How to submit quality and compliant tenders on short timeframes
Tenders are an important aspect of procurement, with plenty of opportunities to be won regardless of industry or sector.
Some of these opportunities, however, don’t always come with generous timeframes, resulting in rushed and potentially non-compliant submissions. That said, this outcome can be avoided through the following strategies:
Planning and executing an effective tender kick-off
A well planned kick-off meeting ensures everyone on the team is on the same page and can effectively work towards the same goals. This is especially helpful as it prevents the risk of confusion amongst the team, which could lead to costly rework. It’s an issue that will only waste more precious time.
Unsure what to cover? An effective kick-off meeting typically involves:
Introduction to the tender
Confirmation of deliverables, deadlines and review dates
Delegation of tasks to SMEs
Confirmation from the team relating to their communication preferences.
Developing a comprehensive Tender Management Plan (TMP)
Things can quickly go awry on a tender and this is why it’s important to have a clear structure in place. When working towards a short deadline, it’s important to have a clear picture of what is needed from the get-go.
This includes:
All required returnable schedules, attachments and forms that must be completed
Returnable schedule leads
Timelines and review dates
Any submission or compliance requirements.
Create a TMP as soon as you can, as it will minimise the risk of overlooking any of the above.
Blueprinting prior to drafting
Tenders are complex and some of the questions within the returnable schedules can be quite lengthy. It is important you take the time to analyse each sentence in the returnable schedule and begin to identify the questions being asked. Then, use that as a structure for your response. Use headings where required to address each specific question. This framework helps ensure each requirement is addressed.
Leveraging a content library
Make the drafting process more efficient by utilising pre-approved content where possible. This can range from project examples to organisational capability and insurances. Doing so will allow you to focus on the project-specific aspects of your tender.
Organising weekly standup meetings
This is an extremely useful tactic in keeping the submission process on track. This weekly meeting presents an opportunity for concerns to be raised and clarifications to be sought. Take meeting minutes to capture key decisions and action items to ensure accountability. This can then be distributed to everyone on the team and stored in a central folder for future reference.
Tendering is complex, but we can help you better understand it. We recommend exploring the following blogs which offer additional insight into the tender management process – The 5 essential non-negotiables in tendering, How to build a tender content library when you don’t know where to start, and The top 5 critical assumptions to avoid when tendering.
Stressed out by tenders? Contact us today for expert help. Our team of consultants offer great experience and will support you across all facets of the submission process.