When you boil it all down, there are four key things assessors are looking for in your tender response or your proposal. These are the key indicators that point to your company being the right one for the job.
How you will deliver the service or product
Your executive summary will already have stated your unambiguous understanding of the client’s needs, demonstrating that you ‘feel their pain’. So it makes sense that your response should be equally unambiguous about how you plan to answer those needs. The best way to do this is by making sure that your service delivery strategy optimises specific aspects of your offering that will cater to the tenderer’s stated priorities. For example, is pricing a key issue for the client? Then outline the advantages of your business’ size and buying power, giving you access to pricing structures unavailable to smaller companies. Is speed of service another client ‘must have’? Then your Australia-wide network of technicians guaranteeing a maximum response time of four hours is exactly what they’ll want to hear about.
How you will manage the service or project
This is your chance to outline your ability to meet all the business and operational objectives of the contract, including:
| · Service delivery standards | · Administration and record keeping |
| · Management roles & responsibilities | · Managing key business relationships |
| · Performance management | · Negotiating contract variations |
| · Dispute management & resolution | · Ethical business conduct |
| · WHS | · Compliance and audit |
In other words, spell out how you’ll ensure the contract runs smoothly from start to finish.
Who will be managing the contract
The tenderer will want to know not just which key personnel will manage the contract but why they’ve been chosen. What are their specialties? What similar contracts have they worked on? Rather than merely listing names on a page, help your client imagine they’re already working effectively with your people by including well-written employee profiles matching their experience and skills to the client’s stated needs. And always include a head and shoulders photo of each to key team member to personalise your response even more.
The special equipment or skills you possess
You may well be a big cheese in your industry, but never assume that the tenderer knows about your ground-breaking methods, the in-depth experience of your staff, or how cutting edge your equipment is. Quantify and strengthen your claims by including award wins and accolades, and by using images and graphics to highlight price comparisons, before and after statistics, and cost or time reductions. Showing and not just telling is a really powerful way to get your message across and helps make your tender a more engaging read.