Why are references important in bids and tenders?

References in tender proposals are often not often given the attention they deserve. There are generally two different types of references. The first are references required for Work Health and Safety verification purposes. These may be used to verify you have not had any claims against your company in previous contracts and are generally simple.

However, for references in tender proposals that attest to your ability to do the job – it’s game on. The first most important point is integration. Whether you are providing a professional service or proposing to undertake an engineering or construction project, the references you provide must integrate well with the case studies you have included in your response, the methodologies and procedures you have outlined as well as your key points of difference.

After all, there’s no real point in providing a reference from your best and most supportive client, if they are a small business and you are pitching to a corporation. Equally, there’s no real point in providing a reference from a large corporation, if you are pitching to a small business who is looking for responsive and personalised service. So it’s horses for courses, references to match the proposal, and a well-integrated tender strategy that will deliver results.

Finally, a solid bid/no bid decision process is also necessary to ensure you aren’t calling up your clients for use as references for a bunch of limited opportunities.

What references work best?

First and foremost the reference needs to be on your aside and also needs to be able to attest to your capabilities. There is no point in putting forward a referee who you don’t have a solid relationship with, even if that referee is from a large well-reputed organisation. It’s also useful to put forward references that are similar in size and scope to the organisation you are bidding to.

For assistance with your next tender contact our team of writers here at The Tender Team.