The most expensive way to learn what is required is to start submitting tenders from this reference point, and, after losing several times and receiving feedback, improve incrementally. This is called “the University of hard knocks”, and is costly because responding to tenders is a costly and time-consuming process.

Most people use this process, and it can take years to improve to the point where you consistently win new business through submitting tenders.

The fastest and cheapest way to learn is to engage a tender consultant, ask them to prepare a response for you, and learn from them as you go. You will end up with good knowledge of what is required, possibly a win, and a suite of documents that can be reused.

Repeat business can be easier to win, and you should win at least 90% of the time.

New business is harder to win, because you are up against two barriers: the incumbent and their track record with the company, and no track record of your own with the company. However, if you do your business development activities correctly, you should win at least 60%.

Many people claim they are tender specialists: I have seen very few who know their business inside out. Look for someone who:

• knows the procurement business, intimately – they know what is required from the “other side”.
• can write! Most people can’t write persuasively
• is creative – creative people can help you develop a winning strategy
• understands contract law – they can point out risky clauses.
• can manage projects – a tender is a project with an immutable deadline. You need someone who can manage inputs.

Don’t be fooled by the qualifications brandished on their website. Just like there are good and bad lawyers, doctors and dentists, who all have the same level of basic training, there are good and bad tender consultants.

A good tender consultant will give you frank and fearless advice, and work diligently to extract and present your value proposition.

A poor quality tender consultant will be divided among too many clients, leave the writing to inexperienced juniors, and not probe to find what your winning proposition is. Their submission document may be beautiful, but not necessarily compelling or readable.

Have a look at their website. If it is all about them, bland, boring, uninformative or arrogant, then their work will in all probability be similar.

Ask them how they will work with you, and how many other tenders they are working on at the same time. You don’t want them dropping the ball on you.

Ask them who will be doing the writing, and ask to see a sample. Bear in mind they can’t give you an actual client document, because that would be a huge breach of confidentiality, but they should be able to give you a small sample of what they have written. Blogs are a good place to start if they don’t have a sample.

Also, ask them for referees. They should be able to point to a number of happy clients who have won as a result of their work. Talk to them about the service they received.

Maybe. It depends upon a number of things.

Using a specialist should give you the best chance possible, however, if you don’t have a compelling and competitive offer in the first place (and the consultant should advise you on this) or the company doesn’t want to give you the business (for whatever reason), then maybe not.

Try our bid/no bid calculator to see if you have a reasonable chance before you engage with a consultant.