Senior Consultant - Aspin Group
1. Write with your audience in mind:
Remember that the panel evaluating the tender responses rarely include a procurement expert unless it is a very high value tender. The average tender in the value range of $10,000 - $250,000 will be evaluated by government officers with a vested interest in the service or product and who may have written the tender, and an invited private industry member who is a subject expert to add their knowledge but also to ‘keep the process honest’. With this audience in mind keep the response straight forward and direct, clearly addressing each section or item in the tender in turn. This makes it easy to read and assess. To differentiate your response the skill is in demonstrating at every opportunity how you are going to add value, be responsive or are able to see beyond the obvious.
2. Understand the client’s needs:
Every Request for Tender I have read (and written) opens with a blurb that outlines the department’s need for the relevant service or product and later will ask you to state your understanding of the department’s need. Whether this later request is made or not respond as though it was asked. This response will be part of your introductory remarks, with appropriate sub-heading, and will demonstrate to the panel you have a full grasp and understanding of what they are looking for – it gives them confidence that there is no misunderstanding on your part about the deliverables. However, your tender response will immediately be put aside for later review if you fall into the common trap of simply restating, or worse cutting and pasting, what was in the Request for Tender. If you want the business make it your business to properly inform yourself of all the apparently obvious deliverables, but also the inferred and wish list parts as well. A good paragraph on this aspect at the beginning will go a long way to off-setting any minor weakness in another part of your response.
