Tender Writing done Right – How to write a strong tender



Tender writing involves a simple concept – the concept of buying and selling.  Just as shop offer various items for sale, a tenderer has something of value to sell whether this be a particular job that needs doing, a contract for ongoing employment or equipment to sell. In return the tenderee is able to buy the item for sale by offering a solution such as how they will complete the job, how they can provide ongoing employment or what price they will pay to buy the equipment that is for sale.  In a buy / sell relationship both parties receive a benefit but ultimately it is the seller that has the final say on what they want for the item or service they are offering. 

Give this information it should be no surprise that tender writers needs to present the best possible solution to the tenderer. But how does a tender writer do this? What should a tender writer focus on to win over the sale and buy the contract? Here are some ideas to help you in your tender writing journey. 
Showcase the organisations understanding of the tender and its ability to meet the requirements:

A tender writer must thoroughly read each tender offer individually and make an assessment as to whether the organisation can meet the requirements of the tender. To do this a tender writer must ensure that:
  • The organisation can deliver on what is being asked of it by the tenderer
  • The organisation has the equipment and resources required to do what is being asked
  • The organisation strategically aligns with the tenderer including business ethics, services, size, resources and location. There is no point applying for a tender that requires construction equipment if your sell stationary nor applying for a tender that requires you to be in Brisbane when your business is in Sydney. 
  • The tender will provide the organisation with some benefit. More often than not this is a financial benefit. If the opportunity does not provide the organisation with a benefit then say ‘no’! But remember to do this politely and respectfully because you can never be too sure when another opportunity may arise. 

Showcase the organisations products and services.

All organisations have products and/or services that they sell. Tender writing involves picking out the items that you have on offer that will best fit the seller’s needs. Once you have done this a tender writers job is to showcase these products and /or services by:

  • Explaining clearly how and why these products and / or services are the best fit for the job
  • Showing attention to detail. What is it exactly about this product and / or service that will cover the tenderers needs. Are there other services and / or products that could do the job and why is yours better?
  • Explaining ‘the latest’.  Many people assume that the latest and the more up to date modern equipment and / or service is the best quality. So if you have something that is new to the market or offers a technological advantage take the time to showcase this in your tender writing application. 

Showcase the organisations skills and talents

As a tender writer it is important to showcase the skills and talents of the staff who will be involved in the operations of the organisation if the tender is won. Ask yourself questions such as who will be undertaking the service?, and what skills do they have? It is important that prior to applying for the tender an organisation undertake a project management plan to ensure that they have the right staff (including the right skill sets) available to complete the tender requirements. 

Showcase the organisations capabilities including an ability to be flexible

Tender writers need to be able to creatively showcase the capabilities of the organisation and include information on how they cope with sudden changes. Emphasise the ability to be flexible within the organisation and how you will adjust resources and staff accordingly. 

Showcase the organisations ability to read and answer questions

This should be a simple one but more often than not tender writers miss the mark when answering questions on a tender application. Read the question thoroughly and ensure that you are providing the right information. If you are unsure there are always people you can contact to assist you along the way. 

If you’re not having much luck with tender writing, then consider getting some professional help.  Red Tape Busters are specialists in tender writing so why not visit http://www.redtapebusters.com/  for more information. We are specialists in providing the following services:
  • Lobbying;
  • Tender Writing;
  • Grant Writing;
  • Resumes/Job Applications;
  • Organisational/Business Development.

Please also “friend” or “like” us on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/RedTapeBustersShaneBowering, follow us on Twitter – Red Tape Busters or check us out on YouTube just search for Red Tape Busters.  

Popular posts from this blog

Tender Writing – The Top Three Qualities of an Effective Tender Writer

Tender writing can be a very challenging process but the effective tender writer will have a personality, a skill set and an approach that sets them apart from the run of the mill tender writer. I believe the really important qualities that a tender writer needs to possess are an ability to stay calm under pressure; an ability to org anise other people within the organisation and to organize resources, information and supporting documents or material and an ability to develop the strategy and approach that pitches the organisation in the right light to win the attention of those assessing the tender response. I will now discuss these qualities in further detail. Calm Under Pressure Tender writing can be a very pressurized situation. There are deadlines to meet. Responses need to be submitted by a specified time, in a specified format and in a specified way. Sometimes tenders need to be hand delivered, sometimes they need to be electronically submitted via a specified web porta
Read more

Avoid Tender Rejection With This Expert Advice

Image
The experienced tender writer finds it hard enough to get their tender considered after applying and following the guidelines, ensuring that the lodgement time is met and that they have crafted a decent tender response. Tender writing requires some skill to prepare a great application yet a lot of writers ensure their tender response is rejected at the first review by making some simple errors. Here are some of the pitfalls you need to avoid to ensure your application is not rejected without first being serious considered. Remember the assessment panel on first review of all the responses will be seeking to reject as many as possible initially to get down to a manageable number and to make the task easier. Following are the mistakes that will almost certainly see your response put into the NO pile. Failure to answer every question or tick every box on the application form This might seem just plain ridiculous. How can anyone fail to fill out the application form completely? W
Read more

Grant Writing – What are the determining factors in applying for a grant?

Image
There are many factors which determine if you should be applying for a grant and if your grant writer should spend time on crafting a great submission. Grant writing is far more than filling out an application and explaining why you need that funding. The outstanding grant writer will adopt a very strategic and thorough approach and will not just apply for everything on a whim. Following is a list of issues to consider when applying for grants. Organisational Eligibility All grants have eligibility criteria relating to the type of organisation Grants might be restricted to a business, an incorporated non profit, an organisation with DGR/PBI status for example. So before applying the grant writer will ensure that the organisation as an entity is eligible to apply for this grant.   Location Restrictions Grants at times can be only available to organisations within a set geographic location or a project being delivered within a specific geographic loc
Read more