Bid Preparation

Bid preparation is a pivotal process in business, aimed at equipping a company with the necessary resources and information to submit a competitive tender.

This involves creating a tailored bid library, analysing the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents, and developing an answer plan that dissects the requirements of each tender question.

At BWS, we can provide Bid Templates and Bid Preparation support, which entails creating ready content as a Bid Library base.

Your unique Bid Library will be built to suit your distinct requirements, ensuring you have a comprehensive library that can be used for tender responses.

Why is bid preparation important?

Bid preparation is critically important for bid writing for several reasons:

Understanding Client Needs

Thorough bid preparation lets you fully understand the client’s needs and expectations. By analysing the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents, you can identify the key requirements and structure your bid accordingly.

Competitive Advantage

A well-prepared bid gives you a competitive edge. It allows you to effectively highlight your unique selling points and align them with the client’s needs.

Efficiency

Preparing a bid involves creating a tailored bid library, which can significantly improve efficiency. This repository of ready content can be used in crafting tender responses, saving valuable time.

Accuracy

Bid preparation ensures accuracy in your proposal. By identifying all required documentation and accreditations during the preparation phase, you can avoid errors and omissions that could disqualify your bid.

Persuasive Responses

Through bid preparation, you develop an answer plan that breaks down each tender question. This enables you to craft compelling and high-scoring responses that resonate with the client and demonstrate your understanding of their project.

Collaboration

In the bid preparation stage, you collaborate with various technical heads and service specialists within your organisation. This allows you to gather necessary information, fosters teamwork, and ensures that all aspects of your company’s expertise are considered in the bid.

The bid preparation process involves several steps designed to ensure that your bid is competitive, accurate, and tailored to the buyer’s needs. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

Analysis: The first step in bid preparation is to analyse your current collateral and tender requirements. This involves reviewing your existing materials and identifying gaps or areas for improvement. This phase may also include a review of your previous tender submissions to understand what worked well and what didn’t.
Strategic Planning: After the analysis, a strategic plan is developed to enhance your materials and tender documentation. The aim here is to make your organisation ‘Bid Ready’. This means ensuring that your bid meets the basic requirements and stands out from the competition.
Interviewing Subject Matter Experts: As part of the process, interviews may be conducted with your subject matter experts. These interviews can provide valuable insights and information that can be used to strengthen your bid. They also help ensure that your bid is technically accurate and reflects your organisation’s expertise.
Aligning With Industry Standards: Throughout the bid preparation process, care is taken to ensure that all details are aligned with your industry standards. This is crucial as buyers often look for bids demonstrating a deep understanding of the industry’s challenges and requirements.
Appointing a Bid Lead: A dedicated Bid Lead manages the process. The Bid Lead works closely with you to determine timelines and desired outcomes. They are crucial in coordinating different team members, managing the bid library, and ensuring that all bid elements are cohesive and consistent.
Communication: Regular updates are provided throughout the process to keep you fully informed and involved. This ensures transparency and allows for any necessary adjustments to be made along the way.

BWS excels at bid preparation for a number of reasons:

Understanding of Awarding Panels

We deeply understand what awarding panels look for in a bid submission. We know they seek clear, concise, and compelling responses demonstrating a strong fit between the bidder’s capabilities and the project requirements. Our team is adept at crafting such responses.

Constant Benchmarking

We are committed to continuous improvement. We constantly benchmark our services based on the latest industry feedback and trends, ensuring that our approach to bid preparation stays current and effective.

This commitment to staying abreast of changes in the bidding landscape sets us apart from others.

Effective Templates

Our templates are designed to help you encapsulate the themes and details that make your bid stand out.

These templates streamline the writing process, ensuring your responses are structured effectively and cover all necessary points.

Focus on Success

Our ultimate goal is to improve your chances of bid success. Every aspect of our services – from analysing the tender documents to crafting the final responses – is geared towards this goal.

We work closely with you to understand your unique strengths and how best to present them in the bid.

What is Bid Preparation?