Tendering. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

2 min read

by Natalie Conroy, Tender Specialist

I ran the Gold Coast Half Marathon on 4 July, or didn’t, rather. The official event was cancelled due to Queensland’s COVID lockdown, but I decided to run the 21.1-kilometre distance around my local area anyway. I had done the training, after all.

Throughout many hours pounding the pavement in the lead up to Sunday’s event, I had a lot of time to ponder. I think a great deal when I run, and I find the entire process is beneficial for clearing my head – allowing me time to reflect and often conjure solutions to problems much faster than I would by otherwise simply sitting at my desk pulling my hair out. Certainly, once I’ve reached a level of fitness beyond the “I think I am going to die” phase, at least. 

During one of my training sessions, I contemplated the similarities between the approach to and process of, running a marathon and that of running a tender. Surprisingly, there are many, and the lessons we can learn have universal applicability to both.

Stick to the plan, Stan.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail”. I’m sure it’s not the first time you’ve heard this saying. Establishing a solid plan from the outset and committing to your tendering (or training) milestones along the way is crucial to achieving a successful result. Most people can’t jump out of bed and run a marathon. Similarly, you can’t expect yourself or your team to compose a considered and compelling tender submission overnight. Leave it ‘til the last minute and you will fail.

Commit to the long-haul process.

Tendering is a long-haul process, as is marathon training. Successfully completing a marathon involves weeks and often months of dedication and consistency. Similarly, composing an exceptional tender involves honing your craft – drafting, redrafting, and tweaking, often multiple iterations of the same document. Great productions and equally impressive achievements take time, so don’t rush it. Patience, consistency, and persistence should be held firmly within your tendering and marathoning vernacular.

Mental fortitude is key.

Ask any serious endurance athlete what the single most important quality for a successful long-distance race is and I guarantee their answer will be mindset. Like running a marathon, working your way through a tender can be a mental rollercoaster. The ability to maintain focus and apply a level of grit and determination when the “going gets tough” is so important. Attitude is everything. Approach your tasks with a growth mindset and always keep your end goal in sight. 

Obstacles are inevitable.

In marathon training, injuries, less-than-ideal performances, and fitness plateaus are common. In tendering, you might encounter unresponsive SMEs, stubborn high-level management, substandard content with which to work, or seemingly unachievable due dates. Your ability to acknowledge the fact that challenges will arise, and accept and endure them when they do, is crucial to keeping a cool head and maintaining perspective. During the tender process there will always be times when things are outside your control, progress is stalling, and you feel like the tender isn’t advancing. Recognising this is all part of the process and learning to embrace the lows, knowing full well the highs are just around the corner, is critical.

Be receptive to feedback – and adjust accordingly.

Listening to your body is essential to maintaining consistency in your marathon training. If you neglect or ignore feedback signs such as muscle soreness or fatigue, and fail to temper your approach, the results could be disastrous (e.g., injury). Equally, when moving through the tendering process you must be receptive to feedback and willing to adjust accordingly. At the height of particularly stressful periods, it can be difficult to objectively evaluate what you’ve produced thus far. An outside perspective or review can help to identify inconsistences or areas for improvement you may not have otherwise considered. Feedback is helpful. Embrace it.

When you cross that finish line, you’re not quite done.

Congratulations, you’ve crossed that finish line and completed the marathon. How does it feel? Incredible, probably, but I’m guessing (from experience) in the back of your mind you’re already evaluating the race, cursing yourself for skipping that final running drills session and lamenting a less-than-ideal race nutrition plan. You’re satisfied, but equally motivated having identified areas for improvement to help you achieve a PB next time. In tendering, once that bid hits the box you have my permission to breathe a sigh of relief, momentarily. Take that breath, but make sure you follow through with a post-tender review (as Samantha MacMillan suggested recently) and analysis before commencing the archiving process. Committing to continuous improvement will ensure you put your best foot forward every time you tender. 

It takes considerable courage to commit to a big (and often daunting) goal. But nothing beats the feeling of crossing that finish line – whether you’re running a marathon or submitting a tender. Keeping the above observations in mind as you approach your next big tender might just help you enjoy the journey a little more.