A tender submission forms the first impression that a prospective client makes about the bidder. The document has a body language which either speaks.. ‘read me’ or ‘leave me’
From the packaging to the content to the writing style, the graphics and other illustrations; it all communicates with the Evaluator.
When a tender is unsuccessful, the feedback you receive is either a perfunctory ‘Unfortunately, your bid was unsuccessful. ..’ or in some instances, no feedback at all.
Have you ever wondered what goes through the minds of the folks evaluating the tenders?
What are the things the Evaluators think but don’t say about unsuccessful tender submissions?
Today, we look at one of such thoughts the evaluators have but won’t tell a contractor about an unsuccessful tender.
'Your technical submission did not catch my attention.'
What does this mean? Let's expand that thought...
'I have over a hundred technical tenders to review. To make my job manageable, I have to quickly eliminate the inessential and focus only on those that resonate with me.
When I skimmed through your submission, nothing caught my attention. It did not stand out; did not persuade me to buy from you. I could not see the value you may have to offer my project.'
A satisfactory submission is not good enough. When you prepare a technical tender, always remember that your competitors will all submit satisfactory tenders. A winning tender has to go the extra mile to stand out from the crowd.
Picture the Evaluator flipping through several tenders, shaking his head in disbelief or disagreement.
Now picture the same Evaluator tiredly picking up the nineteenth tender (which happens to be yours) and within the first few minutes of picking it up, his eyes light up; nodding his head vigorously, resonating with every page of your submission.
Are you getting your message across through your tender submissions? Or is your value proposition lost in the fluff of unnecessary information?
Indeed, there is a lot to learn in writing captivating technical tenders that set you apart from the rest; tenders that hold the Evaluator in rapt attention. Such tenders should include the following:
High quality, professional packaging
Content that captivates the client
Strong value proposition
Graphics and illustrations that speak directly to the client’s needs
If you take only one lesson away, it should be that your tender submission must make it easy for the Evaluator to DESIRE to work with you.
I would love to hear your thoughts as bidders preparing bids/tenders and as Evaluators reviewing same. Please include your comments below...
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