Top Ten Tips for submitting a tender

Here are our top ten tips for completing a tender document:

1. Read the whole tender, even if it is 100 pages long. Page 82 may have a vital bit of information about how to respond to the tender.
2. Adhere to the specific tendering rules and regulations. If they want the tender in Ariel point 12, complete the tender in Ariel point 12.
3. Ask a question if something’s not clear. Don’t just assume it’s a silly question.
4. Answer with the information they have requested, not with the information you think they should know.
5. Follow the format they’ve requested – they are requesting it that way for a reason and make it as easy as possible to find the information they’ve requested, creative design is great, but ensure it’s in a readable format that flows.
6. Understand how they will be marking your tender, the percentages are hugely relevant to where you should be concentrating your efforts.
7. Show consistency in your tendering processes and procedures – don’t contradict yourself from one section to the next.
8. Don’t use standard, over complicated content. Those marking the tender will know if you’ve cut and pasted your company biography from your website.
9. Choose either 1^st person or 3^rd person and don’t mix it up. Don’t make it difficult for the reader to follow.
10. Proof read your response more than once, and get another member of your team to double check for spelling and grammatical mistakes.