Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Tender Proposal

Writing a tender proposal is something that many people would prefer to avoid doing themselves. Writing tenders requires a lot of effort and time to get it right and many people can make the same simple mistakes. The key to writing a winning tender proposal is to understand what the most common mistakes are and how you can avoid them.

So, here are the top 5 mistakes to avoid when writing a proposal:

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   Forgetting about compliance

Now this first mistake may sound obvious, but you would be surprised just how many times this can happen. Many businesses will find a contract that they know they can deliver on and set out writing the proposal– while forgetting to check if they are compliant.

At the very least, businesses and organisations must have been trading for a minimum of three years. In many cases, there is also a minimum turnover requirement that has to be met as well. Other areas of compliance can include procedures, accreditations, policies and previous contract experience. Before you begin your tender proposal, always ensure that your business or organisation is fully compliant with the relevant requirements.

2. Providing lacklustre examples

Giving punchy and short examples of how your business makes a difference to your clients is great – but mini case studies are better. To avoid giving lacklustre examples of your experience, demonstrate specific evidence with facts or testimonials. This will help paint the picture of how you have helped your clients with saving money, time or how you created an innovative solution to a specific problem.

3. Not understanding their business

When writing a tender proposal, it is crucial to demonstrate your understanding of a client’s problems or what the client wants to achieve. Always avoid bland and generic submissions that don’t demonstrate your full understanding of the problem or situation. Also, avoid ‘cutting and pasting’ previous answers without editing or personalising them accordingly.

4. Not asking for feedback

Regardless of whether your business ended up winning or losing the bid, always request feedback. This is important because feedback will inform you of your weaknesses and strengths. Learning from this feedback allows your business to create stronger bids and proposals when writing future submissions.

5. Not utilising the specification

The specification serves an important reason. It’s the guide on how to complete the proposal while ticking all of the boxes. It can be the key to securing a contract. When you read the specification closely, you can identify specific criteria that you have to meet. However, being able to decipher the specification is a skill that can take a lot of experience and time to master.

To help avoid these common mistakes, search for professional tender writing services that can take the stress out while ensuring your business is always submitting a mistake-free and winning tender. Search online for a company that can help with writing a tender proposal and discover how they can assist you today!