Tendering and Procurement Series – Part 2

4. Preparing your response

 Can you take part and win? 

When you receive or download the tender check you can take part. There could be turnover criteria (e.g. above €25m) or sector-specific requirements (e.g. emergency services application development). If you can’t meet these criteria, especially for public sector tenders, you’ll be excluded. Likewise, are there questions and requirements where you can excel? Alternatively, can the contract be broken into lots and if so, are there specific criteria for them? 

Some tenders are evaluated on a mix of criteria with different weights. For example, Innovation (50%), Compliance (15%) and so on. This mix should be seen in your response. Others are judged only on price – the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. Only you can know if you’re interested in competing on price.  

 Understand what’s needed 

It’s often tempting to start writing as soon as you receive the tender documents but spend time reviewing all the requirements – what needs to be submitted, by when, how should it be submitted etc. We’ve seen businesses be excluded from bids because they haven’t met what seems to be a simple requirement so it’s vital you understand this. 

 Sometimes the organisation will have a strategic goal or objective that isn’t always mentioned questions. If there is, and you can weave this into your response whilst answering the question, do so. A consistent narrative that links to their goals can help you gain extra points, just don’t go overboard and focus on answering the question. 

What are they actually asking? 

Read through the questions a few times, ideally as a group, to really understand what they’re asking. Look at it from their point of view and how you can meet their needs. As tempting as it can be, don’t cut and paste answers from previous responses without double checking they meet the specific requirements.  

If you need a question clarified, there’s usually a way of asking for more information. Just remember that questions and answers are typically shared with everyone so be mindful of how you pose questions as the competition could see them. 

Build a framework 

Create a framework for your answers before you start writing. For example, if the question is made up of three parts, structure your response in three parts with clear sub-headings. Make it easy for people to understand your response and award you points. Some tenders will include guidance on how questions are scored and weighted. Use this guidance when building your framework. 

You’ll often see two or more versions of very similar questions. Answer them separately and fully. By all means cross-reference responses but don’t be tempted to simply refer to another answer.  

Also: 

• Make note of the word count for each answer and stick to it 
• Details are better than 'filler' content 
• Keep the evaluation criteria in mind – you should find these in the tender documentation
• Ensure your answers have a logical flow and is easy to evaluate

Use their language and tone 

A tender submission is not the time for flowery language or being dogmatic about your brand’s tone of voice so keep things professional. You should also mirror their language; if they talk about their ITOM team but you have a different name for similar teams, use ITOM.  

Provide the evidence 

Your answers should be specific, detailed, clear and concise. You also need to back-up every claim you make with evidence. From staff qualifications and insurance documents to case studies and KPIs, if you make a claim, you must be able to back it up. This can sound daunting but it’s a chance to demonstrate how good you are so make the most of it. The more objective and quantifiable evidence you can provide the better. 

With geographic-data related tenders, you may be required to submit a dataset alongside a written response. If you are and you need help, HERE and Grey Matter can help so just ask.

Answer. The. Question. 

When you’ve completed your response to a question be brutally honest with yourself. Are you answering the question they asked or the one you wanted them to ask? You’ll only get points for the former so make sure your response addresses every point in a question.  

 Ask someone else to proofread your response 

Someone who hasn’t seen your response should proofread before it’s signed off as complete. As well as checking the obvious things like spelling and grammar, they should also check to see if the response has answered the question. If they don’t think it does, be thankful. It’s better to find out at this point than when you get rejected.  

If you proofread your own content, try and give yourself 24 hours between writing and checking. Your brain knows what you’re trying to say and can sometimes fill in gaps. Having a break can help minimise this.