Winning Strategies for Successful Bids

When it comes to winning bids, having a well-thought-out strategy is key to success. Whether you are a seasoned bidder or new to the process, there are certain approaches that can help you improve your chances of winning that lucrative contract.

Step 1 - Evaluation Stage

We truly believe that a bid can be won or loss long before it is written and submitted and part of that is in the first steps of the process starting with the evaluation stage. All opportunities should be thoroughly reviewed and assessed for a GO / NO GO decision. Bidding takes time and resources so before we commit to these, is it ultimately winnable? We can assess this by asking the following core questions:

• Do we have a strong client relationship and understanding on their pain points and needs?

• Do we have a strong track record in providing similar works?

• Do we have the right team available to deliver the works?

• Do we know who our competition are and how we differentiate?

Step 2 - Strategy and Win Theme Development

Once we have evaluated and decided to bid, the next step is to hold the bid kick-off workshop. It is at this workshop that we review the bid in detail and establish the clients needs, our win themes, strategy, delivery plan and discuss our commercial proposition. By the end of this workshop it should be clear who is to be responsible for each section of the bid response and the associated deadlines for delivery and milestone reviews.

Step 3 - Bid Development

Next the fun part starts, and we begin work on bringing our story to life. The best bids understand their clients needs and tell a clear and engaging story on how they are going address this need and solve their problems, the benefits of this and why they should choose us and not the competition.

Step 4 - Review Stage

We strongly believe in the power regular milestone reviews to enhance your chance of winning and of doing so with an independent reviewer. When the bid team and bid writers have been working closely on their responses it can be difficult for them to review the overall submission objectively and make any necessary changes. A fresh pair of eyes can quickly identify if the bid answers the client needs, highlight key areas for improvement and ensure compliance prior to submission.

Step 5 - Submission

You've put the work in and are confident in your value proposition and commercial offering. The final stage is submission and the main thing to remember here is time and preparation. Make sure you are clear on the submission process and requirements and always leave yourself plenty of time between submission and the final deadline to account for any last minute technical issues!