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.
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.