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Does tendering feature in your growth plans for 2024?

Bid strategy

If you are looking to grow your business in 2024, tendering for a large contract could take your organisation to the next level.

Winning a new, large contract is a great way to grow your business significantly but it can also cause a business to unravel if the resources and processes aren’t in place before you start delivering the contract.

Make 2024 the year you grow through tender bids with our top tips:

  1. Bid strategy

Before you start applying for any tenders, you need to make sure that any contract opportunities you go for align with your wider business goals. You will no doubt have a business plan, financial forecast or marketing plan ready for 2024, so why not create a bid or contract strategy too?

Your bid strategy should consider the potential growth areas in your business. What are you best at? Do you have a specialism or niche? Where do you have capacity? What are your most profitable services? Do you see demand increasing for one of your services in 2024? Will you be launching new products or services?

Once you have asked yourself these questions, you will have a clearer understanding of the types of contracts you should bid for, and this will shape your strategy.

2. Analyse contract opportunities carefully

As well as considering if a particular tender or contract opportunity aligns with your bid or contract strategy, it is also important to think about how else this will benefit your organisation. For example, if it is a small contract but with a company you have wanted to work with for a while, it could be a good way to get your foot in the door. It is also worth thinking about the time it will take to pull the bid together versus your likelihood of winning the tender. Is there going to be a lot of competition for this contract? Would you be able to meet the deadline comfortably with other work commitments? Are you absolutely positive you can fulfil the requirements of the tender bid if you were to win the contract? Also think of the financial implications. Can you price your products and services competitively to win the tender? Will you need to invest in more staff, machinery or equipment to deliver this contract? Would you still make a profit?

3. Ensure your processes work and scale up as necessary

In order to manage growth effectively and deliver a winning bid, you need to have total confidence in your people, systems and processes. Are they scaleable solutions? Could they cope with the extra work? For example, could your software cope with an influx of new users? Do you need to recruit more staff? It’s important not to have the mindset of dealing with issues as and when they come along. Instead, you should manage any risk involved and plan ahead, so that when you land the contract and growth happens, you are ready.

4. Put together a strong bid team

Quality tender submissions take time and should involve more than one person. Create a tender task force of people who can all bring something to the bidding process. You should also assign a project manager too. As part of our Four Phase Approach, we assign our clients with their own bid manager, who creates a clear timeline of the project which drives the entire process, and engages with the identified key contributors to gather the key information needed to create a winning bid.

5. Bring in the experts

Growing a business and tendering for new bids can feel daunting, which is why it’s reassuring to have a team of experts supporting you through the process. Here at K Low Consulting we work with our clients to help them through the bid process, right from developing a contract strategy to supporting them to deliver the contract when the bid has been won.

So, make 2024 your year for growth and contact us to discuss how tendering for new business can form an integral part of your strategy.

For more information or to discuss how we can work with your organisation to help you win and manage contracts, contact us today on 0330 1331 041 or info@klowconsulting.com.

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Tips for creating a successful tender bid

Tender tips

Business growth may feature heavily in your plans and bidding for tenders is an ideal way to achieve those goals.

But, how can you ensure your tender bid stands out over your competitors?

Here are our top tender tips:

  1. Have a clear contract strategy

Finding and developing your contract strategy is a great way to home in on exactly which bids will align with your overall business and growth plans. That’s why we offer a bespoke consultation service to develop this strategy with you, so we get to know your organisation from the inside out. It is the culmination of a team effort – strategic thinking, investigative research, clarity and focus. It also means you won’t get distracted by lucrative bids that are not a good fit for your business and the direction you want to take it in.

2. Analyse any potential contract opportunities

When a tender or contract opportunity presents itself, carry out an opportunity analysis to make sure it not only aligns with your business goals and contract strategy, but that you have the resources and skills to deliver the contract if successful. If you don’t, what do you need to put in place? Will that make the contract financially viable? Or will you be at a loss once you have invested in more people and equipment?

3. Assemble a tender team

Responding to a tender, particularly an NHS or public sector contract, can be a long, thorough process. Think hard about the information you need to gather and who can help you to do this. Also assign a project manager so there is someone leading and coordinating the whole process and providing a clear timeline of the project.

4. Understand the requirements

Thoroughly understand the requirements outlined in the tender document. Identify key deliverables, timelines, evaluation criteria, and any specific qualifications or documentation needed. This will form the structure of your bid and demonstrate to the client that you have a clear understanding of their needs.

5. Don’t rush the writing

It sounds simple but you need to ensure you answer each question fully. Every answer needs to present the correct information be compellingly written to score the highest points possible. As part of our tender writing management process, we have an open dialogue with clients, ensuring that no critical detail is missed. Make sure you also adhere to any word count limits or special directions regarding layout.

6. Emphasise experience and effectiveness

Where there is an opportunity, you need to showcase any relevant experience or achievements. Include case studies, testimonials and qualifications or certificates. Also emphasise cost-effectiveness or any other commercial, environmental or social benefits a potential client will gain from working with you over someone else.

7. Review and refine

Proofread your bid several times checking for accuracy, grammar and that word limits and criteria have been met. Ask colleagues to also review your bid. Do they have anything to add? Could you remove any words that don’t add anything to the submission to sound more concise? When we work with clients, we also ensure the sign-off process fully aligns to our client’s internal quality assurance and governance protocols. Uniquely, where appropriate, we also utilise specialist expert advisers to perform an additional panel review.

For more information or to discuss how we can work with your organisation to help you craft winning tender bids, contact us today on 0330 1331 041 or info@klowconsulting.com.

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Do you analyse new contract opportunities before tendering for them?

Do you analyse new contract opportunities before tendering for them?

In our last blog, we wrote about our ‘Four Phase approach’ to working with clients on their tender bids.

Phase 1 was all about developing a contract strategy. This can be a part of your wider growth or business plans and help provide focus and clarity when it comes to knowing which contracts to go for and where your skills and resources are particularly suited.

Once you have got a business strategy and you know what it is you’re hoping to achieve, it is time for Phase 2 – Opportunity Analysis.

What is Opportunity Analysis?

Working with the Contract Strategy developed as part of Phase 1, performing an Opportunity Analysis will help you to identify and analyse the right opportunities for you and ensure that any contracts you bid for will meet your overall business goals.

There will be countless opportunities out there that could give the chance for your company to grow, but will they benefit the business long term? That is the question you must consider when you’re checking out the opportunities available.

Each tender will take time, effort and internal resources, so it is vital that you are sure that it is worth it and that you are not distracted by any ‘big money’ tenders that could take your business off into a completely different direction or even take it backwards into delivering a service you have moved away from for a good reason.

How do you analyse opportunities effectively?
Investigate your contract opportunities for the next one to three years working in line with your projected strategic goals and ambitions. In our in-depth discussions with clients we help them with this process using our years of business strategy and tender bid experience.

As well as the direction you want the business to go into, you also need to consider other factors such as staff, equipment and costs to get a clear idea of the true contract value for your organisation. What might seem a lucrative deal could end up costing you money in the long run if you need to hire more staff or buy more machinery and equipment.

We also analyse your likelihood of winning contracts. You don’t want to spend a lot of time and resource on developing a tender bid if you only have a slim chance of winning the bid. Performing in-depth competitor analysis can also help determine your likelihood of winning a tender.

What next?
Once you have developed your business and contracts strategies and used these to effectively analyse and live or upcoming contract opportunities, you are ready for Phase 3 – Tender Writing & Management.

Opportunity Analysis is the most cost-effective, time efficient and helpful process to ensure you successfully win the right contract for you.

At K Low Consulting, we work in close collaboration with our clients so that we can use our knowledge of your business and your goals and vision to be able to do just that.

For more information or to discuss how we can work with your organisation to help you win tender bids that are right for you, contact us today on 0330 1331 041 or info@klowconsulting.com.

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Countdown under way to launch of UK’s new Find a Tender Service (FTS)

Anyone who follows our blogs may remember that a short while ago we discussed what tendering was likely to look like in a post-Brexit UK.

As of 1 January 2021, the UK tender opportunities will no longer appear on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) – the online version of the Supplement to the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). 

It has now been officially announced that from 11pm on New Year’s Eve, UK tender opportunities will appear on the new Find a Tender Service (FTS).

How will Find a Tender Service (FTS) work?

The service will be free to use and existing Contracts Finder account holders have been reassured that they will be able to use their current login credentials on FTS.

FTS will also work alongside existing UK procurement portals such as:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk

https://www.supply2defencetenders.com/mod-contracts/

https://www.publiccontractscotland.gov.uk

https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/

https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do

What should I do with bids already started on OJEU/TED?

Any procurements that were started on OJEU/TED before the end of the Brexit transition period will also need to be concluded on OJEU/TED.

Can I still apply for contracts in the EU post-Brexit?

UK businesses will still be able to access the billions of pounds worth of public sector contract opportunities in the EU via OJEU/TED post-Brexit.

Where can I turn for help with tendering?

At K Low Consulting we know that for many businesses change of any kind can be daunting so if you need help to negotiate the new ways of bidding for contracts in a post-Brexit world our team of experts is here to help you.

Why use K Low Consulting?

Our specialist contract strategy and growth consultancy helps businesses to optimise their contract growth resource and create winning bids.

We work within healthcare, social care and other specialist areas such as education and debt recovery. You can trust us because our approaches and processes ensure that our bids are of the highest quality, to win contracts that align with your organisation’s strategic growth goals. Every bid we write is synonymous with best-practice methodology from insight gained from thousands of cycles of learning.

During the last 12 months we have secured an incredible 100% success rate in writing and managing recruitment bids and a 92% win rate overall.

If you want to get your post-Brexit tendering off to a great start, get in touch with us today to see how we can assist you with your commercial bid writing.

Contact info@klowconsulting.com or give us a call on 0330 133 1041.

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How to avoid a last-minute panic when bidding for a tender

You have found a tender that your company would be perfect for – fantastic!

But the deadline is tight and now you’re racing against time to submit the tender.

To avoid a last-minute panic when bidding for a tender, follow our Top 10 Tips:

  1. Read tender documents carefully

Download all the documents provided on the portal, read them carefully and consider:

  • Contract value
  • Length of contract
  • Key dates (submission deadline, contract award notice date, clarification dates, etc)
  • Contract details
  • Key requirements

    2. Plan, plan, plan!

Familiarise yourself with the bidding process. Have you been involved in tendering before? If so, what did you learn? Can you transfer any knowledge gained from your previous bids to create a more efficient plan this time?

You need to ensure your company is ‘tender ready’ and that you can fulfil the contract and submit a compelling bid before the deadline.

Often people underestimate the time it takes to prepare, write and submit a tender. From pre-bid to post-bid there is a large time span. Plan your answers so you hit all of the points the commissioner is looking for.

3. Get organised

Bid co-ordination is a key component of planning and organising a bid. Delegate tasks to the people within the company who are best placed to provide the relevant information. You may want to dedicate an individual to co-ordinating the bid and keeping track of the information required.

Create an information spreadsheet or mobilisation plan to keep track of who is responsible for gathering which piece of information. Set achievable deadlines to ensure information is gathered in time. Create shared folders to enable individuals to easily upload relevant information and documents.

4. Formatting

It is vital to consider the formatting of answers. For example, if the commissioner states they want the font to be Arial size 11, follow this guidance.

Answers will also be limited to specific word counts. Specify word counts at the end of your answers to save the commissioner time.

5. Relevant attachments

The PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) will state the relevant attachments needed to support your submission. This may include:

  • Company policies
  • Case studies
  • Organisational charts
  • Mobilisation plans
  • Project plans

Case studies take time to write. Ensure you have relevant case studies prior to bidding. Attachments should be ready to be uploaded at the time of submission.

6. Clarify all ambiguities

Clarify any uncertainties as soon as possible. The clarification stage invites bidders to raise queries. At this stage, you should clarify anything you are unsure of.

The commissioner releases a list of these questions and their responses after this stage. Read through this carefully to check if there is anything relevant to your bid.

7. Pricing

Is your price right? A thorough pricing plan, prior to bidding, is essential. Having the means in place to fulfil the contract is vital and commissioners will look for a detailed and thorough pricing plan.

Make sure you have carefully evaluated your pricing – you can lose marks, or even worse, lose out on winning the tender completely, solely due to pricing.

8. Check thoroughly

It is important to check your tender responses thoroughly to check they are grammatically correct and read well. Sharpen your phrasing and key messages in your answers and ensure you are hitting the main answer requirements stated by the commissioner. Look at ways to make what you are saying more concise and ‘to the point’.

Get others to check through the answers to help refine key messages and add in any valuable points.

9. Submit early

Any tenders submitted after the deadline, even if it is only a few seconds late, won’t be considered!

However, before the deadline has expired, tender portals will allow you to amend or upload any additional documents after your initial submission. So, if you are waiting on that final quote or evidence to ‘slot-in’, get a completed bid submitted first. You can re-open, refine, and re-submit when it arrives.

If you’re still in the initial stages, deciding whether to bid or not to bid for a tender, read our ‘To Bid or Not to Bid’ blog post to help you make a decision.

10. Ask the experts

If this is really out of your comfort zone, ask for help. Often the value of the contract awarded by far outweighs the cost of using a consultant or advisor with years of bidding experience and it significantly boosts your chances of submitting a winning tender bid.

If you need help with tendering, get in touch today to see how we can help. Contact info@klowconsulting.com or give us a call on 0330 133 1041.

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How do I write an equality and diversity answer on a tender?

Equality and Diversity

Have you ever wondered how to get maximum marks on an Equality & Diversity question on a tender? The answer is simple.

The key to an effective Equality & Diversity answer is to improve your approaches to Equality & Diversity within your workplace, offer as many Diversity initiatives that you can and build a stronger and more inclusive workforce.

As you may be aware, an Equality & Diversity question appears on a large number of tenders. Thus, it is critical for your organisation to be aware of the requirements and provide the best possible answer. Being awarded top marks on this question will increase your chances of winning a tender.

The Equality Act (2010)

To demonstrate to the commissioner that you have an in-depth knowledge on Equality & Diversity, your policies should align with The Equality Act (2010). This shows that your organisation exercises best practice.

The Equality Act (2010) protects individuals, acting as a standing point for a more diverse and equal society. Types of discrimination can be against the following:

  • Age
  • Gender Re-assignment
  • Being married or in a civil partnership
  • Being pregnant or on maternity leave
  • Disability
  • Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual Orientation

The Act covers:

  • The Equal Pay Act 1970
  • The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  • The Race Relations Act 1976
  • The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  • The Employment Equality (religion or belief) regulations 2003
  • The Employment Equality (sexual orientation) regulations 2003
  • The Equality Act 2006, part 2
  • The Equality Act (sexual orientation) regulations 2007

In order to stand as a diverse and equal organisation, buyers must reflect and implement the policies and codes of conduct that the Equality Act (2010) represents, making their policies readily available for customers, clients and any other significant stakeholders.

The Impact of Equality & Diversity Within an Organisation

Equality & Diversity within an organisation can improve the quality of the work delivered, create a diverse and integrated workforce, build stronger communities and identify under-representation within society. The more that this is evidenced within your answer, the more effective the answer will become.

To build a stronger and more inclusive workforce, there are some recommendations for what can be done. Reflecting some of these incentives will enable you to build a more constructive answer:

  • Conduct research to evaluate those who are under-represented within local communities
  • Monitor diversity during the recruitment process
  • Advertise traditionally and present vacancies utilising diverse job-boards
  • Build relationships with diversity partners to network more candidates
  • Work towards obtaining accreditations for diversity such as the ‘Two Ticks Scheme’ and ‘Clear Assured’

Having these initiatives and incentives in place within your organisation will help you substantially when answering this question.

What to Expect from An Equality & Diversity Question

You may be required to submit an eligibility questionnaire as part of the process; part of this questionnaire may be based on your organisations Equality & Diversity policies. Your answers to these questions will be measured against statutory regulations.

If equality is a core principle within the tender, you may be asked to provide further information and evidence to support the submission. For an Equality & Diversity question, commissioners need to ensure the quality in the terms and conditions; employers must offer equal pay, terms & conditions promotion, transfer opportunities, training, dismissal and redundancy procedures to all employees regardless of any personal characteristics.

It is important to know what will be asked of you for an Equality & Diversity question. You may be asked to provide:

  • Your organisation’s Equality & Diversity policies
  • Details of any unlawful discrimination breaches
  • Any formal investigations carried out on your organisation in the last 3 years
  • Copies of recruitment training or promotion instructions

An example of Equality & Diversity questions:

  • Provide the processes your organisation has in place to ensure that candidates are managed in a fair and non-discriminatory manner
  • Provide the processes your organisation has in place to ensure that you attract a diverse and inclusive candidate base
  • Do you provide Equality and Diversity training for staff?
  • Has your organisation been the subject of any formal investigation by the commission for Racial Equality, The Equality Opportunities Communities or the Disability Rights Commission on grounds of alleged unlawful discrimination?

Preparing your Equality & Diversity Answer

You will need to take into consideration your organisation’s practices when it comes to Equality & Diversity. When providing details of your organisations Equality & Diversity policy, your answer will have added quality if you are able to understand, monitor and evaluate the local demographics that are contextually stated within the tender. Identifying and demonstrating your knowledge of under-represented communities and then proposing practical ways to engage with them with help you to prepare this answer.

You will also have to take into consideration when preparing your answer:

  • How to attract a more diverse workforce
  • How you ensure equal opportunities within your organisation
  • How to measure and evaluate the success of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce
  • How you ensure that staff are well equipped to meet the equitable approaches expected of your policy and procedures
  • How you advise clients on Equality & Diversity issues and impacted procedures