Bid Management Services: Consultants To Manage Your Tender Submissions

At Thornton & Lowe, our bid management services are designed to provide a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to tender and win UK public sector contracts and frameworks. We understand that our clients expect more than just a writing service; they seek a partner in the entire bidding process. As well as providing freelance and outsourced bid management services, we also have retained or contracted packages, for those looking for a consistent partner and bid management team. 

Bid Management Services vs Bid Writing?

Bid management and bid writing are two related but distinct roles in the bid process. Bid management involves planning, coordinating, and overseeing the bid team and the bid strategy, ensuring that all aspects of the proposal are aligned with the customer's needs and expectations.

Bid writing involves crafting the content of the bid document, using persuasive language, evidence, and formatting to present a compelling case for why the bidder should win the contract.

There is a lot of crossover! Bid managers may also do some bid writing, and bid writers may also manage the process, as well as writing... In some organisations however, a bid manager will delegate the writing tasks to bid writers or subject matter experts, while focusing on the bigger picture and the overall quality of the proposal.

Bid Management Services: Comprehensive Tender Monitoring

We begin by monitoring tenders that align with your business objectives. Our dedicated team keeps a close eye on various platforms to ensure you are informed about relevant opportunities, allowing you to act swiftly and strategically. This is not an automated service, we have a 'search team' monitoring portals, framework call-offs, as well as publicly advertised tender opportunities. Tender Pipeline is our free software to monitor advertised tenders. 

Bid Management Services: Bid/No Bid Support

Our bid management expertise extends to providing bid no bid processes and advice. We help you evaluate each opportunity based on your capabilities and strategic goals, ensuring that you only pursue tenders that offer the best chance of success. This alongside our tender monitoring service, forms part of our Search & Selection service.

Bid Management Services: Portal Management and Administration

Managing submissions can be complex. We handle portal management and bid administration, ensuring that all documents are submitted accurately and on time. Our team is well-versed in navigating various tender portals, reducing the administrative burden on your staff.

Bid Management Services: Bid Quality Reviews and Solution Challenges

Quality is paramount in bid submissions. We conduct thorough quality reviews of all responses, ensuring they meet the highest standards. We also provide a Bid Review Service. Our approach includes actively challenging solutions to ensure they are robust and competitive. We engage with your team through interviews with subject matter experts to extract valuable insights that enhance your submissions.

Bid Management Services: Development of Tender Libraries and Templates

To streamline the writing process, we create tender libraries and bid template responses, which provide tender answers (written content) for your bids. These resources ensure consistency and save time, allowing your team to focus on crafting compelling narratives rather than starting from scratch.

Bid Management Services: Strategic Bid Management Procedures for Maximising ROI

Our services also include developing tailored bid strategies and procedures aimed at maximising your return on investment. This involves collating better evidence and refining how your sales and marketing teams engage with the market. Building strong relationships is key to successful bidding, and we help you implement strategies that foster these connections.

Bid Management Services: Feedback and Continuous Improvement

After each submission, we chase tender feedback to understand how your bid was received. This information is invaluable for refining future submissions. We also facilitate lessons learned workshops, where we analyse what worked and what didn’t, ensuring that your bidding process continually evolves and improves.

Bid Management Services: Holistic Bid Management

In summary, our bid management services cover all aspects of the bidding process, including the provision of high-quality bid writing. We pride ourselves on being a partner that supports you at every stage of the process, offering complete tender management.