Winning public sector contracts can transform your business, opening doors to stable, long-term revenue streams that private sector work often cannot match. Yet many SMEs find the tendering process daunting, with complex documentation and fierce competition creating significant barriers to entry.
At Bid Writer Consultancy, we’ve helped hundreds of SMEs across the UK break through these barriers and secure valuable public contracts. Our experience has shown that success comes not just from understanding the technical requirements, but from crafting compelling narratives that showcase your unique value proposition.
Understanding the Procurement Process
Public sector procurement follows specific regulations designed to ensure fair competition and value for money. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 govern most procurement activities in the UK, with additional rules applying to certain sectors.
Buyers must advertise opportunities above certain thresholds on the Find a Tender service, which replaced the EU’s TED system following Brexit. Lower value contracts might appear on Contracts Finder or devolved administration portals for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The procurement environment isn’t static. The Procurement Act 2023 introduced significant changes aimed at simplifying processes and increasing SME participation. These changes include streamlined procedures, greater transparency requirements, and a stronger focus on social value considerations.
Before diving into any bid, take time to understand the buyer’s procurement strategy. Some organisations bundle requirements into large contracts that favour bigger suppliers, while others break them down into smaller lots that SMEs can more readily tackle. Knowing this context helps you target opportunities where you have a genuine chance of success.
What Are the Stages in the Tendering Process?
The typical tendering process follows several distinct stages, each requiring different approaches:
Pre-market engagement often begins before a formal tender is published. Buyers may issue Planned Procurement Notices (formerly PINs), hold supplier days, or publish draft specifications. These activities give you early insight into requirements and allow you to build relationships with buyers. We’ve seen clients win contracts partly because they engaged meaningfully at this early stage, helping shape requirements that played to their strengths.
Selection determines which suppliers are qualified to bid. This usually involves a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) or Selection Questionnaire (SQ) focusing on your company’s financial standing, experience, and capabilities. Public buyers use standardised SQs, but the specific questions and evidence requirements vary.
Invitation to Tender (ITT) is where qualified suppliers submit detailed proposals. This typically includes method statements describing your approach, pricing schedules, and supporting documentation like policies and certifications. The evaluation criteria should be clearly stated, showing the relative importance of quality, price, and other factors.
Evaluation is conducted by the buyer’s team using the published criteria. Scores are assigned to each response, with feedback provided to unsuccessful bidders. Understanding how evaluators think is essential – they’re looking for clear, evidence-based responses that directly address their requirements.
Contract award is followed by a standstill period (usually 10 days) during which unsuccessful bidders can challenge the decision. Once this period expires, the contract is formally awarded and implementation begins. If this is a framework, there is often when account management and public sector sales focus kicks in – engaging with the framework organisations and understanding how you can best use the framework as a tool for your business growth.
Different procurement routes may compress or expand these stages. For example, open procedures combine selection and tender into a single stage, while competitive dialogue involves additional rounds of discussion between interim submissions.
Pre-Bid Qualification and Preparation
Not every opportunity is worth pursuing. Bid preparation consumes significant resources, so you need a robust qualification process to focus your efforts where they’ll yield the best returns.
Start by assessing the contract’s strategic fit. Does it align with your business goals? Will it help you enter new markets or develop new capabilities? One client initially pursued every available opportunity in their sector, stretching their bid resources thin and winning few contracts. After implementing a strategic qualification system, their win rate tripled.
Next, consider practical factors: Do you meet all mandatory requirements? Can you deliver within the specified geography? Do you have the necessary capacity and capabilities? Be honest about your limitations – bidding for contracts you can’t deliver wastes everyone’s time and may damage your reputation.
Relationship mapping is another vital preparation step. Who are the key stakeholders in the buying organisation? What are their priorities and pain points? Have you worked with them before? Strong relationships can provide valuable context that helps shape your bid.
Research the incumbent supplier if there is one. Are they bidding again? What’s their track record? Has the buyer expressed satisfaction or frustration with current arrangements? Understanding this dynamic helps position your offer accordingly.
Finally, analyse previous tender documentation if available. Freedom of Information requests can sometimes yield valuable insights into what worked for successful bidders. Look for patterns in the buyer’s priorities and evaluation approach.
What Do You Need to Have in Place to Win Public Sector Contracts
Bid readiness is key to success in public sector tendering. Procurement is fundamentally about risk management – buyers are trying to find the best supplier while minimising the chance of project failure.
Relevant experience is perhaps the most important factor in demonstrating low risk. You need to show that you’ve delivered similar services or products to comparable organisations, preferably in the public sector. Without this track record, buyers will question your ability to handle their requirements, regardless of how good your solution might be.
Evidence is crucial – client testimonials, case studies, and detailed contract examples all help build confidence in your capabilities. The strongest evidence includes quantifiable outcomes and addresses challenges similar to those the buyer anticipates.
Accreditations appropriate to your sector signal compliance and quality. These might include industry-specific certifications or more general standards like ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), or ISO 27001 (information security). Which ones matter most depends on your specific sector and what your competitors typically hold.
Robust policies covering areas like health and safety, environmental management, equality and diversity, and information security are often mandatory requirements. These need to be not just paper documents but evidence of embedded practices within your organisation.
Financial stability comes under close scrutiny, with many tenders requiring several years of accounts showing adequate turnover and financial health. Public bodies are wary of suppliers who might fail mid-contract, so demonstrating financial resilience is essential.
The specific requirements vary considerably by sector and contract value. A £5 million construction contract will demand different credentials than a £50,000 consultancy project. Research what’s standard in your market and prioritise developing the most important qualifications.
Decoding the Tender Documentation
Tender documents contain numerous sections, each serving a specific purpose. Missing or misinterpreting requirements is a common reason for bid failure, so thorough analysis is essential.
The Instructions to Tenderers explains the rules of the process – submission deadlines, format requirements, clarification procedures, and evaluation methodology. Read this section first and create a compliance checklist to ensure you meet all procedural requirements. Some tenders include seemingly minor formatting rules that, if breached, can lead to disqualification.
The Specification describes what the buyer wants to purchase. It may be output-based (describing the results required) or input-based (prescribing specific activities). Highlight all explicit requirements and look for implicit needs that might be addressed in your response. Note any areas where the specification seems unclear or contradictory – these may warrant clarification questions.
The Contract Terms set out the legal relationship between buyer and supplier. Review these carefully, especially provisions around payment terms, liability caps, intellectual property, and termination rights. Flag any terms that pose significant risk or would be difficult to meet.
Method statement questions require detailed written responses explaining your approach. Analyse each question to identify exactly what’s being asked and the underlying concerns the buyer is trying to address. Break complex questions into component parts to ensure you address all aspects.
When reviewing pricing schedules, understand exactly what costs should be included and how they should be presented. Some schedules can be deceptively complex, with different weightings applied to different elements during evaluation.
As mentioned above in the tendering stages section, don’t hesitate to seek clarification if any requirements seem ambiguous. However, frame your questions carefully – they’re visible to all bidders and might reveal your approach or concerns.
Developing a Compelling Value Proposition
Your value proposition must resonate with the specific needs and priorities of the contracting authority. Generic claims about being “high quality” or “cost-effective” won’t differentiate your bid from competitors.
Start by identifying the buyer’s primary drivers. Are they focused on reducing costs, improving service quality, achieving social value outcomes, or managing specific risks? Different stakeholders within the buying organisation may have different priorities – technical users may prioritise functionality while procurement teams focus on commercial terms.
Next, assess your competitive advantages. What makes your solution genuinely different? Perhaps you have proprietary technology, unique methodologies, specialised expertise, or an innovative delivery model. One client discovered their main differentiator was their staff retention rate, which was far higher than industry average and translated to better service continuity for clients.
Quantify the benefits of your approach wherever possible. Instead of saying your solution is “efficient,” calculate exactly how much time or money the buyer will save. Instead of claiming “high quality,” show how your quality control processes reduce error rates by specific percentages.
Substantiate your claims with evidence. Case studies from similar contracts, testimonials from comparable clients, performance data, and relevant accreditations all help build credibility. Remember that evaluators start from a position of scepticism – your job is to overcome this with compelling proof.
Tailor your value proposition to evaluation criteria. If quality and price are weighted 60:40, your messaging should reflect this balance. A bid that emphasises cost savings when the buyer is clearly prioritising quality will miss the mark.
Creating Persuasive Technical Responses
Technical responses or method statements form the heart of most bids. These narrative answers explain how you’ll deliver the requirements and create value for the buyer.
Structure is key to high-scoring responses. Use headings and subheadings that mirror the question and evaluation criteria. This helps evaluators navigate your answer and find the information they’re looking for. Remember that evaluators may be reading dozens of bids – making their job easier improves your chances.
Begin each response by demonstrating your understanding of the requirement and its context. This shows that you’ve thought about the buyer’s needs rather than simply recycling standard material. One client doubled their evaluation scores simply by adding brief context statements to the beginning of each answer.
When describing your approach, be specific about how you’ll deliver, not just what you’ll deliver. Include details of methodologies, processes, resources, and timelines. Some bidders provide good theoretical frameworks but fail to explain practical implementation.
Highlight relevant experience, but don’t simply list previous contracts. Explain what you learned from this experience and how it will benefit delivery of the current contract. Specific insights demonstrate genuine expertise rather than theoretical knowledge.
Address risks proactively. Identify potential delivery challenges and explain your mitigation strategies. This shows maturity and foresight, giving evaluators confidence in your ability to handle problems.
Bring your response to life with examples, diagrams, and case studies. Visual elements break up text and can communicate complex ideas more effectively than words alone. One particularly successful bid included process flowcharts with annotations explaining benefits at each stage.
Avoid jargon and overly technical language unless you’re certain the evaluators are subject matter experts. Plain English is always more persuasive than unnecessarily complex terminology.
Pricing Strategies for Competitive Bids
Pricing can make or break your bid, regardless of how strong your technical response is. Strategic pricing requires understanding both your costs and the market context.
First, ensure you’ve captured all delivery costs, including staff time, materials, equipment, overheads, and contingency. Breaking down costs by deliverable or time period helps identify any areas where you might be under or over-estimating.
Consider how the pricing model affects risk allocation. Fixed price contracts place more risk on the supplier, while time and materials arrangements shift risk to the buyer. Your pricing should reflect the level of risk you’re taking on.
Market research helps establish competitive benchmarks. What have similar contracts been awarded for previously? How are competitors likely to price? In one recent health sector tender, knowing that a competitor was willing to accept lower margins to enter the market allowed our client to adjust their pricing strategy accordingly.
Value-based pricing focuses on the worth of outcomes to the buyer rather than just your delivery costs. If your solution delivers £100,000 in savings or additional value, a price that allows the buyer to capture a significant portion of this value becomes more justifiable.
The evaluation methodology should heavily influence your approach. If price is evaluated on a relative basis (where the lowest price gets maximum marks and others are scaled accordingly), aggressive pricing may be necessary to remain competitive. If price is evaluated on an absolute scale (with bands for different price points), you have more flexibility.
Be wary of pricing too low. Apart from potential delivery problems if you can’t sustain the price, abnormally low bids may trigger additional scrutiny from evaluators concerned about quality or risk.
Quality Assurance and Submission Processes
A well-written bid can be undone by small errors or compliance failures. Rigorous quality assurance is essential before submission.
Create a compliance checklist covering all submission requirements: document formats, file naming conventions, word or page limits, font specifications, and required attachments. It sounds pedantic, but we’ve seen strong bids rejected for failing to follow basic formatting instructions.
Review content against evaluation criteria, ensuring you’ve addressed every aspect of every question. Score your own responses using the published evaluation methodology – this helps identify areas that need strengthening.
Check for consistency across all bid components. Technical approaches should align with resource allocations in the pricing schedule. Delivery timelines should be consistent throughout. Conflicting statements in different sections create doubt about your understanding and capability.
Reviewers unfamiliar with the bid development process can provide fresh perspectives. They’ll spot assumptions, jargon, and unclear explanations that those close to the bid might miss. Technical experts should verify that technical claims are accurate and deliverable.
Allow time for final proofing to eliminate spelling, grammar, and formatting errors. While minor mistakes rarely affect evaluation scores directly, they can undermine the professional image you’re trying to project.
Submit well before the deadline. Last-minute technical problems have derailed many bids. Most electronic procurement systems issue receipts confirming successful submission – make sure you receive and retain this confirmation.
Post-Submission Activities and Feedback Analysis
The period after submission offers valuable opportunities to strengthen your position and learn for future bids.
If presentations or interviews form part of the process, prepare thoroughly. Review your written submission, anticipate questions, and rehearse with colleagues playing the role of evaluators. Ensure your presentation team includes both subject matter experts and articulate communicators.
During the standstill period, request a debrief regardless of the outcome. Detailed feedback helps you understand strengths to build on and weaknesses to address in future bids. Even when you win, feedback reveals areas where you could have scored higher.
Conduct your own internal review while the bid is fresh in everyone’s mind. What went well in the preparation process? What could be improved? Did you have the right team and resources? This reflection helps refine your approach for next time.
If unsuccessful, consider whether a challenge is warranted. Procurement regulations allow suppliers to challenge decisions where proper procedures weren’t followed. However, challenges should only be pursued in clear cases of procedural impropriety, not simply because you disagree with the outcome.
For successful bids, ensure a smooth transition from bid team to delivery team. The promises made in your bid now become contractual commitments, so delivery staff need to understand exactly what’s been offered.
Maintain relationships with the buyer throughout contract delivery. Outstanding performance creates advocates within client organisations and positions you favourably for contract extensions or future opportunities. The tendering process doesn’t end with contract award – it’s the beginning of a relationship that can lead to sustained business growth.
Bid & Tender Writing Services
Professional bid writing services bridge the gap between your operational expertise and the specialised requirements of competitive tendering. Even organisations with extensive subject matter knowledge often lack the specific skills needed to navigate procurement processes and create winning submissions.
Bid writing consultancy offers various support models to suit different needs and budgets. These range from light-touch review and coaching to full end-to-end bid management and writing. The right approach depends on your internal capabilities, the complexity of the tender, and the strategic importance of the opportunity.
Our bid consultants work as an extension of your team, drawing out your organisational strengths and articulating them in ways that resonate with evaluators. This collaborative approach ensures responses are both compelling and authentic, avoiding the “generic consultant speak” that experienced evaluators quickly identify.
Specialist bid writers bring several advantages beyond writing skills. They offer objective perspectives, challenging assumptions and identifying weaknesses that internal teams might overlook. Their experience across multiple sectors provides insights into evaluator preferences and effective presentation techniques. And their focus on bid development allows your operational staff to maintain business continuity during the bid process.
The bid writing process typically begins with a structured kick-off meeting to gather information and align on strategy. Writers then develop draft responses for your review, incorporating feedback through multiple iterations. Throughout the process, bid consultants manage compliance, coordinate inputs from different stakeholders, and ensure all submission requirements are met.
Working with professional bid writing consultants significantly increases win rates for most organisations. First-time bidders typically see the most dramatic improvements, but even experienced bidders benefit from specialist support on complex or high-value opportunities. One construction client increased their win rate from 20% to 75% after engaging professional bid writing support.
Beyond immediate wins, bid consultancy develops your internal capabilities. Each supported bid becomes a learning opportunity, with knowledge transfer building your team’s confidence and competence for future tenders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does a bid writing company work for you?
Bid writing companies act as specialist extensions of your team during the tender process. After an initial assessment of the opportunity and your capabilities, we develop a tailored approach that might include strategy development, response writing, review and improvement of your draft responses, graphics creation, or full bid management.
The process is highly collaborative, combining your subject matter expertise with our bid writing knowledge. We conduct structured interviews with your key staff to extract the information needed for compelling responses, then craft this into clear, persuasive narratives aligned with evaluation criteria. You retain full control through review and approval cycles, ensuring the final submission accurately represents your organisation.
Throughout the process, we maintain rigorous project management, tracking progress against submission deadlines and ensuring all compliance requirements are met. Our goal is to maximise your chances of success while minimising the impact on your day-to-day operations.
Where can I find bid writing consultants in the UK?
Bid writing consultants operate throughout the UK, with many able to work remotely as well as on-site. At Bid Writer Consultancy, we support clients across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with particular experience in regional procurement variations.
When selecting bid writing consultants, look for specialists with experience in your sector and the types of contracts you’re targeting. Check for memberships of professional bodies like the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP), which indicates commitment to professional standards and best practices.
Client testimonials and case studies provide valuable insights into a consultant’s track record and working style. Most established bid consultancies will be happy to provide references from similar clients.
Personal chemistry matters too – you’ll be working closely with your bid consultants during what can be a stressful process, so choose partners you can communicate effectively with. An initial consultation call usually gives a good sense of whether there’s a good fit.
What is tender writing?
Tender writing is the process of creating written responses to a buyer’s requirements as part of a competitive procurement process. It goes beyond simply describing your products or services – effective tender writing articulates your value proposition in ways that directly address the buyer’s needs and evaluation criteria.
Good tender writing combines several elements: clear explanation of technical approaches, compelling evidence of capability and experience, honest acknowledgment and mitigation of risks, and precise alignment with the buyer’s requirements and priorities. The goal is to make it easy for evaluators to award high scores against their marking scheme.
The style of tender writing differs from other business writing. It must be precise, evidenced-based, and structured to facilitate evaluation. Evaluators often score dozens of responses against the same criteria, so clarity and accessibility are essential. This doesn’t mean dry, technical language – engaging, confident writing still stands out, but always in service of clearly communicating your solution.
What are tender writing services?
Tender writing services encompass a range of support options to help organisations win competitive contracts. These include:
Bid strategy – Analysing the opportunity and buyer needs, developing win themes, identifying discriminators, and planning approach.
Response writing – Creating compelling narrative answers to questions, ensuring compliance with requirements, and aligning with evaluation criteria.
Review and improvement – Providing objective assessment of draft responses with specific recommendations for enhancement.
Bid management – Coordinating the entire bid process, managing contributors, tracking progress, and ensuring timely submission.
Graphics and presentation – Developing visual elements that clarify complex information and enhance the overall presentation.
Training and coaching – Building internal capabilities through structured development of bid skills and processes.
Most professional tender writing services offer flexible support models, from full end-to-end bid management to targeted assistance with specific elements of your submission.
How much does it cost to use Bid Writer Consultancy?
Our Bid Reviews cost from £395+VAT. For comprehensive Bid Writing Consultancy we have a day rate of £500 plus VAT per day but quote for projects with fixed fees. This approach provides certainty for budgeting while ensuring sufficient resource allocation for high-quality delivery.
The total cost depends on tender complexity, submission requirements, and your internal capabilities. A simple tender with limited questions might require just a few days of support, while complex, high-value opportunities might justify more substantial investment.
When considering cost, evaluate it against both the contract value and the opportunity cost of using internal resources. Many clients find that professional bid support not only increases win probability but also reduces disruption to regular business activities during the bid period.
What happens if we are not successful?
No bid writer can guarantee success – the final decision rests with the evaluators and depends on many factors, including competitor offerings and sometimes subjective judgments. However, even unsuccessful bids deliver value when approached correctly.
After an unsuccessful bid, we conduct detailed analysis of evaluator feedback to identify improvement areas. This insight informs future bids, often leading to success in subsequent attempts. Many of our longest-standing clients began their relationship with us following an unsuccessful tender where they recognised the need for specialist support.
We also help clients assess whether to challenge procurement decisions where there’s evidence of procedural impropriety. While challenges should not be undertaken lightly, they can sometimes result in the opportunity being re-tendered or other remedies.
Most importantly, we view each bid as part of a longer journey rather than an isolated event. The capabilities, content, and relationships developed during one bid process build foundations for future opportunities, even when the immediate outcome isn’t successful.
What is the difference between a framework and a tender?
Frameworks and tenders represent different procurement approaches, each with distinct implications for suppliers.
A framework agreement establishes general terms for future contracts without committing to specific purchases. Once on a framework, suppliers become eligible to receive work through various mechanisms without going through full procurement each time. Some frameworks guarantee a minimum volume of work, but many don’t, making them “qualification to bid” rather than actual contracts.
Framework opportunities typically involve a competitive process similar to regular tenders, but success means joining a pre-approved supplier list rather than winning a specific contract. The real value comes from subsequent “call-offs” – mini-competitions or direct awards made under the framework terms.
In contrast, a standard tender leads directly to a contract for specific goods or services, with defined volumes, timescales, and deliverables. The procurement process ends with a single supplier (or defined number of suppliers) being awarded work.
For suppliers, frameworks offer longer-term opportunities but sometimes with less certainty. The initial framework bid requires significant investment with returns potentially spread over several years through multiple call-offs. Strategic decision-making is essential – some frameworks generate substantial business while others yield little despite the effort of joining.
What qualifications should professional bid writing consultants have?
The bid profession has matured significantly, with recognised qualifications now available through bodies like the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP). These certifications – including Foundation, Practitioner, and Professional levels – validate knowledge of best practices and ethical standards.
However, qualifications alone don’t guarantee effectiveness. Look for consultants with demonstrable experience in your sector and contract types. Someone who has written successful bids for similar services will understand the nuances of buyer expectations in your market.
Subject matter expertise varies among bid consultants. Some are specialists in particular sectors, while others are proposal generalists who excel at drawing out and articulating your expertise. The right balance depends on the technical complexity of your services and your internal capabilities.
Perhaps most importantly, effective bid consultants combine writing skills with strategic thinking, attention to detail, and project management capabilities. They should be able to challenge your thinking constructively, manage multiple workstreams under pressure, and translate complex information into clear, persuasive narratives.
How far in advance should I engage bid writing services?
Ideally, engage bid writing services as soon as you identify a potential opportunity – even before the formal tender is published. Early involvement allows for more strategic preparation, including pre-market engagement activities, capability gap analysis, and relationship development with the buyer.
For known opportunities, three to six months of lead time enables thorough preparation of standard materials, policy documents, case studies, and evidence that will strengthen your bid. This preparation significantly reduces pressure during the often tight timeframes of the actual tender period.
Once the tender is published, immediate engagement is advisable. Typical tender periods range from 2-6 weeks, with complex procedures sometimes running longer. Waiting until part-way through this period severely constrains what can be achieved, as information gathering alone can consume significant time.
In reality, many organisations don’t reach out until the tender is already underway. Professional bid writers are accustomed to working under these constraints, but be aware that compressed timescales may limit strategic options and require more intensive input from your team.
Can bid writing consultancy help with both public and private sector tenders?
Yes, though the approaches differ in important ways. Public sector procurement follows regulated procedures with transparent evaluation criteria, published weightings, and formal feedback mechanisms. Success depends on methodically addressing stated requirements and scoring systems.
Private sector tendering often involves more flexibility, with buyers sometimes willing to consider alternative approaches or negotiate on terms. Relationship factors may play a larger role, and evaluation processes might be less structured. This requires adaptable bid strategies that balance compliance with creativity.
Experienced bid consultants adjust their approach based on the procurement context. For public tenders, they ensure rigorous compliance with procedural requirements while maximising scores against published criteria. For private opportunities, they might place greater emphasis on distinctive value propositions and commercial differentiation.
Many organisations tender for both public and private work. Bid writing support can help maintain consistent messaging while tailoring approaches to different procurement environments. The core skills of understanding buyer needs, articulating value, and presenting compelling evidence remain constant across sectors.
What information do I need to provide to my bid writing consultants?
Effective bid writing requires substantial input from your organisation. At minimum, be prepared to provide:
Company information – Legal structure, registration details, financial data, policies, accreditations, and insurance certificates.
Service details – Technical specifications, methodologies, quality systems, and operational procedures relevant to the contract.
Experience evidence – Case studies, testimonials, and contract examples demonstrating relevant experience.
Team information – CVs, qualifications, and experience of key personnel who would deliver the contract.
Commercial data – Pricing structures, cost breakdowns, and commercial models that inform your pricing strategy.
Beyond these basics, the most valuable input comes from subject matter experts who understand the practical delivery of your services. Bid consultants will conduct structured interviews to extract this knowledge and translate it into compelling bid content.
The quality and timeliness of information you provide directly impacts bid quality. Organisations that dedicate appropriate resources to supporting the bid development process consistently achieve better outcomes than those expecting consultants to operate with minimal input.