Having a strong bid process in place is the best way to win more work. There are many ways to improve bid management, from implementing helpful software to team communication. It’s not complicated – just a few tweaks will vastly improve your team’s bid management.
Appoint a Bid Manager
Depending on how your team is structured, there may already be one bid manager or director in the team. Regardless of the company structure, it is a good idea to assign one person to oversee one tender project to ensure continuity. If the person changes halfway through the project, it can lead to confusion, and even work duplication of work, which helps nobody.
Teamworking Schedule
Having a team schedule is so important, to make sure all team members are on the same page. You need to have an awareness of everyone’s workload in relation to the project, to make delegation fairer and simpler. You do not want anyone on your team to burn out from the stress, so having a structured plan will keep everyone happy, and the bid will improve as a result.
Research, research, research
Having a yearly strategic plan is important for planning. Of course, there will be unexpected opportunities that pop up, but by researching the tenders that are coming up for the next 12-24 months, you can at least have an idea of what to expect. It helps with business continuity planning and allows your team to hit important milestones throughout the year.
Attend bidders’ events
If you have time and the means, it’s a good idea to attend bidders events, to gain a better understanding of the requirements of a tender. It allows the chance to address areas of clarification from the potential client, and gives you a competitive edge in winning the work.
Listen to feedback from unsuccessful tenders
If the client offers feedback – listen to it! There is always room for improvement, and the client will have similar requirements to other tenders you go for, so it is important to utilise previous feedback and use it to improve your future win rate.
Use bid/no bid tools
The biggest consideration to think about when going for bids is the likelihood of winning. Is it worth the time and money to go after the big ticket projects, if there is no chance of winning? There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, but if the bid seems impossible to win, then its best to leave it. There are many tools out there that can help you decide on certain work, such as our free bid/no bid tool.
Regular communication with team members
Writing bids is a very stressful job, which can lead to a pressurised work environment. Miscommunication and misinterpretation of information can lead to big mistakes further down the line, so it is important to keep regular communication going. The earlier problems or anxieties can be fixed, the better result for the whole team, and leads to a more supportive working environment. Daily or weekly check ins are helpful for both the manager and the bid writer.
Use Bid Management Software
Tired of searching for previous work, and wasting time on duplicated work? Using bid management software can make your bid process much more efficient and compliant. They come with features such as a document repository, internal search engine and cloud functionality, meaning your staff can work anytime, anywhere. Version control is a huge bonus, as staff can work on the same document at the same time, which saves multiple versions from being emailed to everyone. For more information on bid management software, check out EasyPQQ.
Brand Guidelines
It is important to make sure that your company brand guidelines are followed through on your bids, as they will enhance the documents and give you a competitive edge. If your website, document literature and company documents have a streamlined look, it could be the difference between winning or losing the bid.
Ask a Bid Consultant
Have you got a ‘must win’ bid on the go, but you’re worried about not winning the work? By hiring a specialist bid consultant, who is an expert in winning work, you will increase your chances of securing the contract.
The bid consultant can act in a variety from capacities, from acting as a critical friend, to leading on your work and managing the bid. Bid consultants can review, write, proof-read, and give you a breakdown on how to best win the work.
Want to find out more about bid consultants? Contact us and we can help you out.
