For many new tenderers, the concept of decision gates may halt your progress with your tender response from the very beginning.

Decision gates are implemented by governments and many other organisations to weed out tender responses that fail to pass sets of requirements laid out by the procuring team or selection panel. In some ways, it’s similar to an exam format where getting the first question right is essential for getting the correct answers to the later questions as they are all connected. The Tender Team, like all other experienced tender writers, are aware of this assessment style and adept at abiding by these rules.

We have put forth a decision gate format that will help those both new or old to tender responses make sure they pass the first hurdle of the tender in order to finish the race. Many Decision Gates are repeated in tender responses but often in different orders. This reflects the procuring team/selection panel’s preference for businesses that may either be the most experienced or the least in cost to utilise.

Below is an example of a set of Decision Gates found in a tender:

Decision Gate 1

The first gate is usually concerned with the most basic of tenderer requirements – often focusing on things such as

• Work Health Safety (WHS)
• Quality Assurance
• Criminal Checks
• Other regulatory assessments.

The tenderer should either possess these qualifications or either explicitly state a commitment to acquiring them at the start of the contract (should they win). This means you must organise your documents, collating the required info whilst providing a suitable response when you don’t immediately satisfy one of these requirements.

For many businesses new to the tender process, some find it hard to justify paying for an additional WHS or QA template and certification when winning is obviously not guaranteed. Here at the Tender Team, we advise on the most cost-efficient way to progress with your tender.

Decision Gate 2

Once the tenderer passes Decision Gate 1, Decision Gate 2 more often than not dives straight into the heart of whether or not your business is capable of performing the contract.

At this stage, the procuring team/selection panel will assess the following;

• Locality

Is your business within the same region or state as to where the contract will take place? Many organisations (especially government departments) will clearly favour those tender responses that are closer to home, giving additional weighting to your response if you satisfy locality.

• Capability

Above all else, the tenderer must have an acceptable, minimal level of expertise, resources and knowhow to abide by the procuring team/selection panel’s requirements. In our roles as tender writers, the Tender Team mainly focuses on our client’s capabilities in the tender response – putting them forth in the best possible light without misrepresentation.

We often make clear that a compelling and yet easy-to-read response, as provided by the Tender Team, that may not satisfy every single criterion possible is still worthwhile. For many new tenderers it is important to note that Decision Gates do not always shut out the less experienced, but instead, provides an opportunity for self-assessment and eventual success.

Decision Gate 3

After passing through the previous Decision Gates, the procuring team/selection panel will often move onwards to interviews. This is the best opportunity for a tenderer to really showcase their worth and capability to complete the contract.

At this stage, tenderers will also need to demonstrate how their tender response provides the best value-for-money solution. Through the combination of a comprehensive tender response and appropriate pricing, Decision Gate 3 will be satisfied and the tenderer announced as the winning bid.

Don’t be the business that doesn’t get business because Decision Gates dissuade them from applying. Call the Tender Team today at +61410 448 770 or email us at info@thetenderteam.com.au to enquire about our services and how best to pass through these gates with ease and walk out the other side with the winning bid.

Being involved in your first tender response can be daunting. Client expectations must be balanced with project (time) management in order to get your documents ready before the procuring company’s submission deadline.

Responding to the tender or bid

When starting your first tender response, it is most important to consult with the client to get started. In fact, it’s the only way to start your response. Your client will possess most of the answers available for your project but usually not in the most desirable format.

It’s likely that there will be a mess of documents delivered to your front doorstep or email inbox. The information present in those files will contain most of the answers required for your response but as it stands, it will likely not be presentable for the procuring team or selection panel to review.

The first set of documents you should review is the Invitation to Tender and Form of Tender.

The Invitation to Tender is the main document tender writers (such as those at The Tender Team) refer to when starting a client project. These documents detail the procurement company’s expectations and specific requirements that a tenderer must adhere to.

For example, only companies with a certain level of experienced key personnel and current working inventory may only be considered. These requirements are considered necessary by the procuring team as they are likely after the services of the ablest tenderers. Some tenderers are already primed to offer every product and service possibly required as their current capacities match or exceed procurement expectations. On the other hand, other tenderers may apply in order to achieve their first big break, propelling their company forward by purchasing supplies afterwards in order to meet the client’s demands.

Both situations can occur and the likelihood of either doing so results primarily in the original tender response to the procuring team’s criteria. While the Invitation to Tender should be considered an appropriate checklist and guide to follow, exceptions may apply that change the prospects of the successful tenderer not necessarily being the largest and able competitor.

The decision is ultimately up to the other side and it is the tender writer’s responsibility to put forth a proposal for submission that allays any concerns and offers as much as convenience and credibility as possible.

Pricing to win

The price level itself is usually not the tender writer’s responsibility. But they are charged with ensuring it is appropriately included in the final set of documents and verified with the pricing specialist responsible that no further price changes are required. The lowest price offered in the procurement process is an inviting feature of any submission but unless specified in the Invitation to Tender, it does not guarantee a successful bid.

The Invitation to Tender is usually a considerably large document specifying all relevant details that must be addressed. Procedural formalities such as submission location and adherence to general business ethics and confidentiality are always covered. The communication process between the tenderer and the procurement team is highly governed and can be somewhat restricted – as in limiting communication to email only. These procedures are in place to not give any competitor before the assessment of the submissions an undue advantage. It is also in place to cover the procurement team should they find themselves accused of corruption (bribery, etc) by the other competing bids.

This document also usually contains information on the evaluation process of the tender responses. As mentioned before, many procurement teams are not always looking for the cheapest provider. They may eschew the lowest cost solution for a more experienced one, implicitly demonstrating an assumed relationship between a higher price and better quality products and/or services. The tender writer needs to remember that pricing is only one component of tender writing and not the be all and end all factor that determines the successful bid.

The tender writer should always review the evaluation process for the tender response. This section of any Invitation to Tender will give the greatest insight into what criteria is being exactly assessed and the reasoning behind who will likely win. Many evaluation strategies assess a ‘value for money’ approach where it is always a combination of tender response characteristics such as affordable pricing, clearly stated capacity and experience levels and a captivating yet substantial response to alleviating the procurement team’s requirements.

If you’re ready to take the next step in securing new contracts for your business, call us here at the tender team on 0410 448 770 or email info@thetenderteam.com.au 

The Tender Team is proud to have recently expanded our service offering to Singapore to provide tender writing and business writing in Singapore. Our serviced office in Singapore enables us to provide cross-border business writing and consultancy services for major bids and tenders as well as other marketing and business projects across Australia Pacific. We provide tender writing services to a range of Singapore and Asia-Pacific based businesses as well as other writing services including bid writing, proposal writing and business development and marketing.

We provide writing services across a range of industries including:

• Legal, Accounting and other professional services – We have drafted tenders for a number of international legal and accounting firms as well as capability statements
• Manufacturing, engineering and operations – From the manufacturing of train tracks to componentry to maintenance services, we have experience drafting proposal and business documents
• Health and pharmaceutical
• Defence and science – we have a track record of getting multi-million dollar deals over the line

We provide the full scope of tender writing service, from developing a tender strategy to drafting case studies and advising on compliance. We understand what governments and private procurement people are looking for, and how to draft winning tender material that will appeal to them. Our team of personnel has extensive experience in tender writing and business writing in Singapore. We will liaise with all of your relevant internal stakeholders to put together multi-national bids that are compelling and compliant.

Our service is round-the-clock as we are well aware that there are significant deadlines on many bids and tenders which must be adhered to. We introduce industry-leading win-themes and other strategies to give you the best chance of success. Our team of writers and editors are also supported by a graphic design team that can assist to ensure the final result is exemplary.

Our tender writing and business writing Singapore team is highly experienced and skilled in all aspects of tender writing. We provide services across the Asia-Pacific and have the contacts and experience to draft bids to Europe and America. A global consultancy based in Australia, The Tender team is a multi-national consultancy committed to delivering results for our clients.

For assistance with your next tender or bid, contact the tender team on +61 410 448 770 or info@thetenderteam.com.au

So a major complex tender has come in and you know where to start, you have done it before, however this time, you want to be in control, complete it with time to spare, and make an exemplary submission. Here are a few tips on how to go about achieving that:

Get organised from the start

That means filing documents correctly, implementing a response plan and liaising with key stakeholders within the business. It’s important to set up a system of drafts, for example, Draft 1, 2 and 3 or alternatively Draft (date) (time) so that you can keep track of which document is the latest version and so you can save previous versions of the document independently in case of any technical issues. Furthermore, you will more than likely start to accumulate documentation for appendices. These need to be organised in a folder and clearly labeled to correspond with the draft document, to ensure that they remain organised throughout the process.

For major complex tenders it’s also necessary to develop a project management tool that enables you to keep track of the status of all the questions. You will need to engage subject matter experts on different aspects and questions of the tender. It is therefore important to have a tool in place that tracks the status of each question. One of the easiest ways to do this is using Microsoft Excel and a colour coding system – The Tender Team have a template for this which we are happy to share.

Finally you need to identify the key stakeholders within and outside the business that you will need input from. Although sending emails is necessary, it’s always a good idea to call and have a chat, or drop by and see them in person. Let me know the deadline, and the reason for the deadline, as well as why their input is important and how it will improve the tender.

Focus on project management, not just writing

It’s easy to fall into the trap when drafting a major complex tender of drafting for a good four or five days straight. The problem with that is you will not have time to follow up internal stakeholders and stay organised. You will need to spend approximately 20% of your time staying organised and making sure that deadlines are being met. This often means slower progress in terms of drafting the tender, but it’s worth it. With a bit of critical path analysis and some robust project management techniques, you might find yourself drafting some last-minute content for a simple question three or four days before the tender is due, but you won’t find yourself waiting on six or seven people for content and information in order for you to refine it.

Stay calm when you get into the thick of it – and always keep your team in the loop

When everything is ticking along nicely and you are making steady process, it’s a great idea to bring someone in your team along for the ride. That’s because you will need them. Not just in case you are hit by a bus, but when the process becomes more intense you will need them to have some idea of the tender and the process. The important point is to stay calm. If you are stressed or impatient under pressure, not only is it easier to make mistakes, you will convey that stress to other members of your team and internal stakeholders. This generally doesn’t lead to an exemplary result.

You can always call us here at the tender team on 0410 448 770 or email info@thetenderteam.com.au to assist with your major complex tender;  if you follow the above tips and dedicated the time to project manage the tender properly then you will be on the right track.

The Tender Team provides bid management and tender management assistance across Australia. Based in Sydney we have extensive experience drafting a range of tenders to the government and the private sector. Our experience includes drafting tenders in the professional services, mining and IT industries. We provide prompt, efficient and quality service and are able to assist in writing and managing your next major complex tender.