Tenders & bids
Formal tenders reward suppliers who look commercially mature. Strong technical teams still lose on pricing structure, assumptions and risk, or win on terms they can't deliver at a profit.
Deciding whether to bid
A review of the tender documents before you commit anyone's time. Can you win it, can you deliver it at a margin, and can you live with the contract attached to it?
The commercial response
Your team writes the technical content. I build the commercial side around it.
- Win strategy: why you, and the evaluator's biggest concern
- Pricing structure and schedule
- Assumptions and exclusions register
- Risk schedule, and proposed departures from the buyer's contract terms
- Executive summary and commercial narrative
- Compliance matrix and clarification questions
After you're selected
Selection is when the buyer's contract team arrives. I lead or support the negotiation so that what you sign matches what you priced.
If you tender regularly
A fractional arrangement: a set number of hours each month for opportunity screening, bid reviews, pricing and templates, without hiring a full-time commercial manager.
How an engagement runs
First look
We go through the opportunity and I give you a straight view on whether it's worth chasing.
Strategy
Pricing approach, risk position, win themes and a response plan built around the evaluation criteria.
Response
I draft and refine the commercial sections alongside your team, through to submission.
Negotiation
Once you're selected, I lead or support the contract negotiation.
Are you ready to bid?
A scored report and a ranked list of gaps. About 10 minutes.