How to Submit a Tender for a Contract: A Comprehensive Guide

Identifying Potential Contracts

• Establish connections with potential customers.
• Monitor advertisements in local and national newspapers.
• Investigate contracts outside your industry that may yield secondary contracts.
• Follow up on news and reports for expansion or subcontracting opportunities.
• Network and gather information from other businesses.
• For public-sector contracts, monitor contract notices in newspapers and trade magazines.
• Use online resources to track government tender notices.

Evaluating the Tender Opportunity

• Acquire and review the bid documents.
• Assess your ability to meet technical, skill, and experience requirements.
• Calculate the cost of preparing the bid.
• Determine if the contract aligns with your business strategy.
• Estimate the costs of fulfilling the contract and assess its financial viability.
• Evaluate the impact of the contract on your existing workload and resources.
• Consider the significance of the customer to your business.

Understanding the Client’s Requirements

• Schedule a meeting or conversation with the potential client to gain insights into their needs.
• Seek clarification on any ambiguous tender documents.
• Ensure the client is genuinely interested in the tender and not merely gathering ideas.
• Request a non-disclosure agreement if necessary.

Preparing Your Tender Document

• Adhere to the bid specifications and address all questions.
• Summarize your bid and explain its alignment with the client’s needs.
• Focus on the client’s needs and how your solutions address them.
• Offer creative contributions and ideas.
• Address all aspects of the qualification document, if provided.
• Emphasize value for money and business benefits.
• Analyze all cost and pricing factors.
• Demonstrate your ability to manage the project and mitigate potential risks.
• Highlight your team’s strengths, qualifications, and experience.

Writing and Editing Your Tender

• Assign responsibilities for gathering information, drafting, and reviewing the tender.
• Write a covering letter that responds to the bid invitation and summarizes your key message.
• Ensure the tender is well-presented, with concise and professional sentences and paragraphs.
• Use bullet points, headings, and a consistent layout.
• Develop a coherent argument and ensure all sections are cohesive.
• Proofread and have a colleague review the tender for errors and omissions.
• Consider professional printing and binding.
• Deliver the tender on time and confirm receipt with the organization.

References

• Supply to Surrey: Stages of the Tender Process
• Info Entrepreneurs: Tender for a Contract
• Investopedia: Tender in Finance Definition: How It Works, With Example

FAQs

What is a tender process?

A tender process is a formal procedure by which organizations invite bids from potential suppliers or contractors for the provision of goods, services, or works.

How do I identify potential tender opportunities?

You can identify potential tender opportunities by networking with potential clients, monitoring advertisements, researching contracts outside your sector, following up on news and reports, and utilizing online resources for government tender notices.

What should I consider before submitting a tender?

Before submitting a tender, you should assess your ability to meet the technical, skill, and experience requirements, evaluate the costs and financial viability of the contract, consider the impact on your existing workload, and assess the importance of the customer to your business.

What are the key elements of a tender document?

A tender document should include a summary of your bid and how it addresses the client’s needs, a focus on the client’s needs and your solutions, creative contributions and ideas, a response to all aspects of the qualification document (if provided), an emphasis on value for money and business benefits, a detailed analysis of cost and pricing factors, a demonstration of your project management capabilities and risk mitigation strategies, and a highlight of your team’s strengths, qualifications, and experience.

How should I write and edit my tender?

When writing and editing your tender, assign responsibilities for gathering information, drafting, and reviewing, write a covering letter that responds to the bid invitation and summarizes your key message, ensure a well-presented tender with concise and professional language, use bullet points, headings, and a consistent layout, develop a coherent argument and ensure cohesion, proofread and have a colleague review for errors and omissions, and consider professional printing and binding.

How do I submit my tender?

Submit your tender on time, either in person or through the specified electronic means, and ensure that you receive confirmation of receipt from the organization.

What happens after I submit my tender?

After submitting your tender, it will be evaluated by the organization based on predetermined criteria. If your tender is successful, you will be notified and invited to negotiate the terms of the contract.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when tendering for a contract?

Common mistakes to avoid include submitting a tender without thoroughly understanding the requirements, failing to provide all the necessary information, submitting an unrealistic or overpriced bid, and not proofreading your tender for errors.