Choose your own tender adventure
Zoe Webber, Tender Specialist (Brisbane)
A tender is an adventure, and you, as the Tender Coordinator, are the hero of this story. Every choice you make from the start of the bid will have a flow-on effect, and expectations and processes must be aligned early to contribute to its success. So, how will you run the tender?
The tender opportunity lands on your desk. The deadline is tight, and the stakes are high. What do you do first?
A. Call a Kick-off Meeting
You gather the team, set the agenda, and clarify everyone’s roles and responsibilities.
Do you:
1..Create a shared bid plan and timeline?
The team is aligned, tasks are assigned, and milestones are clear.
Next: Do you schedule regular check-ins (go to B1) or trust the team to update you as needed (go to B2)?
2. Skip the plan—just start writing!
You go in all guns blazing… Chaos ensues. The strategy between contributors is inconsistent, key messaging is nonexistent, and key requirements are overlooked.
Next: Do you try to salvage things by organising an emergency workshop to align your approach (go to C1) or push through and hope for the best (go to C2)?
B1. Schedule Regular Check-Ins
You hold weekly strategy sessions and daily stand-ups with the bid team.
Outcome: Risks are identified early, any issues are quickly and accurately resolved, and the bid is progressing smoothly.
Next: Do you review the draft at Bronze, Silver and Gold before submission (go to D1) or trust the team to review their own work (go to D2)?
B2. Trust the Team to Update You
You assume everyone will communicate if there’s a problem.
Outcome: Silence. The week before submission, you discover there are several sections that are incomplete and requirements that have not been addressed.
Next: Do you call an emergency meeting (go to C1) or submit what you have (go to C2)?
C1. Emergency workshop.
You scramble to get everyone together.
Outcome: Some issues are fixed, but the rushed approach means errors slip through.
Result: The bid is submitted, but with inconsistent messaging and a solution. The client notices.
C2. Submit What You Have
You cross your fingers and hit “send.”
Outcome: The bid is incomplete and non-compliant.
Result: Immediate rejection.
D1. Review the Draft Before Submission
You organise a coordinated and thorough review process.
Outcome: Errors are caught, the messaging is strong, and the bid is polished.
Result: The bid is submitted on time and stands out for its clarity and consistency.
D2. No Formal Review Process
You trust that contributors have reviewed their own work.
Outcome: Typos and inconsistencies are missed. Key messaging is misaligned, and the solution isn’t communicated consistently across the entire submission.
Result: The bid is submitted, but the client is unimpressed by the lack of attention to detail.
Moral of the Story
At every fork in the road, at every turn in the tender, being organised, being agile, and setting yourself up for success will lead to better outcomes. Disorganisation and skipping key steps at the beginning of a bid almost always lead to poor results.
Need help refining your approach? Tender Plus can help. From our offices in Sydney, Perth and Brisbane, we provide national tender consulting services, including tender coordination, tender writing services and tender support. Contact our team today to take the stress out of your tender coordination process.
If you liked this topic, you might be interested in Being proactive in tenders just makes sense and 5 tips for juggling multiple tender schedules.