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A Comprehensive Breakdown of Tendering for Event Planning Contracts

Posted on by John Hudson

Here’s an overview of what to expect and prepare for when tendering for event planning contracts

If you’re reading this article, you’re likely wondering two things about event planning contracts. The first is probably, what types of contracts are available for companies within the event planning sector? The second, what does the process of bidding for an event planning contract involve?

Finding tendering opportunities that match your services and capabilities can be an arduous and daunting process. Often, you need to filter through countless tendering platforms. The prospect of heading this process is what informed our foray into the industry. We implemented our strategy especially for bidders where existing responsibilities already take up so much of their time. At Creative Tenders, we have extensive expertise and consultancy experience in sourcing tenders and ultimately, in winning them!

The scope of event planning tenders

First, a disclaimer in relation to event planning bids is the breadth and diversity of tenders that are available. To provide a complete overview, we’ll tackle each prospective opportunity type. We’ll also look at what kind of processes you’ll need to follow when organising and constructing your tenders:

Considerations for event planning contracts

Event planning can itself be quite an intimidating term, inclusive of a diverse range of roles and responsibilities. Something we endeavour always to note with our clients is that the two most important factors to successful tendering are:

  • Experience – This refers specifically to the experience of the bidding organisation, rather than the experience of specific individuals within the organisation. 
  • Proposed methodology/solution – In the context of event planning, this encompasses your organisations management strategies and infrastructural commitments.

When demonstrating experience, it’s important to ensure that your examples illustrate, at a minimum, the following features:

  • An established understanding about the processes and procedures involved in event planning.
  • Prior experience of working on contracts with both a comparable scale and comparable planning/management responsibilities.

Typically, you’ll likely be asked to provide, at a minimum, 2-3 prior contract examples where the stated features are present. The strongest responses for contracts in event planning will often use these prior contracts. These not only act as evidence of past experience, but a platform for validating their methodology and why its suitable.

Common oversights

When entering into the bidding process for event planning/management, there are a variety of considerations you should keep in mind. There are countless instances where wholly suitable, qualified enterprises, through neglecting the following features, lost out on desired contracts:

  1. Read AND refer to the specification

Before committing to a particular contract, it is vital that the ITT (invitation-to-tender) is studied in sufficient depth. This ensures you meet the pre-qualification criteria, but also that you possess the appropriate infrastructure. Infrastructure relates to both recruitment and sourcing procedures, in place from commencement through to the conclusion of contracted works.

In lieu of an internal writing team, the following list details several strategies for determining personal/corporate suitability:

  • Location: Establish where the contracted works will take place. Firstly, where is the site/event? Secondly, where is your base-of-operations? And thirdly, is it in close enough proximity to assure the buyers of your capability to deliver during the contract?
  • Budget/scale: This should be a key consideration in all bidding proposals. Once you’ve consulted the ITT/specification for an overall budget and contract scale, take this opportunity to determine:
    • Is the budget reflective of the services that your corporation is capable of providing? If not, how will works be subcontracted to supplement this?
    • Is the scale of the project/event reflective of your infrastructure? If no, how will you alter your recruitment and outsourcing practices to make sure events are planned and managed effectively.
  • Key dates: Other key factors when searching for suitable bids are your resources and the timescales for deadlines and production. An awareness of basic key dates: contract commencement and tender submission deadlines being the primary figures worthy of note.
  • Pre-qualifying/required accreditations: Though variable per tender, contracts in the event planning industry can require an array of qualifications and licenses. These are foundational indicators of your ability to carry out and effectively meet the specified criteria for service delivery. Required qualifications may be extended to include individual experience and credentials of team members (lighting, filming, etc.). 

  1. Innovations and USPs (Unique Selling Points)

Given the diverse operational requirements which define event planning, another element worth including in responses is your enterprise’s USPs.

USPs refer to any innovations which might distinguish you amongst your competitors. To demonstrate your enterprises commitment to ongoing growth, it’s worthwhile to include >3 innovations that your company has implemented. These USPs may include any mechanisms which streamline procedures and increase productivity. Innovations come in many forms, including:

  • Systems: Though not exhaustive, systematic innovations can refer to your operating system, communications platforms, planning and reporting tools, and financial software. Assuming, for example, your organisation provides its personnel with IM platform(s), you should detail why these are comparably effective.
  • Resources: An overarching term to describe your material and infrastructural sourcing strategies. For example, if your organisation uses a unique hiring platform/strategy, how is it superior to the standard strategy?

  1. Policies and other pre-requisite documents

Like most enterprises emerging into the tendering market, your company is likely in its infancy. It may be worthwhile – prior to tendering – to ensure all appropriate corporate policies are documented and recently renewed. Though not exhaustive, the list below provides an insight into areas where policies are expected:

  • Data protection
  • Safeguarding
  • Health and safety
  • Equality
  • Code of conduct
  • Complaints

To tenderers, your policies act as indicators regarding your general operations and delivery standards. Additionally, they provide further insights into your enterprise’s lines of accountability, expectations and your treatment of employees. Policies are varied and often span numerous pages, making their production a daunting prospect for those foraying into corporate status. Luckily, at Creative Tenders, our established team of bid professionals have provided aid in refining and producing tenders. We also have extensive experience providing bespoke advice and guidance to organisations creating them.

Why tender for event planning contracts in 2022?

Since the advent of COVID-19, it’s no wonder countless suppliers assume planning contract opportunities would be scarce and excessively competitive. This isn’t completely accurate, however, as the government projection posits 35% of all tourism-based revenue will originate from events. Coupled with the government drive towards SME and VCSE sourcing, this demonstrates the present tendering climate is rife with opportunities.

How can we help?

 Presently (July 2022), restrictions continue to ease, and public events are once more becoming a commonplace occurrence. As such, the need for planning and management personnel on events of all sizes is greater than ever. A subscription to Creative Tenders provides the following support mechanisms to aid you in the process:

  • Access to all exclusive, public and private sector creative contracts in the UK.
  • An on-hand Account Manager is available to answer any questions you may have about event planning tenders. They can help you understand the process and answer any questions you have about the tendering process in general.
  • A daily email bulletin is sent straight to your inbox when new event opportunities are uploaded.
  • Discounted support from Hudson Succeed, our bid writing division.
  • 20-minutes of free consultancy with one of our Bid Management Consultants each month.

Need additional support?

You don’t always have the time or resources to write a winning response in-house. Outsourcing to bid writing experts can help. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, offers four levels of bid writing support. They boast an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of bid writing experience. The services on offer include:

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

We also source opportunities for sectors including:

Book a free live demo with Creative Tenders to see how we can help your business grow.

Past examples of event planning tenders found on our portal 

Event Planning & Delivery Services of the Para-Cycling Road

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships – Scotland – Budget: £990,000

Ceremonial Event Planning and Management

Scottish Government – Scotland – Budget: £700,000

GB-Middlesborough: ERDF – Grow Trees Valley Annual Conference and Event Planning

Teeside University – North East – £500,000

Whatever route you choose, Creative Tenders have options available for businesses of all sizes and contracts of all scales. We can offer your enterprise an immense leg-up in competing and thriving on contracts within the event planning sector.

A Guide to the Bidding Process in Event Management

Posted on by John Hudson

10 Top tips for the bidding process in event management

Would you like the bad news or the good news?

The bidding process in event management comes with both good and bad news. Event management is an incredibly underrated industry in terms of the complexity and effort it takes to thrive. Many people outside of the industry may feel that managing an event is an easy task. However, as you will likely know, there is a lot more to event management than meets the eye. Planning, budgeting, and logistics are just a few of the hidden skills you need to thrive.

The bad news: nothing worth having comes easy. Starting the bidding process in event management is not something your business should take lightly. You will need to put in some time and effort to see results.

The good news: the bidding process in event management isn’t all that bad. You may find you already have the skills needed to submit successful bids. Once you have some basic knowledge, tendering can become your organisation’s best friend.

What is the bidding process in event management? 

The bidding process in event management can feel like a daunting challenge. From finding the perfect tender to writing the bid, it can be tricky to know where to start.

A basic process within procurement is where the buyer will release an invitation to tender (ITT). This ITT will detail a project the buyer requires support with. It is then the supplier’s job to submit a bid to demonstrate their company’s capabilities. The bidding process in event management often requires details from suppliers which demonstrate their ability to organise a successful event.

When a business begins its tendering journey, the first hurdle is usually understanding the above process. The next task is to develop a bidding process in event management.

Top 10 tips to consider within the bidding process in event management

  1. Read the ITT

One thing to consider when entering into the bidding process in event management is reading the ITT documents. This step is severely neglected and can cause critical time and effort to be in vain. Make sure you have noted the location and budget to ensure you are suitable for the project. Have the key dates handy so you can see if the work will affect other commitments. By properly digesting this information you will have both the confidence and competence to succeed.

  1. Do your research

Often within an ITT, the buyer will include some background information about their organisation. It doesn’t hurt to go the extra mile and find out more about the buyer. Businesses often want their employees to be passionate about the business and align themselves with their values and goals. The relationship between buyers and suppliers is no different. Knowing more about who you are requesting to work with will give you a greater insight into their decision making. This way, you will know precisely why and what the buyer is asking.

  1. Be realistic

As previously mentioned, it is important to understand the scope of work for your desired tender. It can be easy to lose sight of reality when you see an attractive opportunity. The job itself may suit your business but the location may be too far afield. You may be attracted by the budget but have other commitments in the start and end date periods. If you find yourself not meeting any requirements you must take a step back and be realistic. Don’t waste time on a bid which you cannot feasibly secure and complete. You are making life harder for yourself and wasting time that could be used securing the perfect opportunity.

  1. Don’t put yourself down

On the other hand, it is also crucial you do not put yourself, or your business down. It is easy to feel that, as a small or medium enterprise (SME), you will not stand out against bigger suppliers. The UK government currently has a target to spend more with SME’s. Their target is to spend £1 in every £3 with small and medium businesses. This means that public sector buyers are looking to establish relationships with smaller organisations. So, you still have every chance to secure work, even if you’re a small business.

  1. What is your USP

Having a unique selling point is essential. You must relay to the buyer what makes your business stand out from the competition. What makes you unique and what can you offer the buyer that no other supplier can? Perhaps it’s the experience in that particular type of event or your specialist resources. You may even have better working relationships with suppliers and vendors compared to your competition. Having some knowledge of your competition can be used to your advantage. Try and think from the buyer’s perspective. If you were making the decisions, what would you value in an events company?

  1. Create a bid library

Each tender you submit a bid for will be unique. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t keep your bid documents for future use. Supporting documents such as health and safety policies and case studies can be used multiple times. Keep these filed away as part of your “bid library”. Some documents may need adjusting to suit the tender but having the outline can save a lot of time. This will ultimately result in a more efficient bidding process.

  1. Be methodical

Tendering is a structured process. You must set yourself tasks and deadlines to complete the work needed. It may be worth having an internal checklist of deadlines if more than one department is involved. Make sure to give yourself plenty of breathing space for errors or delays. Many events have an aspect of complex time management, scheduling and coordination. Use these skills to your advantage within the bidding process in event management.

  1. Social Value

Social value is becoming an increasingly important factor which buyers are evaluating in their tender scoring. Our Hudson Insight Series has revealed a stronger emphasis on social value within the procurement world. At the time of writing this blog, the UK has very recently left the European Union. With this change came a change in procurement procedures. The government’s green paper gave an in-depth look at the changes which were being made. Buyers will now be encouraged to consider social value more within their bid evaluation. This means your bid should have a focus on how you help your employees, as well as the wider community. As of January 2021, government buyers have placed a 10% weighting on social value within your quality response. Make sure you stay ahead of the curve and have your social value responses prepared.

  1. Reflect on previous feedback

If you have previously submitted a bid and have not been successful, don’t feel disheartened. Ask for feedback on the unsuccessful bid and use it to your advantage. Your feedback will clearly show your bid writing strengths and weaknesses. It may be that your pricing was too high, or your quality response lost some marks. Take the time to study this feedback and make sure you learn from any mistakes. This will ultimately improve your bidding process in event management.

  1. Get a second opinion

Whether you are solely responsible for your bid or you’re working within a team, mistakes can be made.  When you work closely on a project it can be hard to take a step back. You may not notice spelling or grammar mistakes, or you could have even left out important information. For almost two decades our team of bid writers at Hudson Succeed have been responding to tenders. They know better than anyone the importance of taking a step back to make sure your bid is error-free. Make sure you leave enough time to ask for a second opinion and make the necessary changes. Whether this is through a team of professional bid writers, or a colleague, you will benefit from their feedback.

Can I get support with my bids?

With all of these factors involved with the bidding process in event management, it is natural to need some support. You may want a professional to guide you through the process. You may also look to completely outsource this process. At Hudson Succeed, our team of bid writers thrive in creating successful bid responses. Our team also hold an 87% bid success rate. Last year alone, they secured direct contract wins totalling over £300million for our clients. So, next time it comes to working on your next bid, why not consider a bid management consultant to support you in the process?

Is now the right time to get involved with the bidding process in event management?

Due to the current climate, it is easy to feel disheartened within your business. At the time of writing this blog, the UK has gone into another national lockdown. Many organisation’s plans for expansion and growth have been pushed back and put on hold. Events have been cancelled and income has been lost. You may find yourself wondering if it is worth investing any more into your business.

To set your mind at ease let’s look at the facts. In 2017, UK spending on events was £39.1 billion. This contributed 35% to the UK’s visitor economy. As one of the largest industries in the UK, it is impossible to ignore the significance of the events sector.

The Scottish Government have recently released a guidance plan which reiterates the importance of the events sector.

We want a strong events sector to help drive Scotland’s economic recovery and future prosperity. Event organisers should therefore use this guidance to look forward and engage with trade union or workforce representatives early in their plans for restart to develop workplace specific plans for a managed transition away from current restrictions”

A new campaign is also being launched in the UK to support the events industry. #WeCreateExperiences aims to raise awareness of the importance of event management to the UK economy. The campaign will set the scene for the return of live events in 2021. Simon Hughes, the co-founder of the #WeCreateExperiences campaign, says:

Live events will return in 2021 and there will be pent-up demand. Businesses who commit budgets to events in 2021 will reap the rewards and steal a march on their competitors”

Perfect your bidding process

Over any event management life cycle, you will face unexpected difficulties. Your business has likely seen a shift in security measures following the increase in the national threat level. You may have also had to shift to a more digitally focused approach to events. Social media is now widely used to safeguard events and has given more visibility to smaller events. Having to change and adapt to the current climate is not unusual for an events company.

It is vital to note there are still events opportunities out there. You may need to shift from a word of mouth approach to a tendering process. The current situation may be the perfect time to perfect your bidding process in events management. Keep evolving your business with the times to make sure you have a steady stream of work in your pipeline.

Where do I find tenders?

If you are struggling to find event management opportunities, then Creative Tenders offers the perfect solution. We have been uploading record-breaking numbers of opportunities to Creative Tenders, even throughout lockdown.

As a member of Creative Tenders, you will have access to:

  • All the available events tenders within the UK, without needing to understand CPV codes.
  • A dedicated account manager.
  • 20 minutes of free consultancy every month with our bid experts.
  • The ability to filter by keyword, location and budget.
  • Discounted bid support with Hudson Succeed.

Book a free live demo with Creative Tenders to see how we can help your business grow

We source creative contract opportunities for sectors including;

Recent events management tenders we sourced include:

Provision for the service of Managed Open Access (MOA) for Winter and Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
English Heritage- Stonehenge visitors centre- South West- Budget: £480,000
21-12-2020

Provision of Management, platform hosting and delivery of virtual events
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland- International- Budget: Undisclosed
16-12-2020

Grimsby Creates: Festival Director – Grimsby Festival of the Sea 2021
North East Lincolnshire Council- East Midlands- Budget: £10,000
07-12-2020

Visitor Programmes Production Company Framework
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – London- Budget: £ 450,000
18-12-2020

Events Tender
Ordnance Survey- South East- Budget: £ 300,000
18-12-2020

Opportunities for Creative Contracts UK

Posted on by John Hudson

5 Expert Tips for Winning Creative Contracts in the UK.

Are you looking for creative contracts in the UK? Whether you’re a marketer or website developer, you may be wondering, what creative opportunities are currently available, locally and nation-wide? And how is the industry rebuilding itself going forward, after such a devastating year?

We’ve compiled some industry insight, with tips from tendering experts and bid writers, to support creative contractors. Discover how you can boost your chances of winning creative contracts to grow your business as we head into 2021.

The creative industries: a workforce like no other!

Creative jobs make up a significant portion of the UK workforce! Did you know, more than 2 million UK jobs are in creative industries? The Creative Industries Council (CIC) reports an estimate of 2,040,000 jobs – with 75 per cent of them falling outside London. A further 1 million creative jobs are based in organisations outside the creative industries, such as technology and digital services. This takes the total number of UK jobs in the wider creative economy to 3.2 million. (That’s 9.6 per cent of all UK jobs!)

Creative jobs are added to the UK economy at a much faster rate than jobs in the economy as a whole. In fact, new jobs are developed at two to five times the rate of jobs in other sectors. Creative employment between 2011 and 2018 increased by 30.6 per cent. Average growth across the UK was only 10.1 per cent during that period.

Evidently, creative contracts in the UK cover a vast range of services. Such a versatile and everchanging industry requires a well-adapted and streamlined approach to sourcing business. At Creative Tenders, we’re experienced in sourcing creative contracts. We host tenders for sectors including:

Creative contractors need time to be creative! That’s why our priority is saving clients time and money when they’re searching for business opportunities. We source new tenders using our skilled procurement team, who categorise sector-specific tenders all in one place using industry-driven keywords. Opportunity tracking has never been so efficient! Book a free live demo to see how we can help your business grow.

How is the UK currently investing in new creative contracts?

There’s no doubt 2020 has been a tough year for the creative sector. The pandemic has stunted a rapidly growing industry and forced many creative businesses to close their doors, or drastically adapt. Music venues are now providing socially distanced concerts, for instance. Some businesses, such as theatre companies, have remained closed with workers furloughed since March, with little or no respite.

It continues to be an uncertain time, heading towards 2021. However, major investments are now being made throughout the creative industries.

Here are some key examples of grants, schemes and programmes currently in place to revive the creative sector:

  • £1.57 billion – Culture Recovery Fund.

This is the government’s overall rescue package for the cultural and heritage sector. Thousands of organisations across a range of sectors can benefit from grants and loans. This includes the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic palaces, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema. For example, venues and organisations currently benefiting include:

    • Military Wives Choirs
    • The Hepworth Wakefield
    • Night and Day in Manchester
    • Whitby’s Tomorrow’s Ghosts
    • Gothic Festival
    • London’s Somerset House
    • Kneehigh Theatre in Cornwall.

  • £500 million – Film and TV Production Restart Scheme.

The scheme supports 40,000 UK jobs by covering Covid-19 related insurance costs. The scheme will provide financial compensation for costs incurred due to Covid-related issues.

  • £150 million – The Sector Deal.

The Government has agreed a Sector Deal with the creative industries sector, through the Creative Industries Council (CIC). This investment will unlock growth and a longer lifecycle for creative businesses in the following ways:

    • funding leading creative clusters to compete globally.
    • by funding technologies and content via research into augmented reality and virtual reality.
    • funding creative skills of the future via a careers programme that will open up creative jobs.

  • £75 million – National Lottery Project Grants.

Recently re-opened by the Arts Council with an increased budget, funding is available to creative individuals, communities and cultural organisations.

  • £18 million – Developing Your Creative Practice Programme.

Also re-opened in Autumn 2020 by the Arts Council with an increased budget. This programme helps creatives step up their work in new ways.

  • £3.36 million – Emergency Grassroots Music Venues Fund.

This is an investment in 135 venues at risk of imminent closure due to the coronavirus.

  • £3 million – Festival UK 2022 Research and Development Programme.

Research and development for 10 major creative projects began in November 2020. The 2022 festival aims to reach millions, bring people together and showcase the UK’s creativity and innovation globally. 30 creative teams will be drawn together from over 500 organisations and individuals, including freelancers, across the UK.

Which areas have been identified for further industry improvement?

In addition to these major investments supporting the creative industries, areas for further research have been flagged up. Research will be another key avenue in reviving the industry and creating a more sustainable sector, going forward.

The Creative Industries Council (CIC) has identified nine core areas to improve through further research and development. These are:

  • Job Quality: While there is growing data on the number and growth of creative industries jobs, however, more insight is needed into job quality.
  • Strategic skills: The industry needs an accurate, refined future vision for which careers and skills are in highest demand, especially with the changes to the industry.
  • Creative education: There needs to be a stronger system for capturing and reporting the value of creative education.
  • Pipeline of talent: Better visibility into the talent pipeline and into career progression is required.
  • Creative professional development: the industry needs a better understanding of opportunities for professional development and learning.
  • Productivity and management practices: Compared to other industries, there’s a lack of evidence about productivity in the creative industries.
  • Tackling the diversity challenge: Better evidence is needed on the representation of all minority groups, and for data that goes beyond participation to explore the quality of work.
  • Local talent pools: The UK is lacking evidence on local skills and talent pipelines and how these meet the needs of local businesses.

Looking forward to the future of the creative industry, improvements in these areas will be significant for advancing the industry. This will, in turn, improve the jobs of the large percentage of the UK workforce in the creative sector.

How can you win creative contracts in the UK right now?

Securing creative contracts that are the perfect fit for your services is essential for growing your business – especially now. Finding the right contracts through effective portals like Creative Tenders is a great place to start. But how can you ensure you’ll see success throughout the tendering process?

Tenders for creative contracts are most often Requests for Proposals (RFPs), which can require a long and complex tender response. An RFP essentially means the proposal will be free-flowing, rather than comprised of short and simple text box answers. An RFP must encompass the entirety of the project, including a statement of work, along with a specified timescale and plan. The buyer may require a specific format. Due to these requirements, becoming a successful RFP writer can be challenging.

A successful RFP writer must ensure all elements of what the buyer is looking for are covered. If you need support, the bid writing experts at Hudson Succeed have extensive experience in writing successful creative contracts. They have secured a range of creative bids for UK clients, from marketing to videography, helping creative businesses to grow.

What do our experts recommend when bidding for creative contracts?

Here are 5 features our bid writers recommend focusing on when it comes to bidding for creative contracts:

  1. Design is an important element of a creative bid; a well-designed and clear proposal is often a requirement. Do you have the skills to create a well-designed bid in-house, or is this something you should outsource?

 

  1. Cultural alignment. Ensure you fully understand the buying organisation and reflect this in your proposal. Can you demonstrate your cultural alignment to the buyer and job at hand? For instance, consider how their work ethic and brand vision aligns with your own.

 

  1. Experience and case studies. Case studies are essential. Can you demonstrate your company’s relevant experiences and lessons learned in detail? How have you analysed and improved upon past projects?

 

  1. Creative bids tend to be more conceptually driven than other industries. Construction bids, for example, contain highly detailed specifications with little room for abstraction. With a creative bid, there is usually much more freedom to showcase your brand and vision. Can you demonstrate your brand’s personality alongside the concept of the bid?

 

  1. Delivery model. Can you comprehensively set out each phase of your delivery model, i.e. inception, production, post-production? The evaluation criteria of a creative bid will consider the quality of each of these stages. Detail is important here. Since the proposal is likely free-flowing, however, you should evaluate what level of detail is required.

Get in touch with Hudson Succeed for further support with writing proposals for creative contracts. Access expert support through the following bid writing packages:

Below are some tenders we’ve sourced on our Creative Tenders portal:

COVID Public Information Campaign

CPD – Supplies and Services Division- Northern Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

Provision of Video Production – Provision of Video Production and Broadcasting services.

Abbey Theatre Amharclann na Mainistreach- Northern Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

Tender for Website Design, Build & Host

Believe housing- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

Procurement of Services for Artwork, Design, Layout and Formatting of a Series of Knowledge Products to be Ready for Printing for EVAW Pacific Partnership Project

UN WOMEN- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Specialist Curator for the Good Business Festival

Liverpool City Council- North West- Budget: £20,000

Still looking for creative contracts in the UK?

Start finding creative contracts in the UK with Creative Tenders – it’s simple! Book a free, live demo with one of our team members today. We’ll walk you through the unique features of our portal and how they can help grow your creative business.

But don’t just take it from us! What do our clients say?

The following feedback is from clients of Creative Tenders:

  1. “I get an overview of relevant tenders in the sectors I have chosen, summarised in one bulletin that arrives at the end of the day, leaving me to focus on other activities. We actually won our first tender we applied for using the site which was amazing. Any queries I have are always swiftly responded to by Marie and the team. A great service we would highly recommend.” –

    Kyle Gray, Head of Business Development, Regency Creative.

 

  1. “Creative Tenders has been an amazing resource for us. We’ve found the daily discover updates invaluable, allowing us to uncover opportunities we wouldn’t have previously seen without this resource. The Succeed service was brilliant at giving us the tools and guidance to confidently submit winning tender responses.” –

    Laura Dearden, Head of Client Services, Unwritten Group.

  

  1. “We use Creative Tenders to source opportunities like bespoke development, website design and build projects, and apps. Creative Tenders has become central to our daily operations – the platform is easy to use and the regular updates regarding new tenders and business opportunities are invaluable.” –

    Sarah Luther, Sales Director, 6B Digital.

I’M IN COMPETITION WITH MYSELF AND I’M LOSING! – Tender Basics!

Posted on by John Hudson

I’M IN COMPETITION WITH MYSELF AND I’M LOSING! – Tender Basics!

Tender Basics are the foundation of your bid writing success. Our Growth Director, Jill Hudson, has over 16 years’ experience with Tender Writing, so 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.

Tender Basics
Tender Basics

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 throwing all their resource at this competitive contract to ensure they will win it.

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

  1. Believe you can win it – ensuring you have the right credentials.
  2. Do your homework – research is key.
  3. Spend the time needed to write a winning submission.
  4. Don’t leave it until the last minute – this is how mistakes happen.
  5. Ensure you understand the point scoring mechanisms to ensure you are maximising your answers to the questions asked.
  6. 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, building knowledge and correctly assessing what you need to do to allow you 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!

If all else fails, give our Tender Consultants a call, we’re here to help you discover, succeed, procure and invest!

“THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO USE!” – The Tendering Process

Posted on by John Hudson

“THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO USE!” – The Tendering Process

We’ve all heard stories about backhanded business deals and brown paper envelopes passed under the table for the decision making to go in favour of a specific business on a particular contract/opportunity.

This is drastically changing for the better, having analysed tender processes now compared to where they were 10 years ago.  We’re not saying this doesn’t happen! We do still live in a world of human interaction (for now).  However, things are getting better and we’re super confident that this will continue.

Here at Hudson Procurement Group we are focused on creating a fair bidding process for all. We’re working hard to make headway with government organisations. Especially into how and why decisions are made when marking tender documents. And also, how buyers issue tender notifications and how to produce a fair Invitation to Tender and Specification document.

"THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO USE!" - The Tendering Process
“THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THEY WANT TO USE!” – The Tendering Process

We like to advise our customers on how they can question the result of a tender notification and the tendering process if they believe they have been incorrectly scored. This does not mean that we’re going to back sore losers and encourage those who think they should have won when in actual fact the right company was awarded the contract.  On occasion, we’re simply pipped at the post and the best man won and we need to take it on the chin and learn from it.

If you truly believe you were not given a good shot, there are a couple of things you can do:

  1. Ask for thorough feedback, and if they don’t provide it then you can question ‘why not?’. If they’re spending public purse, they should spend the time needed to give you feedback against the winning submission.
  2. If they will not provide feedback ask the process for putting in a freedom of information request, this should prompt them into giving you feedback.
  3. If you are still feeling like you’re getting no response, you can contest the decision based on lack of feedback. This means that spending public-purse will be required to complete a thorough internal investigation into how they have purchased the required services/products.

The most important aspect of any ‘rejection letter’ is to look at it logically and ask for feedback, learn from it and make sensible decisions on how to move forward.

Things truly are changing in the world of procurement. We’re going to be central to making sure our customers are given a fair shot when investing the time needed to respond to an ITT.

We’re only ever a phone call away, and we would welcome your feedback on how you believe the procurement process should change to suit SMEs.  If we hear your feedback, we can help shape policy for the better.

See our ‘Rules & Regulations when Tendering’ Blog for additional regulations that buyers must adhere to.

 Want to learn more about the tendering process? We’re here to help you Discover, Succeed, Procure and Invest.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT DISTANCE: We live in a Digital World! – International Tendering!

Posted on by John Hudson

DON’T WORRY ABOUT DISTANCE: We live in a Digital World! – International Tendering!

This is an age-old debate here at Hudson Procurement Group. We’re constantly telling our customers to spread their wings when it comes to bidding for new business and succumb to International Tendering.

Historically, we used to take as much business as we could from our doorstep. It was, after all, deemed easier to deliver logistically and support with brand recognition. It was a major achievement to be a leading regional vendor.

But, things have changed drastically over the years and the government throws hundreds of millions into helping us SMEs to trade internationally. The world and its major cities are so much more accessible and connected with daily direct flights from the UK to the US, Dubai, Australia, China etc., especially for service and product-based enterprises.

We encourage our clients to eliminate any geographical fear when looking for business. We advise you to look at where the work is and look at the logistics of delivery. If it deems possible, then don’t put in place unnecessary barriers that will hinder your company growth.  An international business development strategy should be a core activity for your executive/director team until you’ve established there isn’t any profit in trading overseas.

Here at Hudson Procurement Group, we have over 1,000 clients all over the world. None of which we’ve met face to face, but it’s not important to meet them. We speak with them daily over the telephone, Skype and email. We still deliver the same value-added service regardless if they’re UK based, operate in the US or have their headquarters in India. We too revel in International Tendering!

Our advice when looking at which tendering opportunities are right for you is:

  1. Don’t eliminate any opportunity until you’ve assessed it properly.
  2. Ensure you can make a profit, taking into consideration traveling and shipping costs if this is a required part of the work.
  3. Take a risk! Sometimes these risks pay huge dividends. Just because you’re not based on their doorstep, doesn’t mean you’re not the right provider.
  4. Don’t assume you won’t be chosen just because you can’t pop to their office for a cup of tea. You’ll find that more and more people try to eliminate the number of meetings they have, not increase them.
  5. Seek advice and guidance from your local Department of International Trade. We’ve found them super useful during our research phase of opening our US office.
  6. Give us a call, we’re happy to help and to answer any questions you may have about bidding for work overseas.

 We’re here to help you discover, succeed, procure and invest.

Common Trends in Public Sector Tendering!

Posted on by John Hudson

Common Trends in Public Sector Tendering!

We think it’s safe to say that every year, something new happens in the world of procurement. This is due to the ever-changing landscape that buyers and suppliers constantly find themselves in. Here are, in our opinion, a small collection of common trends across UK Public Sector Tendering as of late:

1. BREXIT

The word coined to fill the hearts of many with either progressiveness or ultimate decline. The word in our opinion is met with uncertainty, especially in the way procurement will be running long-term. It has been recorded that “since Brexit, the total value of tenders has risen”.  This implies that there is more work than ever before up for grabs. However, how long will it last? Well, there are no immediate changes due to the EU regulations being merged with primary UK legislation. However, we can expect a lot more focus on cost-effective supply chains that are held locally, given our potential departures from European partners. Risk assessments and the holistic management of contracts will surely be examined a lot more in technical questions based on the happenings of BREXIT.

2. Modern Slavery

Have you come across it yet? The question on an increasing amount of PQQs which ask if you abide by Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015? What you may not know is that the act contains a clause on ‘Transparency in Supply Chains’, which addresses the role of businesses and what they do to prevent modern slavery from occurring in their supply chains and organisation[s]. As per Section 54, it states that if your organisation has a turnover of over £36 million or more you must confirm adherence. You will then have to publish a ‘slavery and human trafficking’ statement annually on your company’s website. Mainly, to state what you are doing to prevent this. We find that SME’s tend not to worry about this, as it remains non-applicable 99% of the time, but still, it is something that is commonly being asked across the board.

3. Social Value

What are you doing for your community? what environmental aims does your company have? do you work with apprentices? – these are just a few of the questions that are becoming increasingly asked in public-sector tenders. Even if you are the smallest company around, we advise you to think of your corporate and social responsibility and how this is positively changing the world … or at least your local area. Every little helps! – we advise you do liaise with charities, apprenticeship providers, assess long-term goals and ensure that social value (aligned with a local authority and government initiatives) crops up one way or another, as this is becoming a key contribution to finalising scores in ongoing tenders.

4. SME Focus

By 2020, the UK government has promised “big opportunities for small firms” as they are set to spend £1 in every £3 with small businesses/SMEs. One thing a lot of SMEs DO NOT have that bigger companies DO HAVE is experienced and well-educated internal Bid Writing professionals. This means SMEs will see a surge of utilising external support functions to ensure their tenders are of the highest quality. We are one of those companies! Our aim is not to just write high-quality bids, but support you with understanding the procurement world. We’ll support you with:

  •  opportunity tracking (using our elite and secure Hudson Discover platforms, related to each UK industry) tender training (using our upcoming FREE virtual learning environment with regular VLOGs) eventually
  • maintaining/developing your ongoing content for tendering (using Tender Bank).

The increased use of Framework Agreements and Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) and getting onto these, require rapid and high-quality responses to ensure longstanding work is won and sustained.

These are just a small list of current trends that are recognised as of late. If you need help with writing bids or anything further feel free to get in touch!

We are Hudson Procurement Group and we are here to help you grow, develop and standout!

Understanding & Implementing Tender Feedback

Posted on by John Hudson

Understanding & Implementing Tender Feedback

Understanding and Implementing Tender Feedback – we all dread it, don’t we?

When the doomed ‘Contract Award’ notification hits our inbox with an attached letter titled ‘unsuccessful’ or ‘regret letter’. This can be one of the very few things that make our business-fueled hearts completely shatter!

To put it simply- we have never met a company who hasn’t had some sort of failure whilst tendering. It is very unlikely that you will win every tender you bid for – in fact – around 98% of well-established companies will tell you about a time they failed at tendering.

This could be down to a whole range of things that contribute to the evaluation of a typical tender. Bidding for a job is not just about putting your fingers on a keyboard and writing some profound content (or getting specialist support to do this for you)- there are other key factors that could let you down which you need to take control of and act upon, ready for the next tender!

Buying organisations (especially in the public sector) are now obliged to provide a decent amount of tender feedback as part of their evaluations. This is to support the supplier organisations better their chances next time.

How we approach it…

We are always advising clients to use this to their advantage and encourage them to receive as much detailed feedback as possible. If you only receive scores out of 100, ask for qualitative feedback to how the winner was successful and you weren’t. As mentioned, this is becoming increasingly provided as part of the Contract Award process.

Below is an example of what you should do when receiving the feedback and using this to your advantage towards future efforts.

EXAMPLE Maximum Score Available Your Score Winners Score
Quality 60% 32% 52%
Costing 40% 40% 30%
Total 100% 72% 82%

Our 4 steps:

  1. Understand the key area[s] to why you were unsuccessful- this will be translated clearly in numerical scores using a ratio of Quality & Pricing (and in some added cases, Interview/Presentation)- this will be your main focus to implement improvements;
    e.g. if you score 32% out of 60% for quality but 40% out of 40% for cost – this shows you were the cheapest supplier but lacked in your technical responses. It turns out you were only 11% away from beating the winner in total.
  1. Once quantitative data is identified, source the qualitative feedback provided (if none has been provided- ask for further detail)- this should be broken down clearly on the contract award notification to enable stringent focus on where to improve;
    e.g. out of the 60% maximum score for quality, a major section of this was a ‘Contract Management’ question, which accounts for 30%- the score and feedback provided suggests your contract management arrangements lack innovation and fundamental traits compared to those of the winner (incl. lack of efficient MI system etc.)
  1. Make sure an internal meeting is held with key members of your staff, in order to collaborate and discuss improvements where necessary;
    e.g. Assess all traits regarding Contract Management that was provided as feedback – research best practice – due to the lack of an effective management information (MI) system, it is best to find out which is the most affordable systems on the market- ask yourselves what are your competitors using? What was the winner using? – Companywide Idea generation sessions help massively to ensure a firm approach and wider understanding of what’s needed.
  1. Undergo regular sustainability reviews to ensure improvements are fully established across your organisation;
    e.g. ask yourselves – do we have an effective MI system now? Have we implemented innovative approaches? How do we compare to our competitors? Can we write a better response to Contract management now?

One of the biggest things you SHOULD NOT do is operate a ‘blame culture’ within your organisation when trying to understand tender feedback. Not only will that upset staff and ignite resentment but will likely damage your efforts of improvements going forward. We are strict believers that when tendering, if you win together, you have to lose together also. One of the most important things about tendering is making sure your colleagues are proofreading and checking EVERYTHING before submission. The more eyes, the better! If you find that a mistake was made by a member of your team which had huge effects on your succession of the work, then this should be an issue that was missed by the whole team and treated with solidarity, to effectively improve.

Remember- we offer a Tender Consultancy service to support the development and even review your work prior to submission.
Get in touch if you need further support with managing those all-important opportunities!

The importance of RELEVANT Case Studies!

Posted on by John Hudson

The importance of RELEVANT Case Studies!

Tenders these days (especially in the Public sector) are extremely structured in that they all feature the same legality clauses and requests, based upon EU legislation and procurement law. One other majorly structured trait to a tender and something the buyer definitely wants to know is how you’ve delivered your services in the past!

The age-old question of – “Please provide 3 examples which demonstrate your technical capability in the market” – is now something of common-request in national tenders. And rightly so! Of course, buyers want to know who you currently work with, how much work you’ve done and what great results your company boasts.

They need to make sure you have undergone scopes of work, similar to what they are procuring. Experience is key to winning every contract and as part of our writing tutorials at Tender Consultants. We always state that evidence is needed to back up the majority of the responses. Usually, this evidence comes from your experience. This makes the buyer/evaluator feel at complete ease, knowing you have completed something similar before.

We are not saying that you shouldn’t bid for work you haven’t delivered before (especially if you’re a new business). You may have better tools, better ideas and more cost-effective solutions at your disposal that other businesses (with experience) lack. It’s all about assessing the relevancy of your experience and using this to benefit the contract at hand. This is where Case Studies will support your tendering efforts going forward.

A few Do’s and Don’ts to building case studies include:

  • DO – get in touch with your current clients and ask for testimonials. These can be added to support a strong case for why the buyer should choose you.
    E.g. The CEO of ‘Company X’ has stated we are “an impeccable & efficient company, who has not only delivered the most engaging content with brochures but has supported our marketing efforts overall”;
  • DON’T – just pick a client and submit ‘static’ material already developed. Always make sure you adapt your content and client to align with the specified requirements of the buyer. Ensure similar scope, nature and size is used every time, where possible.
    E.g. if you need to supply 500 brochures to a hospital, the buyer probably won’t care if you supplied 5 to a retail store previously- this is way different in size AND scope;
  • DO – use the STAR format when developing your Case Studies to clearly outline the Situation (brief context), Task (the work you faced), Action (what you’ve done) and Results (what were the results etc.).
    E.g. this helps to break down each case study. You may do this several times depending on the requirements within the tender. However, it is a very good start to show the buyer/evaluator what needed to be done, what & how it was done, along with success rates and statistics outlining benefits/improvements to the client;

So now you’re up-to-date…

This will be one of the most important elements you use as part of your tender submission and almost 99% of Stage 1/PQQ submissions nowadays have the experience and/or contract example requests embedded.

We encourage you to start working on your case studies as soon as your contract with a client begins. Therefore, you can at least get the basic information gathered using the STAR format and then adapt these case studies to align with future buyer’s requirements as part of tenders!

Need further help? Get in touch and let us help you grow, develop and standout!

GDPR – Understanding what’s expected!

Posted on by John Hudson

GDPR – Understanding what’s expected!

As I’m sure you’re well aware by now, May 25th sees the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (or GDPR for short). This will be the new term used for the storing, processing and management of personal data. Basically, DPA and confidentiality processes have a new broader term to ensure all data is withheld in the most secure ways possible. GDPR is a vital update on what you currently do. We are assuming that what you currently do is best practice and of course abides by current DPA law.

I know what you’re thinking ‘we always operate confidentially – what’s new?’

What’s new are the heightened processes every organisation must undergo when handling data. With GDPR, there are more serious consequences if you are found to be using data incorrectly. With the majority of our subscribed clients on our various platforms, they all handle customer and/or public data in some form or another. It’s vital to understand the key points to this national legislation change and ensure this is adhered to fully.

Some of the key aspects your company must focus on is ensuring that all data is identified and assessed in line with new and specific protocols. Processes are structured, data is mapped and constantly improved upon, as well as being stored electronically and in traditional filing systems.

With implementing data governance best practices, you’ll not only comply with the GDPR but you’ll now be able to create more business value with confidence. This will ensure success when contracting with future parties.

We have now found many public and private tenders are increasingly asking suppliers if they are GDPR compliant via the multiple processes above.

Such questions have become apparent in a recent public tender within the creative sector (for e.g.):

  • Please confirm that you are GDPR compliant (detail relevant technical & organisational security measures)?
  • Are you maintaining Data Processing Records?
  • Do your standard contract terms include the new GDPR mandatory provisions?
  • Do you have a documented Breach Notification Process? Etc.

To maximise your scores, you would need to answer more than a simple YES!

Please see ICO’s brochure which provides further helpful information on preparing for and applying GDPR principles in your organisation[s].

We encourage all clients to take this information provided. Mainly to ensure any future tendering efforts aren’t spread thin merely by the lack of compliance against GDPR. Going forward, it is becoming quite clear that GDPR may soon become part of the normal questions asked in PQQs and ITTs.

Over the next few months, we will be analysing common requirements (as above) that are starting to come into effect with the changes and updates that GDPR will pose. Watch this space and remember to take a look at the brochure attached to begin what is needed for you to excel with upcoming tenders.

We’re here to help you grow, develop and standout!

SMEs – Catapult wants YOU at the ‘Engage 2018’ event!

Posted on by John Hudson

SMEs – Catapult wants YOU at the ‘Engage 2018’ event!

An exciting opportunity has arisen for SMEs that will potentially bring FANTASTIC opportunities and recognition to your company!

The Satellite Applications Catapult will be attending Engage 2018 by Digital Globe on 10–11 April 2018.  They published an opportunity stating they are on the lookout for innovative SMEs with products/services to showcase cutting-edge developments in the use of satellite data.

Engage 2018

This is a two-day event designed for senior-level executives from government and private organisations leveraging geographical information to enable smarter decisions. It takes place at Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge, London.

By attending alongside SA Catapult, you will have your own exhibition stand with your company and logo on full display in this highly desired event. On top of this, dedicated spaces for marketing materials to promote your business.

This is a fantastic opportunity to get your product/service heard, along with promoting your business to your target audience!

If this applies to you – then CLICK HERE for more information and to complete a few questions in order to apply.

If you are struggling to put this across in a concise and effective manner, then GET IN TOUCH – we can help with your bid writing efforts!

Digital Catapult are one of the sites that our administration team manually scrape every day and include the following creative contract opportunities:

BEST OF LUCK!

THE ALL-NEW TENDER CONSULTANTS!

Posted on by John Hudson

THE ALL-NEW TENDER CONSULTANTS!

We feel that the time has come to restructure our current provision and are proud to offer you some brand-new services. These will not only make tendering a whole lot easier in your sector but will help maximise your success at securing those all-important contract opportunities. This is the all-new and improved TENDER CONSULTANTS service.

Our Growth Director/Founder, Jill Hudson, stated “since inception we have been continually assessing our customer’s needs and have developed various platforms where customers receive daily contract opportunity bulletins that are specific to their service sector. As a forward thinking and rapidly-growing company, we don’t ONLY want to support our customers with sourcing relevant and interesting opportunities, but help them through the next stages in order to turn that interest into a WIN!”

Jill has over 16-years’ experience managing a range of tenders across a whole load of industries. She is joined by our new Procurement/Content Manager, Dan, who has built his early career helping multiple SMEs and large corporations with ongoing tender writing and procurement support.

dan&jill

Dan said “after carefully analysing the core customers across our industry-platforms, we have created multiple services that are beneficial to all. No matter the work. No matter the sector. We have got you covered!”

Our NEW provision includes:

TCons-Services3

TENDER READY – HELPING YOU PREPARE

Our 4 WEEK programme allows us to cover all the basics of procurement and create tender-specific content for your business in order to prepare you for the world of tendering.

 

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TENDER IMPROVEMENT – HELPING YOU TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Our 2 WEEK programme is all about focusing on what you’re currently doing and making sure we implement the necessary improvements that will allow your tendering approach to become more refined and successful!

 

TCons-Services6

TENDER WRITING – HELPING YOU FILL THE SKILLS GAP

Due to common requests we’ve had from customers, we’ve launched a Tender Writing service. Mainly for those businesses who are incredibly busy but understand the importance of constant development, as well as those who simply can’t seem to make any progress and see any success from their efforts.

 

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TENDER MENTOR – HELPING YOU TO THE FINISH LINE

Our Tender Mentor service will allow you to tackle that all-important tender and receive professional and constructive feedback from our procurement specialists. This is a bespoke service starting at incredibly low rates to guide and review them all-important tenders prior to submission.

 

TENDER VLE – HELPING YOU UNDERSTAND

COMING SOON IN MAY 2018
This will include a video-based e-learning platform that allows YOU to get up to speed with how tendering works. And how YOU can maximise contract opportunities by developing knowledge further in this field. It’s more important now than ever to develop a skillset around procurement-based products and approaches. TENDER VLE is here to help you do just that!

TENDER BANK – HELPING YOU ORGANISE

COMING SOON IN 2019
Those who tender will know how time-consuming it can be. TENDER BANK will reduce this time considerably by creating a central place to save tender related information in an organised fashion. This will see an innovative tool which allows for tender documents to be created online. It will ensure you don’t miss any important aspect that could be hindering your tendering success.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

GET IN TOUCH TODAY IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR TENDERING EFFORTS!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU SUCCEED!

WE SOURCE CREATIVE CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECTORS INCLUDING;

Book a free live demo with Creative Tenders to see how we can help your business grow. 

Believe you can and you WILL, Believe you can’t and you WON’T

Posted on by John Hudson

Believe you can and you WILL, Believe you can’t and you WON’T

You know what they say – believers are achievers!

Corny I know, but the principle DOES apply when tender writing. You can never just hit it and hope for the best – this isn’t snooker! Each piece of work you bid for should have been accurately assessed to make sure this is a good opportunity for your business (see our ‘to bid or not to bid’ blog for further information).

The point is, you have to go in fully prepped with the clear mindset of achieving this piece of work. If you are not fully confident that you can win the work, then don’t bid for it. Simple.

If you feel you are in with a good shot – then make sure any doubts or reservations are left at the door, as you don’t want these to be identified by the evaluator.

Remember to be descriptive, be assertive, but most importantly be positive!

You should:

  • use phrases like ‘We will …’ – no one cares you if you are attempting to do something – this is your piece of work – be confident and state you WILL deliver all that’s expected;
  • demonstrate your willingness to adapt, conform and collaborate with the buyer – always demonstrate further added value and what more you can do for the buyer – think of the positive effects this has socially and economically;
  • validate your company – describe not only what makes you different, but what makes you BETTER? Explain clearly why the buyer should choose you and not your competitors – why do YOU stand out?

You’ll find that if you’re below 80% sure to whether or not you should bid for the contract – this tends to show less confidence on paper. The better the opportunity that is right for you, the better your proposal will be projected. Unbeknownst to many, on a subconscious level, if we believe we are NOT destined to win the work, we will in many ways lag behind our competitors in that all-important tender.

Never go for any opportunity! Always go for the ones you believe in!

Get in touch with our bid writers today. We can help you believe what’s best for you!