with RFP requirements
• Understanding client needs
• Detailed scope of work that highlights qualifications and experience
• Detailed pricing

  Clear Formatting

• Optional (but encouraged) : visual aids, like graphs or charts
• Clear, professional, and branded formatting

  Strong Project Management

• Proofread and edited
• Submitted on time

How do you formulate a bid?

Formulating a bid, whether for a business contract or a project opportunity, requires careful planning and attention to detail. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to formulate a bid:  

• Understand the requirements
• Assess your capacity and fit
• Gather the information you require
• Tailor your information to address the specific needs and concerns of the client
• Develop a competitive pricing strategy
• Identify potential risks associated with the project and provide a clear plan for risk mitigation
• Ensure that you meet the submission deadline

  If your bid is successful, be prepared to negotiate terms and finalize the contract. If unsuccessful, seek feedback to understand why your bid was not selected and use this information to improve for future bids.

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New research: how are proposal teams adopting ai in 2024, rfp project management: 7 methods to win more consistently, how to write a proposal executive summary that sells, not summarizes (example + template included).

Tender Writing | How to Write a Tender and Best Practices

What is a tender and how to write a winning tender using tendering best practices for your next rfp or itt..

Jasper Cooper

September 28, 2023

Introduction

Tender writing is a critical skill for businesses and organizations seeking to secure contracts and projects. It is the process of creating comprehensive and persuasive documents, known as tender proposals or bid proposals, with the primary objective of winning contracts, projects, or business opportunities. These contracts can range from government projects and public-sector contracts to private-sector collaborations.

What is the Purpose and Objective of a Tender?

The primary purpose of tender writing is to respond to requests for proposals (RFPs) or invitations to tender (ITTs) issued by potential clients, including government agencies, corporations, or organizations seeking external vendors or service providers.

The main objective is to convince the client that your organisation is the best-suited and most qualified to meet their needs and requirements. In essence, it's about persuading the client to choose your proposal over those submitted by competitors.

Tender writing is not just a skill; it's an art that can open doors to lucrative contracts, funding, and business opportunities. Whether you're new to tendering or a seasoned professional, understanding the format, questions, and intricacies of tender responses is essential. In this article, we'll delve into the world of tender writing, exploring the critical components of a winning tender response, the role of bid writing and proposal writing, and the secrets to success. Discover how a tender writing course can be your key to mastering this art and how tender consultants can elevate your proposition to new heights.

Basics of Tender Writing

Tendering involves responding to invitations to submit proposals or bids for projects, contracts, or grants. The format and questions involved in a tender response can vary, but the fundamentals remain consistent. It's about presenting your services, qualifications, and approach compellingly to win tenders.

The Key to Winning Tenders: A Persuasive Tender Response

A winning tender response is more than just answering questions; it's about persuasion. To stand out, your response must address the client's questions comprehensively while convincing them that your services are the best fit. Skilled tender writers know the secrets to persuasive writing, weaving compelling narratives and highlighting strengths to create a compelling proposition.

A well-organized proposal showcases your services, qualifications, and pricing clearly, making it easier for clients to evaluate your submissions.

What are the best practices when writing a tender?

I have had my fair share of experiences when it comes to writing tenders. It is a meticulous process that requires attention to detail, strategic thinking, and a strong understanding of the customer's needs. Through my personal experiences, I have learned a few best practices that I believe can greatly enhance the quality and effectiveness of your tender writing.

Analyse the Tender

First and foremost, it is crucial to understand the requirements outlined in the tender document thoroughly. Take the time to carefully read and analyze each section, ensuring that you have a clear understanding of what the customer is looking for. This will help you tailor your response to address their specific pain points and requirements.

Design a Differentiated Value Proposition

Once you have a solid grasp of the requirements, developing a strong value proposition is essential. Highlight your products and services unique features and benefits that align with the customer's needs. Clearly articulate how your solution will solve their problems and add value to their business. Use real-life examples and case studies to demonstrate their effectiveness in the real world.

Collect Testimonials & Case Studies

In addition to a strong value proposition, showcasing your company's expertise and track record is important. Provide evidence of successful projects and satisfied clients to build trust and credibility. This can be in the form of testimonials, certifications, or case studies. Demonstrating your track record of delivering high-quality solutions makes you more likely to stand out from the competition.

Optimise for Readability

Another best practice is ensuring your response is well-structured and easy to read. Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise language to make navigating and understanding your response easier for the reader. Avoid using technical jargon or overly complex language that may confuse or alienate the reader. Instead, use plain language and explain any technical terms or concepts clearly and concisely.

Explain the Price

When it comes to pricing, developing a competitive pricing strategy that balances your profitability with the client's expectations is important. Be transparent in your cost breakdown and clearly explain the value that the client will receive in return for their investment. This will help build trust and demonstrate that you have considered their budget and financial constraints.

Please Proofread your Tender

Lastly, always proofread your tender before submitting it. Typos or grammatical errors can make your response appear unprofessional and may give the impression that you lack attention to detail. Take the time to carefully review your tender for any errors and make sure that it is well-written and error-free.

The Secrets of Successful Tendering

Understanding the Client's Needs: To write a winning tender response, you must first understand the client's requirements and objectives. Tailor your proposal to address their unique needs.

Quality Over Quantity: Focus on quality, not just quantity. Concisely and clearly answer the questions posed, avoiding unnecessary jargon.

Proof of Capability: Back your claims with evidence. Use case studies, references, and certifications to demonstrate your qualifications and experience.

Pricing Strategy: Develop a competitive pricing strategy that balances your profitability with client expectations. Ensure transparency in your cost breakdown.

The Role of a Tender Writing Course

If you're looking to sharpen your tender writing skills, consider enrolling in a course. These courses provide valuable insights into tender response format, questions, and techniques. Attending a tender writing workshop can also be beneficial, offering hands-on experience and practical skills development. Expert consultants guide you through the nuances of persuasive writing and help you refine your approach.

Funding and Grant Writing

Tendering isn't limited to contracts; it extends to grant opportunities. Skilled tender writers often find success in grant writing, securing funding for various projects and initiatives. Understanding the format and questions posed in grant applications is essential for success in this area.

Tender Writing consultants

Tender consultants are invaluable partners in your tendering journey. They bring extensive experience and insights to the table, helping you craft winning tender responses. Collaborating with tender consultants enhances your chances of success and can be a game-changer in competitive tendering scenarios.

Mastering the art of tender writing requires a deep understanding of the format, questions, and the power of persuasion. Skilled tender writers have secrets up their sleeves that can turn a mere response into a winning proposition. Enrolling in a t course and partnering with tender consultants can elevate your tendering game, opening doors to new contracts, funding, and business opportunities. So, dive into the world of tendering with confidence, armed with the knowledge and skills to succeed.

Further reading

RFP Automation Software 2024 Overview

Jason Cooper

Loopio vs Responsive (RFPIO) a comprehensive comparison

Best RFP Software: My Personal Experience

Top 5 Proposal Software Tools for 2024

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