Tenders are a remarkable way to increase business, diversify, gain experience and build your reputation…so why do I groan every time the Company contemplates starting a new one?

It’s a sad truth that tenders are also confusing, time consuming, labour intensive, expensive and just plain frustrating.  All of this and the outcome still remains uncertain.  I thought, there must be a better way – it would help if I felt a little more control during the process – and if my approach to the tender was strengthened, my proposal would be improved and ultimately improve my chances of winning. But where to start?!

Bruce, our MD and a deft hand at submitting and assessing tenders himself, kindly answered my whine.  It seemed my biggest hurdle was thinking I had to start from scratch, that I had a big yawning empty RFT to approach. I would stare at the selection criteria, knowing the Company could do the task, certain I’d described us doing just this once before.  It should have been easy but I was suddenly at a loss as to how to phrase it.

Bruce introduced me to my new favourite thing; the Tender Writing Toolkit.  A toolkit lacking in spanners and hammers but absolutely rich in company detail, staff biographies, past timelines and procedural graphics.  It is a company database- nothing too complex just a word file where commonly used company information is collated in such a way as to be accessible and subject specific next time it is needed.

Bruce’s advice replicates just one part of BCA National’s Tender Writing Workshop, a one day workshop for anyone who has ever wanted to ask questions about the RFT process.  The day focuses on planning a tender, writing in plain English, budgeting and enables participants create their on toolkit by the end of the session.

The workshop is even available on an eLearning platform, allowing learning in your own home or between other tasks.  Superior technology and superior content combine to make this ideal for the time-poor or those who want to brush up on past tender skills.
Now instead of groaning, I open my Tender Toolkit, scroll through all the documents I’ve saved from past tenders and (just quietly feel a little pleased with myself) as I start my section of the new RFT with the confident feeling that this one will be a success.