Pauline Sabin Pauline Sabin

Tender Responses Traps That Can Catch You Out If You're Not On The Ball

I’ve written hundreds of tender responses and one thing I’ve learned over the years is that there are plenty of tender traps that can catch you out if you’re not on the ball. These usually come in the form of information requests that are hidden in the guts of the tender documentation, but not explicitly included in the tender response schedules.

I’ve written hundreds (in fact - although I’ve never counted - I reckon I must be getting close to a thousand by now) of tender responses, and one thing I’ve learned over the years is that there are plenty of tender traps that can catch you out if you’re not on the ball.

These usually come in the form of information requests that are hidden in the guts of the tender documentation but not explicitly included in the tender submission process and schedules. Yeah, thanks a lot for that, Mr. Tender Issuer!

Let me give you a few examples:

1 Hidden Mandatory Requirements

I once worked on an ATM (Approach to Market) tender with several mandatory requirements. One of these was the inclusion of a “valid and satisfactory Statement of Tax Record, or a receipt demonstrating that a Statement of Tax Record has been requested, from the Australian Taxation Office for the Potential Supplier”.

A receipt for the request for the Statement of Tax Record was received from the ATO and duly attached to the tender submission as part of the submission of tender documents.

What this sneaky little tender issuer (ok, that’s probably not a very polite way to refer to one of the Australian Government’s largest federal departments) did, though, was to reference (in a rather obscure manner, in my humble opinion), a clause in the Conditions of Participation. 

This clause, which was pretty obscure, stated that the response would be excluded from consideration if the Statement of Tax Record wasn’t received within four days of the closing date.

Fortunately, I checked with my client, who had received the Statement of Tax Record just before the bid submission was lodged. So, I was able to swap out the request receipt with the actual statement. My point is that this could have been easily missed, and it would have resulted in my client missing out on a lucrative tender.

2 Not including key requirements in the response schedules

Another example relates to a recent tender I completed for a construction company in the Northern Territory. The RFT document included a clause stating that an ASIC Company Search and a Bankruptcy Clearance Search were to be included with the tender response. But neither of these was included in the tender response schedules - so again, this requirement could have been very easy to miss. 

The point I’m making here is that it’s super-important to thoroughly read every clause in the RFT document and Conditions of Tendering so you can pick up any hidden surprises like the two I’ve just outlined.  The last thing you want to do is put in a heap of effort only to find you’ve been excluded from the evaluation process because of an avoidable omission.

I know how easy it is to overlook these things while preparing those tender responses. So, if you ever need some tender assistance, just give me a shout so I can provide feedback on what you’ve missed and fix it for you. Don’t hesitate to contact me — call me on 0400 514 579 or shoot me an email at pauline@tenderwise.com.au.

In the meantime, happy tendering!

Pauline

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Didn’t win that tender submission? Ask for feedback!

None of us like to lose, especially when you’ve put lots of time and effort (not to mention bucks if you’ve paid for professional help) into creating a tender response submission. As hard as it is to miss out though, this is a golden opportunity to seek feedback so you can get some clues as to what you could do better next time.

None of us likes to lose, especially when you’ve put lots of time and effort (not to mention bucks if you’ve paid for professional help) into creating a tender submission. Although, as hard as it is to miss out, this is a golden opportunity to seek feedback so you can get some clues as to what you could do better next time.

Not all organisations will provide feedback, but you'll never know if you don't ask! Suppose your tender submission was for a local Council contract. In that case, it's also a good idea to search on the Council website for the minutes of the Councillor's monthly meetings - these are always publicly available and usually include a section relating to the outcome of tenders (aka who won what and why).

The level of feedback offered will vary substantially depending on who issued the tender. Some may offer a face-to-face debrief designed to provide honest feedback and insights on what parts of your tender letter could have been improved. This information is gold for your business, so use it well.

Other tender issuers may provide a ranking score against each evaluation criterion for all tenders received. Sometimes this will list all tenderers and their scores by name, and sometimes this will list all tenderers, with everyone but your business listed with a generic name (e.g., Company 1, Company 2, etc.).

Either way, it’s an excellent opportunity to see where you sat amongst your competitors and what areas let you down. If you don’t get much information, but you do get the chance to ask questions, it’s always good to know:

  1. Who won the tender submissions? It will help you better understand your competition.

  2. How many were received, and where did you rank? It’s always a good thing to know where you sit amongst your competitors so you know your relative position.

  3. How you scored against the evaluation criteria, and whether there were any areas where you didn’t meet the standards required or made mistakes.

  4. What areas the evaluation panel felt you should improve on next time?

Once you have this information, you’ll know what let you down and what you should improve when you start your next tender submission.  Any feedback should provide you with valuable insights, and it’s important to share this with your team as soon as you can so they can start working on creating updated content.

If you need a hand, I’m here to help, and I’ve also written my professional tender writing tips, which are free to anyone who wants them - just fill in the form on my home page, give me a call on 0400 514579 or shoot me an email to pauline@tenderwise.com.au. I’m also happy to provide you with a review of your unsuccessful tender - obligation and cost-free.

In the meantime, happy tendering!

Pauline

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Does the location of my tender writer matter?

It can be a little bit scary when faced with the prospect of parting with your hard-earned money and working with a complete stranger on your tender response. So does the location of your tender writer matter? The answer is no - and yes.

It can be scary when faced with the prospect of parting with your hard-earned money and working with a total stranger on your tender response. So does the location of your tender writer matter? The answer is no — and yes.

Tender writer location

NO - because relatability, experience, and proven ability should be your most important selection criteria when choosing one. YES - because it’s important that they are based in Australia (or at least have some solid knowledge of the Australian tender market and Government requirements).

TenderWise is a Queensland-based business, but I have clients spread across the country, and strangely enough, a relatively small percentage are in Queensland. Most of my clients are in WA and Victoria, so clearly, location is not an issue for them.

But there are certain requirements you must expect. My advice to all prospective new clients is to choose a bid tender writer who:

  • Relates well to you

Right from your first conversation, you should feel that the tender consultant is engaged, interested in what you have to say, asks lots of questions, and is generous with their advice. If the writer doesn’t seem interested in you from the outset, it’s probably likely that the same attitude will prevail throughout your association.

  • Is experienced 

Ask them what they’ve done, who they’ve done it for, their approach, and how they can help you. It doesn’t really matter if your tender bid writer doesn’t have much experience in your particular sector. However, a seasoned tender writing professional will have experience across various industries. Why isn’t it very important? Because you are the subject matter expert in your business - your tender writer doesn’t need to know the finer details, but they do need to know how to turn your story into a compelling tender submission.

  • Has proven ability to perform and win

Every tender response writing business and all professional tender writers should be able to point you to testimonials (like these here) and put you in touch with existing clients who can tell you what the experience of working with them is like. It’s a good idea to ask how many of their clients are regulars so you can get a good feel for how much repeat business they have. Generally, a successful tender writing company won’t need to advertise their services since most of its business will come from existing clients and word-of-mouth referrals. Having said that, TenderWise does advertise (usually through Google Adwords) - but this is a pretty rare event, and my annual spend on paid leads is less than $300.

So, in a nutshell, location isn’t important, but relatability, experience, and proven ability are critical factors when hiring a tender writer. 

If you need a hand with your tender submission, TenderWise is here to help. Just give me (Pauline) a call for a chat on 0400 514579 or contact us here.

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Thinking of engaging a tender writer? Here's what to expect

Tender writing is a specialised technical skill - it can be hard work and laborious and many businesses choose to take the DIY route. But if you’re thinking of engaging a professional tender writer, here’s what you should expect from them.

Tender writing is a specialised technical skill — it can be hard work and laborious, and many businesses choose to take the DIY route.  But if you’re thinking of engaging a professional tender writer, here’s what you should expect from them.

They remain calm under pressure

The process of writing a tender submission comes with a certain amount of pressure, particularly if the deadline is tight (tight to me generally means less than a week). Tension can get high, especially if you are dragging the chain with getting much-needed information through to your tender writer. Remember, you’re the expert in your business, and there’s only so much they can do without getting information from you. 

But no matter the situation, a good writer remains calm and cool-headed to avoid any confusion or loss of direction. Rather than asking you to write comprehensive answers to their questions, they’ll ask you just to do a brain dump or send them any relevant documentation you may already have that they can read through to get the necessary details.

They have excellent time management skills

Most of the time, tender writers have more than one tender submission to accomplish, and all of these have a deadline. But regardless, they must have excellent time management skills to complete your tender responses before the deadline. As a professional writer, I never accept a tender job if I have any doubt about my ability to complete it at least two days before the deadline. That gives my clients time to review it and let me know if they want any changes before they submit it. Usually, my clients have only minor changes to make, if any, and the draft I send them is always pretty much the final version.

They know how to ask the right questions

You can expect that your bid tender writer will ask you lots of questions so they can write an accurate and compelling submission for your business. A good one will also tell you that if you don’t have the answers, let them know as soon as possible — creativity is an essential skill, and they are there to make your life easier, not harder.

They are creative

Some of the questions asked in tender response submissions are way beyond reality for many small businesses. Questions such as how you ensure modern slavery isn’t evident in your supply chains, industrial relations plan, or indigenous reconciliation action plan. Good and professional tender writers won’t expect you to have all of the answers. They will use their creativity to develop something for you that’s believable and relevant to your business.

They are assertive

An effective writer is polite but assertive, so if they think changes need to be made to your strategic thinking, they won’t be afraid to speak up.  They should be confident to challenge internal stakeholders and propose alternatives to ensure you’ll have an outstanding tender response submission to put forward.

They have very effective writing skills

Writing tenders isn’t just about filling in the response schedules. It’s about being effective and persuasive and developing a highly compelling story that demonstrates exactly why your business meets all of the tender requirements.

They communicate regularly

Two-way communication is essential, especially if you engage a tender writer who will be working remotely. A professional will communicate the updates and status of your submission regularly. I usually communicate by email, regardless of their location, because it helps ensure nothing gets lost, and it’s also less disrupting for my clients (and me) than constant phone calls. I also tell my clients before we get started that I’m about to become their best friend for the next week or two as the submission develops, and I keep asking for clarifications where needed.

They are dependable

Dependability is a crucial factor for any tender bid writer. You don’t want to part with your cash and then find them failing to deliver, or not deliver to a high standard. How do you determine their dependability and reliability?  Check their past work and client testimonials as a starting point. I ask all of my clients to provide me with a testimonial about the service I’ve delivered and these are placed verbatim on my website.  I’m always happy to put a new client in touch with any of my previous clients so they can chat to them about what the experience of working with me was like.

They are personable

It’s important that you connect with your bid tender writer — you should feel comfortable with their tone and approach, and the best way to judge this is through your first phone call (prior to you making any commitment). Are they generous with their time? Do they talk about the strategic approach to developing the response? Do they raise items that you should be considering? My personal opinion is that the first phone call is vital for both of us so we can feel comfortable with each other and develop some rapport. Following that, I always ask my prospective new client if they would like me to send them a proposal to build their tender response submission.

Wrapping up

So there you have it — what you should expect from your tender writer. If you need a hand with your tender submission, TenderWise is here to help. Just give me a call (Pauline) or chat on 0400 514579 or contact us here.

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The beginner's guide to creating a compelling tender submission

Tender submission requirements can be pretty arduous and sometimes it’s hard to resist the temptation to just dump your answers without creating a strategy first. But that can quickly turn into a disaster if you miss some of the requirements or don’t answer all questions appropriately.

Tender submission requirements can be pretty arduous, and sometimes it's hard to resist the temptation to just dump your answers without creating a strategy first. But that can quickly turn into a disaster if you miss some of the requirements or don't answer all questions appropriately.

Beginner's Guide.jpg

To create a successful submission, you must follow a specific strategy to ensure it is compelling enough to win that contract. I've prepared a quick beginner's guide to writing the most compelling tender submissions here.

Read the specifications of the contract carefully

Don’t dive headfirst into writing your submission without reading the specifications very, very carefully, highlighting the important parts as you go. While this can be a boring and protracted process, it’s also essential because you must understand precisely the response requirements. Mark all areas that need more attention, such as the primary themes you must address. It will be your starting point to draw out your storyline and winning themes.

Deconstruct the questions

Next, look at some examples of tender submissions. But more importantly,  carefully scrutinise the requirements and the questions you need to answer. Avoid the mistake of not answering the questions accordingly. Ask yourself why the tender issuer is asking those questions and what exactly they are looking for in your tender submission. To focus on your response, you must deconstruct each question to break down your answers into manageable sections. That should make your tender writing process a lot easier. Don’t hesitate to clarify anything you’re not sure about before the clarification deadline.

Be persuasive

Now, it’s time to write your most compelling tender submission. The first thing to keep in mind when constructing your response is that you have to be persuasive, not just descriptive. Frame it in a way that it’s most advantageous to the buyer. You must always keep in mind that you have to provide them with the best reasons to award you the contract. Ultimately, you don’t just have to meet the criteria — more importantly, you need to persuade them that you’re the best bidder.

Provide comprehensive answers

One of the reasons some tender submissions fail is by giving one-sentence responses to questions. Check the word limit and provide answers that are as comprehensive as you can. I don’t mean just throwing in words for the sake of filling up the page — your response should be concise but complete — and it should answer every question they ask.

Use simple language

Remember that you’re writing a submission, not a speech. So, avoid flowery words, as it will only make it harder to read and assess. Keep your language as simple as possible to convey your intention as clearly as possible. Make it professional to avoid it from looking like a tender submission template only. If they allow it, you can also use visuals to stress your point and serve as pieces of evidence for your submission. Using tables, graphs, images, etc., is an excellent idea to make it stand out.

Provide evidence for your claims

A persuasive submission takes more than just excellent writing skills. You must be able to provide evidence for your claim that you’re the company most deserving of the contract. Testimonials, statistics, and reports are significant elements that can help convince the buyer of your organisation’s strengths. If the response submission guidelines allow it, don’t be afraid to include supporting evidence.

Avoid fluff

Writing tender submissions always requires you to be straight to the point. Never waste your word limits on fluff and filler content. Be concise, and never write anything that doesn’t answer the question straight away.

Ask an additional pair of eyes to proofread your work

Reaching the end of writing your tender is a great relief. But that doesn’t mean you’re ready to submit it already. Ask someone who is not involved in your contract preparation to proofread your work. I can’t stress enough how important it is to proofread your tender submissions because an additional pair of eyes will always prove useful in finding:

  • Mistakes, such as unnecessary words or sentences

  • Contradictions that may sound negative

  • Missing points that you can include

Present your bid professionally

It may sound like it’s an obvious thing to do when submitting your tenders, but you’ll be surprised at how often this is overlooked. Keep in mind that first impressions are always the most crucial part of the submission process. So, while writing it, ensure your design is consistent throughout the document. Having a cover letter for tender submission is crucial. Then, check the specification requirements relating to how you will submit your tender. If they allow design elements, make sure that you use professional designs. You want the buyer to perceive you as professional, organised, and, more importantly, serious about the tender process.

Get Started

Now that you already have this quick beginners’ guide, you’re now ready to write the most compelling tender submission. But if you think it’s still a little too much for you and you need professional help, TenderWise is here. Just give Pauline a call for a chat on 0400 514579 or contact us here.

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Here's how to respond to a tender for work successfully

Whether it’s your first time tendering for work or you’re already a veteran in the industry, the goal remains the same – to be successful. But the tender response process can be very complex, and very daunting to many. If not done correctly, success may be hard to reach.

Whether it's your first time tendering for work or you're already a veteran in the industry, the goal remains the same — to be successful. But the tender response process can be complex and daunting to many. If you don't do it correctly, success may be hard to reach. 

However, with the right strategy, you can successfully win that contract. What's more — you'll also gain recognition that can open more doors and opportunities for your business — and all it takes is to win one major contract, whether commercial or government.

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Here’s how to tender for work successfully.

Evaluate your business

Before you even look for a tender that’s right for you, the first thing you need to do is evaluate what your business can do to make you stand out from all of your competitors. Analyse your company’s turnover history, experience, goal, and what you need to do to achieve that goal. Consider whether you will be able to take on more work with your existing staff and plant or if you need to bring on more resources to accommodate more work.

Prepare your Capability Statement

Now that you know what your company is capable of, it’s time to put it all into writing. Not all tenders for work will ask to see a copy of your Capability Statement. Still, it’s a good idea to have one — and it’s helpful to send along with any general proposals, quotes, or pitches for business that you may send out.

Seek the right opportunities

When looking for opportunities, looking for the right ones for your business is vital. A question to ask yourself is if you can meet the technical skills and experience requirements of the work you have your eyes on.

Make sure also that you’re getting all those opportunities. Register with the tendering websites to get alerts when a tender relevant to your business is released. The easiest way to find the tender websites pertinent to your location is to simply do a Google search for the type of tender work you’re looking for and then sign up.

Be warned, though — some sites are subscription-based and can be pretty expensive, but most Government tenders will be free.

If you’re looking for work from your local Council, check their website; it will have a link to wherever they advertise their tenders. A question to ask yourself is if you can meet the technical skills and experience requirements of the work you have your eyes on.

Read and fully understand the tender requirements

While you may think it’s the best-suited bid submission for you based on the headline and summary of work, reading it and fully understanding it will allow you to know the requirements. Can you comply with those requirements? Are there pre-qualification requirements? What do you think are your chances? These and more are the things you need to consider to ensure success.

Write your winning tender response

Now, the fun but challenging part! Sure, you can always write a tender response yourself or hire a tender writer. But doing it to win it is a different story. Whatever industry you belong to, some elements remain the same when writing your tender.

Here are some tips for you:

  • Be confident

    Your tender response should be able to demonstrate that you're confident you can do the perfect job for them. So, refrain from using vague phrases, such as "We think", "We can", or "We believe", and write more assertive terms, such as "We will", indicating that you're 100% sure of your capabilities to benefit their company should your tender submission wins.

  • Keep it straight to the point

    Keep in mind that your tender issuer will be reading plenty of responses, so don’t let them get lost in information overload. Include only the most relevant information, and keep it concise and straight to the point.

  • Specify what’s in it for them

    Remember that it’s not about you. It’s all about the tender issuer, so you have to make sure that you clearly state what the benefits are if they choose to offer that contract to your business.

  • Avoid these tendering mistakes

  • Lastly, proofread, proofread, proofread,

Submit it and win it!

Once all of these steps are done, you’re now ready to submit your awesome tender response submission. But tendering for work is everything but easy if you’re new to it. Tendering can be complex, time-consuming, and pretty daunting. I hope that these tips can help guide you through how to tender for work successfully. But if you need some assistance, TenderWise is here to help. Just give Pauline a call for a chat on 0400 514579 , email me at pauline@tenderwise.com.auau, or contact us here.

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The top 10 tendering mistakes - and how to avoid them

I've written hundreds of tenders and supporting documents in my entire writing career, and I've seen people making the same mistakes over and over again. I don't really blame them, to be honest. Tender writing is tedious. It requires a lot of time and effort and, more importantly, keen attention to details. But you can avoid those mistakes if you're aware of what they are.

I've written hundreds of tenders and supporting documents in my entire writing career, and I've seen people making the same mistakes over and over again. I don't really blame them, to be honest. Tender writing takes a lot of work. It requires a lot of time, effort, and, more importantly, keen attention to detail. But you can avoid those mistakes if you know what they are.

So, here's a compilation of the top tendering mistakes and how to avoid them.

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Not answering the questions

Trust me when I say that too many people fail to answer the questions on the response forms — then they wonder why they didn’t win the contract. Those questions are designed so the tender evaluation panel can easily compare the answers. 

Imagine how frustrating it must be to sift through the documents trying to find the answers only to find nothing. To avoid this tendering mistake, make sure that you answer all the questions clearly, and in the order that they were asked. Unanswered questions are a certain way to land a low score.

Not understanding the tender issuer’s business

When submitting a tender, you want to stand out from the rest. To achieve that, you must understand the tender issuer’s requirements. Too many people use generic submissions or just copy-paste from previous submissions. Ensure you thoroughly read all of the tender documentation, including any specifications or scope of works, so you can customise your tender submission and reinforce how you meet all of the requirements.

Not specifying the benefits for the tender issuer

Here’s another common mistake I always see — not stating why the tender issuer should choose you. You may be the best at what you do. But failing to specify what’s in it for the tender issuer on your submission is a path to failure because all they are interested in is why they should choose you. So, tell them what you can do for them and how they can benefit from it.

Wrong organisation name

Surprised? But yes, this is one of the mistakes in tendering that deserves a spot on this list because it happens all the time. Let’s be honest here — everyone copies and pastes some parts of the tender from the previous submissions. But be cautious when doing so. The last thing you want to do is submit it with the wrong tender issuer’s name on it. So, make sure that you change it whenever you copy from a previous submission and then do a document-wide search to double-check before you submit..

Heaps of waffle

As I mentioned earlier, your bid submission is just one of many your prospect will read. Unfortunately, I see too many people adding heaps of waffles and unnecessary information on their documents, ultimately missing the whole point. Your tender will stand out if you immediately get to the point and use the right words. NEVER ever throw irrelevant or un-asked information into your submission because you think it will help. It won’t. And ALWAYS reference any supporting information in the main submission.

Unclear writing

Remember, a tender is a formal document, meaning your writing must be clear. It may not be your best skill, but a few simple steps can help you avoid committing this tendering mistake. Make sure you read through the submission when you have the time to review it thoroughly -(if you rush it, trust me, you will miss something). And if you can, get someone else to proofread it for you so they can let you know if anything is unclear or just doesn’t make sense.

You wouldn’t believe how many tenders go to the rubbish bins daily, all because they haven’t been reviewed so they could correct those silly mistakes. Those are wrong spelling and grammatical errors that you can avoid if you double-check your tender submission before submitting it. Here are some simple proofreading techniques you can do to prevent this mistake.

Poor document layout

For tenders, looks matter. However, many people fail to present their submissions so that they are appealing to the reader. Poor layout and formatting can kill your chances of winning at first glance. Use headings and subheadings, break your paragraphs, and include photos. The bottom line is to design your tender so your prospect will be engaged right from the get-go.

Inaccurate or incomplete costing

One of the most vital pieces of information your prospect will look for in your bid submission is how much it will cost them if they accept your bid. Sadly, I've seen many tenders that don't have accurate costing or have left parts of the pricing schedule blank, which gives the reader the impression that you're not serious about your bid. So, accuracy is key here.

Not signing it

Believe it or not, too many people forget to sign their tenders and just submit them without a signature. That’s one of the most common and the biggest mistakes bidders often commit. There’s no excuse for not scanning your signature and then copying it into the tender submission wherever a signature is required. And if the submission requires a Statutory Declaration, make sure you execute it in front of a JP (or similar), then scan the entire document and include it with your submission.

Need help?

As you can see, it’s not really that hard to avoid these tendering mistakes as long as you know what they are. But I understand that writing tenders is not for everyone. So, if you need help, TenderWise has helped heaps of our clients win lucrative contracts. Just give Pauline a call for a chat at 0400 514579, email at pauline@tenderwise.com.au or contact us here.

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For a Great Tender Submission — DIY or Get Professional Help?

Writing a tender submission that ticks all of the boxes can be a pretty complex business, and it’s not just about answering questionnaires or filling in forms. It’s about constructing a rational and compliant submission that tells an awesome story about your business so you’ll have the best chances of winning that lucrative contract.

So, you’ve got a tender that looks just right for your business and want to give it a shot. If it’s your first tender submission, you’re probably wondering how to go about it, if you’ve got the time and energy to put into it, and whether you should just get an expert to do the hard work for you.

Writing a tender that ticks all of the boxes can be a pretty complex business, and it’s not just about answering questionnaires or filling in forms. It’s about constructing a rational and compliant submission that tells an incredible story about your business so you can win that lucrative contract.

tender submission

10 Reasons to Get Professional Help

If you choose to go down writing the tender response the DIY route, well done to you and good luck — here are some tips that will help you do a great job.

But if your writing skills are a bit on the ordinary side, here are ten reasons why we think you should use the services of a professional tender writer.

1. Tenders can be Intricate Documents 

For this reason, your response needs to showcase your expertise, experience, and, of course, your proven track record. Mass amounts of documents usually come along with the tender pack. 

So, a professional tender response writer can evaluate which of those documents need to be included in the response and whether there’s any tricky stuff lurking in the depths of the requirements.

2. It’s Time-Consuming to Write Them

Typically, a professional tender writer will complete your submission much faster than most business owners for whom writing is not a core skill. Completing a full tender is very time-consuming if you have to do it yourself.

Tender writers are very experienced in the terminologies used in a wide variety of complex tender submissions, including Government and Corporate tenders.

 3. Great Value for Your Money

Once a professional tender writer has completed your tender, you’ll have a well-written document that you can use parts of in your response for your next tender. 

Typically, you should be able to use around 50% to 70% of the existing text to cut and paste into your new tender. That means great value for your money as you can reuse the text over and over again.

 4. It’s Reusable

You can use a big chunk of that information that the professional tender response writer had put together for other purposes, such as advertising and sales materials, brochures, flyers, websites, etc. 

That represents more savings as you no longer have to make a separate investment for all those purposes.

5. Writing Tenders Requires Skills and Experience

Creating awesome tenders requires the skills and experience of an excellent and professional tender writer. 

Depending on the frequency of your need to create tender responses, you can hire an internal tender writer dedicated to doing tenders, or you can outsource someone with such skills and expertise on a per-need basis, like TenderWise.

6. Tenders have to be Compliant

A professional tender writer ensures that your tender complies with each Request for Tender (RFT) requirement. Failure to adhere to these requirements is the major reason why many tenders don’t make it on the first attempt. 

If no one within your organisation has this expertise, investing in a professional tender response writer might be a good idea.

7. A Professional Tender Writer can Complete all Documents

Most tenders want to see evidence of your Health & Safety, Environmental and Quality Management Systems. If you don’t already have these, a professional writer can usually get the full suite of documentation for you that’s aligned with all of the required ISO standards.

8. They Need Trained Eyes to Review and Proofread

Aside from writing, tenders need to be reviewed and proofread thoroughly by a set of trained eyes. The review process performed by a professional tender response writer can be the difference between a winning and a losing submission. 

Without this process, you are at risk of non-compliance and other errors that could easily cost you the bid.

9. Ultimately, it's all about establishing teamwork. 

The professional tender writers' first task is to understand your business. Secondly, they will know why you think you should win. They will bring you invaluable objectivity that internal personnel could have without bias. Since this is the case, they will be able to challenge you to identify facts to support your answers for each question accurately.

10. It’s Cost-Efficient

In the words of Red Adair, the world-famous oil well firefighter – “if you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, hire an amateur”, and see how much that costs you.

My Final Thoughts

If you would like to make sure to make the most out of your investment for your winning tender submission, TenderWise can help. 

We've written loads of winning tenders across a wide range of industry sectors, including cleaning tenders, construction tenders, professional services tenders, security tenders, and more. We can help you, too. Just give Pauline a call or a chat on 0400 514579, email me at pauline@tenderwise.com.au or contact us here.

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