Red Tape Busters

  Do’s Read the mandatory requirements and terms and conditions in the invitation to tender several times; take detailed notes; write a plan of action  or a checklist to ensure everything required is will be included in the finished tender proposal. The tender writing  process requires planning and attention to detail and your first port of call is the invitation to tender. Prepare your responses to all evaluation criteria. A great tender writer spends time detailing the answers and addressing each of the selection criteria and expectations provided, breaking it down to any subsections in each criteria and using the key words included in the invitation to tender document. When addressing the criteria, the tender writer  sets it out clearly and logically using bold font for headings and thoroughly covers all components of the criteria. Provide examples and evidence of the company capabilities within each criterion. Where possible use dot points as concise dot points read easier for the

Collins Dictionary defines the tender process as ‘a formal offer to supply goods or to do a particular job and a statement of the price that you or your company will charge.’ Tenders in the form of RFT - Request for Tender or ITT Invitation to Tender are usually offered by government departments or private sector businesses or community organisations. When a RFT is advertised it is inviting suppliers to provide a written proposal to supply the goods, service or complete a specified job through a competitive process. A tender writer  will carefully check the invitation to tender document to ensure the applicant whether an individual or a business entity meets the conditions set out in the documentation. These conditions delineate the qualities the supplier must possess in order to proceed in the tender process. They usually include the requirements or needs of the requesting organisation, their criteria for selection and instructions that need to be followed when tender writing. So what

  A well-researched tender and a carefully planned response will increase your chances of success, while reducing costs and time-wastage to your business.   The following are some tips for organising your tender response. Examine the tender request Most tender requests will have the following common elements: -  outline of the buyer's requirements -  list of criteria that you must meet -  instructions about the tender process and submission. Carefully read the tender specifications, conditions and contract terms. Ensure you familiarise yourself with guidelines, policies and laws for tendering. Once you fully understand the tender request, you need to find out if the tender opportunity is the right fit for your business. Confirm your capability for the job After you have thoroughly analysed the tender request, next is to confirm your business's capability to fulfill the contract: -  List all the elements of the contract. -  Identify the requirements you can definitely meet, then