How to write a winning executive summary for tenders, bids & proposals
The executive summary is often the most read and scrutinised section of tender, bid or proposal submissions. However, in addition to pulling together a fully compliant and compelling bid (and under time pressure), it can be daunting to write an executive summary that helps clinch a ‘win’. This blog sets out some general principles, tips, […]
Continue ReadingEvaluating tender opportunities – is this a client you really want?
Evaluating tender opportunities can be tricky. There’s a real tendency to ‘go for it’ in many organisations at any ‘cost’ once an RFT/P is released. Evaluating tender opportunities – 5 lenses to try This blog shares 5 lenses (or frameworks) to help you think more critically when evaluating tender opportunities. This reduces your organisation’s risk […]
Continue ReadingAnother 5 tender trends for the 2020s
As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year, JMA has observed some emerging tender trends that are becoming cemented as tender ‘realities’. This blog on another 5 tender trends for the 2020s will ensure that your organisation is prepared. As they say – forewarned is forearmed. TENDER TRENDS # 1 – Government at all levels […]
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Strategic pursuits and the capture management process
While strategic pursuits, capture management, and bid management are all different disciplines, they are aligned to a common purpose – winning opportunities. Each is a critical step on that path, and in order to be in the best position to win each of these steps needs to be aligned and seamless in their handoff to […]
Continue ReadingIf you’re bidding for everything, how can you improve your chances of success?
One thing is certain in this post lockdown world: it is highly unlikely that any business will decline the opportunity to respond to an RFP. In fact, with revenues under pressure for most organisations, every RFP will likely be viewed as a genuine ‘opportunity’. This means that even for those businesses with a robust go/no […]
Continue ReadingHow to manage a bid remotely – Part 1 – effective collaboration at a distance
In the wake of the ‘new normal’ COVID-19 has brought we are all learning new techniques and trialling different approaches to managing tenders, bids and proposals. Many bid teams who would normally work alongside each other have had to drastically adjust as the old onsite collaboration model has (for now) been turned on its head. […]
Continue ReadingClosed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals
Firstly, what are closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals? In addition to the generally well-understood terms ‘tender’, ‘bid’ and ‘proposal’, there are ‘open’ and ‘closed’ processes, and then variations within each that can apply to professional services procurement. Open or public tenders, bids and proposals An open tender is just that, open to […]
Continue ReadingHow to run a kick-off meeting for your tender, bid or proposal
As we have discussed before, the difference between a winning tender, bid or proposal and a loser frequently comes down to what you know before you write a single word … not what you find out after you’ve written the document. An effective way to know more about a client is to gather your team […]
Continue ReadingWhy firms keep bidding on losers and what you can do about it
A crap ‘win rate’ or lack of bidding success is usually a direct result of bidding on too many losers, aka inappropriate ‘opportunities’. Too often, professional services firms are tempted by the potential boost in revenue, and go all out pursuing speculative tender and proposal opportunities. Generally these firms have no consistently applied or objective ‘bid-or-no-bid’ […]
Continue ReadingAnd the winner is…Environmental scanning
And the winner is… ‘Sid-an-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!’ Juan Antonio Samaranch annoucing Sydney’s winning bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics. The exhilaration from winning a tender, bid or proposal is hard to beat and the benefits are many! But what about lost bids, tenders and proposals? An infamous proposal failure was Australia’s lost bid for the 2022 Soccer […]
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Feature article
How to write a winning executive summary for tenders, bids & proposals
The executive summary is often the most read and scrutinised section of tender, bid or proposal submissions. However, in addition to pulling together a fully compliant and compelling bid (and under time pressure), it can be daunting to write an executive summary that helps clinch a ‘win’. This blog sets out some general principles, tips, […]
