Many SMEs or those new to bidding and tendering for contracts, may look at a tender pack and a list of quality questions and simply not know where to start. This is because they do not understand the expectations of public sector buyers or how others, their competitors, are likely to answer the same questions. As a result, our bid writing training courses have provided several working versions of bid writing examples, which are further developed and improved on during the interactive session.
Below we have provided a frequently asked tender question from a public sector tender exercise, which applies to most industries. We don't have a specific buyer, requirement, evaluation criteria, specification or bidder! Which are of course key elements in writing a good bid response. This means the sample bid response is generic, not following our bid writing guidance for a live opportunity, but does, importantly, let those who are new to bidding and tendering, understand the type of approach required.
Bid writing example - a contract management question
Tender question:
Please detail your proposal for mobilising the contract. Provide information on how you would supervise the contract and from which location, please state the job roles of the staff involved. Please provide details on how you will provide accurate management information on a monthly basis, which will form the key performance indicators of the contract.
Each question or sub-question provides the structure of your response. We have highlighted key sections in bold above. These then become your bid response structure (your sub-headings in answering the question). Ensuring when you are answering the question and that you are also considering the specification, instructions to tenderers, the evaluation criteria, and remembering this is a competitive process. The commitments contained within the example below, e.g. a monthly performance meeting, will be taken from the specification provided to you by the buyer. It is important to collate all of these key requirements to ensure you can consider if you can meet them or exceed them, and if so, how.
Your quality scores are only based on what your write, so it is a competition to answer the question better than your rivals.
Please note, this is only a bid writing example, meant as a training aid during our bid writing courses. We run through different versions of the bid writing example to allow delegates to see in practice how a bid can quickly improve with the right approach. It is based on an 'e-tendering portal' or questionnaire format', which are very common and excludes the ability for real bid design in most cases. We therefore agree, the bid writing example does not look great - but it is structured in a way which makes it easy for evaluators to award marks, and shows those new to tendering an introductory sample tender response.
Bid writing example response (for the tender question above):
With [number] years’ experience working with you, we have the capacity and capability to provide efficient, best value services. 100% of our Operatives on this contract are based within [time] minutes’ drive from your sites. We are a low-risk option for this contract based on our extensive experience on similar contracts and our locally-based workforce.
Effective contract mobilisation
To mobilise resources ahead of the proposed contract start date, we have developed a mobilisation plan with programmed schedules and milestones. We have extensive experience of mobilising [service] contracts similar to your requirement and have developed a solution which manages the key associated risks.
Highly experienced mobilisation team
To successfully mobilise this contract, we will provide you with a dedicated mobilisation team led by the following carefully selected and experienced leaders:
Name
Job role
Years’ experience mobilising similar contracts
Examples of recent mobilised contracts
X
Y
Your point of contact
[name], [job role], will be your dedicated point of contact for the duration of this contract. He has [number] years’ experience of contract management within the [service] industry.
[name] will be responsible for the efficient running of the contract and communicating with your representatives. In line with your expectations, [name] will meet with you at monthly performance reviews and on an adhoc basis to discuss our performance. These meetings will ensure we continue to meet and exceed your expectations.
For this contract, [name] will be supported by [name], [job role], who will act a secondary point of contact in [name]’s absence. [name] has [number] years’ experience of contract management within the [service] industry.
Name
Role
Contact details
[name]
Main point of contact
[email address]
[telephone number]
[name]
Secondary point of contact
[email address]
[telephone number]
Constant support: Providing you 24/7/365 support
Contract specific mobilisation plan
To mobilise resources ahead of the proposed contract start date of XXX, we have developed the following contract mobilisation plan with programmed schedules, milestones and risk management. We have included our robust transition and mobilisation plan for this contract as a supporting document.
Our mobilisation plan covers areas including, but not limited to:
Contract review and implementation plan
Gantt chart
Personnel and TUPE employees
Quality assurance
Training
Health and Safety
Equipment procurement
Risk and mitigation strategy.
Stage
Date
Milestones
1
19th – 20th October
Contract awarded
Finalise the mobilisation team
Initiate TUPE process
Arrange meeting with you to finalise project plan
Inform subcontractors/supply chain
Finalise staff requirement
Develop and agree Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Develop and agree Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
2
21st – 24th October
Review equipment inventory
Commence recruitment process, if required
Align policies and procedures with [buyer]
Agree quality assurance procedure
Complete audits and quality checks on subcontractor, [subcontractor name(s)]
3
26th October – 6th
November
Procure equipment, if required
Test equipment
Finalise recruitment process
4
9th – 14th November
Provide contract-specific training
5
15th November – ongoing
Contract commences
Complete site surveys
Effectively deliver the service
Hold monthly contract review meetings
Milestones of delivery: Key and critical parts of the plan
Site-specific induction
In addition to our standard induction training, we will comply with your site-specific induction procedures. To ensure Operatives complete works in line with your requirements, [name], [job title] will work with you to create bespoke method statements for each site by XX. This ensures that our team will provide a high level of service in compliance with your specifications and requirements.
TUPE specific induction
To ensure all Operatives working on this contract are trained in line with our very high standards, any Operatives who move to [company name] under TUPE must complete our comprehensive induction training programme. All TUPE Operatives must complete our thorough induction programme before they work on-site.
Trusted local subcontractors
We have [number] years’ experience successfully delivering similar services to a range of clients. We have an existing and proven supply chain which supports our delivery. We work in partnership with our approved supply chain to confirm they are able to support our Zero Defects policy and Right First Time practice. We only accept suppliers and subcontractors that meet or exceed our high expectations. For continual compliance with our excellent standards, we distribute our policies and procedures to members of our supply chain.
We intend to use the following subcontractors, which we estimate will represent X% of the contract:
Subcontractor
Service
Length of relationship
[subcontractor name]
[service]
[length of relationship]
[subcontractor name]
[service]
[length of relationship]
[subcontractor name]
[service]
[length of relationship]
Effective supervision
To confirm that works are completed efficiently, safely and correctly, [name], [job title] proactively monitors our workforce. XX assures that all Operatives complete works to our high standards and in line with the job-specific risk assessments and method statements. In practice this means each day review X% of projects in person and at your sites.
To maintain quality, we use a 3-stage quality assurance process which includes:
Operatives and subcontractors self-inspect work against agreed quality criteria and update the management team regarding progress at XX [time] each day
[name] inspects work against agreed quality criteria
Client inspects work and provides feedback
Feedback shared and forms part of our approach to continuous improvement.
Contract specific management team
We have included the experience, qualifications and responsibilities of our contract management team below. This team have been selected for this contract based on their skill, experience and breadth of knowledge working on similar contracts for clients such as [client name], [client name] and [client name].
Please see below, our contract management structure for your contract:
[service delivery chart if possible or referred to as a supporting document, showing escalation routes and continuity]
Access from multiple locations
Our Head Office is based in XXX:
[Address]
[Address]
[Address]
All the administrative functions, such as work orders and invoicing, of this contract will be completed at our Head Office, based in XX.
As we already partner and deliver services in line with your scope to X, Z and Z, we have additional premises, ideally located, that will serve and support this contract:
Location
Address
Distance (miles)
1 - X Location
(benefit)
[address]
[address]
[address]
[distance]
2 - Y Location
(benefit)
[address]
[address]
[address]
[distance]
3 - Z Location
(benefit)
[address]
[address]
[address]
[distance]
Accurate management reporting: providing you accurate management information
As an ISO 9001 accredited company, we confirm we will continually provide you with relevant and accurate management information. [name], [job role], will meet with you before the contract commences to outline the management information you require. Typically, we report via our portal in XX format, which you will have full access to. However, if you prefer we have the following reporting formats XXXXXX.
During the initial meeting [name] will also work in partnership with you to develop a contract-specific SLA. We will confirm a list of KPIs.
In line with your requirements, KPIs will include:
Invoice, delivery and credit notes
Rebate payments
Customer satisfaction
Account management
Sustainability
Delivery and quality performance reports
Continuous improvement.
From our experience, we also propose the following additional KPIs:
XX - this helps you to XX
XX - provides clear insight into XX.
Current performance
Based on the same KPIs which we deliver for XX, our current performance is:
X
X
X
X.
Prior to our award of this contract X years ago, the service was underperforming. Key to improving the service and reaching the current KPIs has been:
X
X
X
X.
Client testimonial - "XXXXX"
Contract management reviews
In line with your requirements, we will maintain communication with you and hold contract management review meetings with your representatives.
[name] will meet with you on [time] months during the first 6 months of the contract to discuss management information. They will also agree a schedule for weekly calls, in line with your preferences.
Continually meeting your requirements
To measure our performance against the SLA, we will review KPIs on an agreed schedule. KPI reports will be sent to you X weeks prior to the progress review meeting, giving the opportunity for scores and reports to be reviewed. They can be sent in hard copy format, by email or are available via our customer portal. Equally, we can upload KPI reports on a preferred web-based platform if required.
KPI reporting provides an excellent method to monitor performance. We will agree minimum scores and aim to exceed these each month. Through trend analysis, if we find we are consistently meeting or exceeding a score, we will review the level of that score and look to increase the target. A constant focus on development and improvement drives our high-quality service.
We keep challenging the bid writing example
We challenge what we write, against what we plan to write!
For example:
These are example notes, discussed in our bid writing courses, which highlight step by step, by following our tender management process, that you can develop an effective system for winning tenders and producing high quality bids.
Bid writing example - supporting evidence
Evidence is essential for good bid writing as it helps prove what your saying is true. It also helps to make the bid feel 'real', practical and achievable, reducing the perceived risk a buyer may have when reading your responses.
In the bid writing example above, we would refer to the following supporting documents which are a further way to demonstrate why you are the preferred choice, ahead of your competition:
Contract mobilisation plan
Contract mobilisation risk register
Example KPI report
Contract team CVs
Case study.
Please note, it is critical that you following the bidders instructions, which may highlight when and how you can use supporting documents and evidence.
Bid writing example - disclaimer - we know this isn't a winning response. We are giving it away, as a great free tool for those new to bidding, in order to set expectations of the type of bid content a public sector buyer may expect.
You may also want to review our industry specific bid writing template responses, which include tenders answers (in template form, but 8,000 to 10,000 words of bid responses per sector):
Health & social care
Facilities management
Professional services
Construction.
All templates include advice and guidance on how to tailor them, as well as a 1-2-1 bid training session.
Or request a bespoke bid template for your business or a free quote for a live tender or framework. Call us on 01204 238046 to speak to bid writing expert who will offer free advice and a quote. Or email hello@thorntonandlowe.com
Free bid writing training course - what it takes to win your next bid!
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