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A lot of organisations, including governmental organisations, resort to open tendering to test the market for suppliers offering the best value. As open tenders are accessible to the whole market, it is a coveted opportunity to get new, big contracts.
While open tendering levels the playing field to an extent, there are still a lot of hurdles to cross. One of them is writing a persuasive and engaging tender proposal.
In order to submit a quality proposal that increases your odds of winning, you should check your document for the following mistakes and rectify them.
Table of Contents
Misunderstand the Question
Before starting the proposal, it’s important to understand the question posed by the prospective client. If you misunderstand the question, all the time and effort you put in the document will be of no use. This is an opportunity to stand out, don’t lose it by misinterpreting the requirements of the tender.
Lack of Clarity
Even if you’re not an experienced writer, you can still draft a quality document by focusing on its clarity. Write in a straightforward language that the reader finds easy to understand. Also, use an active voice, which is useful for creating a compelling response.
Overusing Jargon
You might think that using technical terms and jargon exclusive to your industry will impress the clients. But in reality, it can have the opposite effect. The reason being that the reader probably isn’t an expert in your field. So rather than expecting them to decode a complex response, stick to using simple and comprehensible language.
Including Unnecessary Details
In the case of highly competitive tenders, the evaluators will likely have several responses to read and evaluate. Considering that, how do you think your rambling response will perform? Including unnecessary details in your response will just make the evaluation excessively time-consuming. Your goal is to write a response that succinct and to the point.
Ignoring the Format
Tender formats are provided so that various responses can be easily compared. Ignoring the format can make the task unnecessarily difficult for the evaluator. By following the format, you will make the evaluation easier.
Writing a Boring Document
While a tender proposal is a formal document, it is not a technical document. So, avoid making it sound like one. Following the format and keeping it to the point are basic formalities, but they are not enough to keep the readers engaged. Use a passionate tone along with illustrations, graphs and so on to make your document interesting.
Undermining Presentation
Even quality content will fail to win approval because of poor presentation. The way you package and present the document matters. Use formatting tools and an easy-to-read font to enhance the visual appeal of your response.
Blatant Copy-Pasting
If you’ve written successful responses in the past, there is no harm in taking inspiration from them. But too much copy-pasting may not work in your favour. This is a new client, so you need to personalise the document accordingly.
Lack of Structure
The document should have an easy-to-follow structure. Various concepts should be placed in an order that makes sense. Use the right transitional words when introducing a new concept.
Missing Grammatical Errors
Something as simple as a spelling mistake can ruin all your hard work. Double, triple check the document for any spelling and grammatical errors before submitting it. You should use editing software or even ask your team to proofread it.
Final Words
Winning a major contract can put you on the map for other prospective clients as well. So, take this opportunity to put forward a strong, compelling proposal. Check out some useful tips for writing tenders here.
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