How to Write a Winning Tender in 7 Steps

Writing a tender can be a daunting task, especially if you've never written one before! But it's an essential part of the procurement process; and a well-written tender can help you win new business and literally, in some cases, positively transform your company.

Unfortunately, there are many examples we've seen of poorly written tenders which have cost organisation's the chance of securing a lucrative contract.

In this blog post, we'll take a deeper look at the tender writing process and provide some tips for writing a compelling and winning tender.

Step #1: Understand the Buyer's (and your) Needs

The first step in writing a tender is to understand the buyer's needs. This is the stage where you need to evaluate whether or not you're going to go ahead with the tendering process or not.

Some key questions to consider that may help you decide to go ahead or not are:

• What are the buyer's requirements?

• What are their pain points?

• How closely is this opportunity aligned to our business strategy?

• Do we meet the basic requirements of the tender?

• Do we have the necessary experience?

• Can we complete the writing process on time? Given our existing commitments?

By having a deep understanding of the buyer's needs, you can determine if you're going to be a good fit, if the tender is going to be beneficial for your company, and if you have the capacity to provide the service or good to a high standard and on time.

Additionally, and perhaps most importantly if you decide to go ahead with the bid, by knowing this information, you can begin to tailor your tender writing to meet the specific requirements of the buyer.

Step #2: Review and Deconstruct Available Information

Before you start writing your tender, it's essential to review and understand all the available information. This step will help you create a comprehensive Bid Plan and ensure that you don't miss anything important. Here are some VERY useful tips to help you review and deconstruct the available information:

• Review the Tender Carefully: Read through the tender and identify exactly what each question is looking for. This will help you tailor your responses to the buyer's needs and requirements.
  

• Break Down the Questions: Can the questions be broken down into individual requirements or themes? Doing this can help you structure your responses and make them more organised and easy to understand.
  

• Request for Clarification: Do you require any clarifications from the buyer? If there is any ambiguity in the tender, don't hesitate to request clarification from the buyer to ensure that you have a clear understanding of their requirements.
  

• Know Your Buyer: What do you know about the buyer? Researching the buyer's background and history can help you tailor your responses to their preferences and expectations.
  

• Conduct Research: Can any research on previous or similar awards be conducted? Conducting research on previous or similar awards can help you gain insights on what the buyer is looking for and what has worked in the past.
  

• Consider Formatting Requirements: Are there any formatting requirements you need to consider, such as layout, document attachments, or word count? Make sure you follow all the formatting requirements to ensure that your tender meets the buyer's expectations.
  

• Include Additional Recommendations: Is there anything missing from the specifications or additional recommendations you would include? If you have any additional recommendations that can add value to your tender, don't hesitate to include them.

By following these tips, you can review and deconstruct all the available information to create a comprehensive and winning tender.

Step #3: Get Creative with Your Writing

Next up, it's time to get writing. Even more importantly, it's time to get creative with your writing. Don't fall into the trap of using generic templates or copy-pasting content from previous tenders. Your tender should be a unique and compelling document that showcases your strengths and differentiates you from the competition. Make sure your writing is clear, concise, and easy to read.

Top Tip: Avoid industry jargon and keep your language simple and straightforward. Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. Do you want to be reading lots of jargon-heavy bids? Or would you rather be reading something more original and easier to read?

Step #4: Structure Your Tender

A well-structured tender is essential for success. Make sure your tender is easy to navigate and follows a logical flow. Consider using headings, subheadings, bullet points, and tables to make your tender easy to read and understand (but also, a little more interesting for the buyers - there really is nothing worse than pages of block writing).

I strongly suggest you sit down and plan how you're going to tackle the tender writing process. Constantly refer back to Steps 1 and 2. Your initial evaluation will have highlighted key win themes, and your review will have provided clarification on what the buyer is asking for.

Now use this information to prepare high-level response themes for each question. At this stage, focus on capturing key points and creating a range of headings or bullet points for each question, without producing a detailed narrative.

Is there a word count for your responses? This is the point where you should start thinking about the answer structure and how to divide the word count among the different topics you want to cover. By carefully planning your responses, you can ensure that you address all the buyer's requirements and create a compelling and structured tender.

Step #5: Tender Writing

Let's begin writing! While following a plan to ensure key topics are covered is important, don't make the mistake of just listing responses. Your proposal needs to be compelling and showcase your unique selling points.

Your responses should tell the buyer about the benefits they will receive (and not just describe what you offer).

Seek to help them in understanding why choosing you over the competition is the best option for them.

Top Tip: Think Outside The Box - Don't feel limited by the specifications provided. If you feel that the specifications have not fully captured the requirements, or the project could benefit from new considerations, include them! Propose solutions to problems the buyer hadn't even realised were there! A company that overlooks issues won't impress the buyer as much as the one that proposes innovative solutions.

Highlight Your Unique Selling Points (USP)

What makes your company unique? What sets you apart from the competition? Make sure you highlight your unique selling points in your tender. This could include your experience, expertise, track record, or any other factors that make you stand out compared to your rivals. It may be worth looking into your likely competition at this point and assessing their USP's. How can you position yourself to not only highlight your own, but also ensure that you cover theirs too?

Provide Evidence to Support Your Claims

Don't just make claims in your tender, provide evidence to support them. This could include case studies, testimonials, or statistics. Providing evidence to support your claims will help build trust with the buyer and increase your chances of winning the contract.

Step #6: Proofread and Edit Your Tender

Once you've written your tender, it's time to proofread and edit. This step is crucial, as even a small error can cost you the contract. Trust me, I've heard countless tales of very minor issues literally costing people their opportunity to gain a lucrative tender.

Take the time to review your tender carefully and make sure it's error-free. You may also want to get a second (or even third) pair of eyes to review your tender and provide feedback. Additionally, companies like ours offer review services where we review and offer comments or feedback on how you can improve your existing draft.

Step #7: Submit Your Tender

Finally, it's time to submit your tender. Make sure you submit your tender before the deadline and follow the instructions carefully. Don't forget to include all the required documents and information.

Top Tip: Have a checklist of ALL documents that must be provided.

Most importantly, don't forget to show your enthusiasm and passion for the project. A well-written tender that showcases your expertise and passion can go a long way in winning the contract.

Conclusion

The tender writing process can seem daunting, but with the right structured approach you can write a compelling and winning tender. Understand the buyer's needs, get creative with your writing, structure your tender, highlight your unique selling points, provide evidence to support your claims, proofread and edit your tender, and submit it on time. And who knows, your next big contract might be just around the corner!