What is a Bid Writer? The Real Story
Most people haven't got a clue what a bid writer actually does. It's not the sort of job that comes up in casual conversation, but it's arguably one of the most important roles in keeping businesses moving forward! Or we think so... maybe we are bias.
But there's something very special about a well-written bid. It can change everything for a business - turning a simple document into an opportunity that transforms your entire trajectory! So yes, bid writing really is must have skill in 2025.
The Art of Turning Potential into Opportunity
Imagine being a professional storyteller who can turn a company's capabilities into pure gold. That's a bid writer in a nutshell. They're the unsung heroes who transform dry business capabilities into compelling narratives that win contracts worth millions.
A typical day for a bid writer looks nothing like what most people imagine. It's not just about sitting at a desk typing away. These professionals are part detective, part wordsmith, and part strategic mastermind. They spend hours diving into the most obscure documents you could imagine - board meeting minutes, strategic reports, industry analyses - all to understand what a potential client truly needs.
The real magic happens when they start to piece together a story. It's not about listing what a company can do - that's the amateur approach. A skilled bid writer gets under the skin of a procurement team, understanding their deepest concerns, their hidden challenges, and their ultimate goals. They're solving a puzzle where the prize is a potentially game-changing contract.
Procurement frameworks are a world unto themselves - complex, intricate, and mind-bendingly detailed. Bid writers navigate these like expert sailors, understanding every nuance, every potential pitfall. They know that a single misplaced word or an overlooked requirement can sink an entire bid.
The Extraordinary Skills Behind the Scenes
The bid writing skills required are varied for sure! Commercial awareness is just the start. A top-notch bid writer needs to be part psychologist, part writer, researcher and part business strategist. They must translate technical capabilities into a narrative that speaks directly to the heart of what a client wants. It's about creating a document that doesn't just answer a tender, but makes the procurement team believe they've found their perfect solution.
Technology has changed the game in recent years. Artificial intelligence now helps bid writers analyse documents faster, spot patterns, and provide insights. But here's the key thing - AI doesn't replace the human touch. It's a tool, nothing more. The real magic still comes from human insight, from understanding the subtle nuances that no algorithm can detect.
At Thornton & Lowe we have bid management software, Tender Library and Tender Pipeline, which have been developed to find the balance between human input and AI efficiencies.
Most people would be shocked to know how much work goes into a single bid. We're talking hours of research, collaboration with different teams, endless refinement, all to create a document that might be just 20 or 30 pages long. But those pages can be worth millions. A single successful bid can transform a business's fortunes overnight.
The impact goes far beyond just winning contracts. Bid writers are essentially the bridge between a company's potential and its actual success. They turn capabilities into opportunities, transform technical skills into compelling stories, and help businesses grow in ways that most people never see.
It's not a job for the faint-hearted. You need patience, attention to detail that would make a forensic investigator look sloppy, and the ability to tell a story that can convince a room full of hard-nosed procurement professionals. But for those who can master it, bid writing is more than a job - it's an art form.
At its core, bid writing is about understanding. Understanding a business, understanding a client, and understanding how to bridge the gap between the two. It's about seeing potential where others see just another piece of paper. In a world of increasing competition, bid writers are the secret weapon that can make all the difference.
As well as our bid writing consultancy and outsourced service - we have also delivered bid writing courses, workshops, 1-2-1s and mentoring to over 5000 deletes!
Book a free consultation with a Bid Adviser
Contact usThe Procurement Framework Revolution
February 2025 hit like a thunderbolt for businesses across the UK. The Procurement Act is making real changes to bidding and tendering processes, procurement frameworks and contracts. Direct awards we expect to reduce substantially, which have been a key route of growth for many businesses. This means more further competitions that demand a lot more bid writing!
Procurement frameworks now require businesses to be more agile than ever. Whether it's a national framework for public sector services or a regional supply chain agreement, the ability to manage these complex systems has become a make-or-break skill for businesses of all sizes. New tender notices and a push on transparency means increasing levels of scrutiny on procurement decisions and a drive for value for money. Part of this includes better pre-engagement of bidders - also known as PME. This is a great opportunity for businesses but also requires capacity. We deliver this via our bid writing services team.
Technology Meets Human Insight
Artificial intelligence arrived in the bid writing world, not as a replacement, but as a powerful ally for understanding procurement frameworks. These aren't magic solutions that write bids from scratch - they're tools that help us dig deeper, analyse faster, and uncover insights that might have slipped through the cracks.
At Thornton & Lowe, we've developed expertise in navigating multiple procurement frameworks across various sectors. AI helps us see patterns, but it's our team's expertise that transforms those patterns into winning narratives for framework submissions.
Bid writing in 2025 is about empathy and deep framework knowledge. It's detective work. We don't just read tender documents - we dissect them. Dynamic purchasing systems, framework agreements, call-off contracts - each has its own nuanced approach.
A procurement team isn't just shopping for a service. They're searching for a partner who can read between the lines of complex framework requirements, who understands the unspoken fears and hopes behind every contract. It's about anticipating challenges before they become problems in framework submissions.
Remember when bid writing was just an administrative task? Those days are long gone. Now it's a sophisticated profession that demands a unique blend of skills. Understanding procurement frameworks requires part storyteller, part strategist, part commercial analyst - modern bid writers are the Swiss Army knives of the business world.
Universities are catching up, offering specialised courses that recognise the complexity of framework bidding. It's no longer about filling forms - it's about crafting compelling arguments that win places on crucial procurement frameworks.
The tendering world has become more competitive than ever. Direct awards have dried up, replaced by intricate mini-competitions and framework agreements that require depth, nuance, and genuine understanding.
Many businesses find themselves struggling to navigate these new procurement frameworks. Dynamic purchasing systems, multi-supplier frameworks, sector-specific agreements - each presents its own unique challenges. That's where specialist support becomes crucial. At Thornton & Lowe, we're not just writing bids - we're helping businesses understand and win places on critical procurement frameworks.
3 Key Bid Writing Considerations for 2025
Risk: The Hidden Challenge in Framework Bidding
Understanding risk is the silent art of framework submissions. Procurement teams don't just want solutions - they want reassurance. They're looking for partners who can anticipate challenges within complex framework agreements, who understand that every tender represents a potential long-term relationship.
This is where deep research becomes invaluable. It's about demonstrating not just capability, but genuine insight into the specific requirements of each procurement framework. We don't just respond to tenders - we tell a story of reliability, innovation, and framework-specific understanding.
The Social Value Imperative in Bid Writing
Bids are no longer just about price and technical capability. Social value has become a cornerstone of modern procurement frameworks. Businesses must show how they contribute to broader societal goals - supporting local communities, reducing environmental impact, promoting diversity within framework submissions.
It's a welcome shift that moves procurement beyond pure numbers, encouraging businesses to think about their broader impact when bidding for framework places.
AI Bid Software
Whether as a business looking for bid writing services or a bid writer developing their skills - having experience of AI bid software is increasingly important and expected now. We developed a specific article on ChatGPT and Bid Writing.
Looking Forward
As we move further into 2025, bid writing for tenders and procurement frameworks continues to evolve. The most successful businesses will be those who can blend technological investment with a true understanding of their customers priorities. Those who can tell a compelling story that goes beyond mere words!
At Thornton & Lowe, we're not just writing bids. We're helping businesses unlock their potential, winning places on critical or must-win procurement frameworks one submission at a time!
Whether you're a small business dreaming of your first framework placement or tender win, or an established organisation looking to expand your bid writing capabilities - Thornton & Lowe is here to help.
The Most Important Lesson?
In bid writing your response needs to be real. It needs to make sense to those evaluating it at a real practical level. Win themes, storyboarding and USPs are all great - but if you do not demonstrate you know exactly what the buyer needs and at a granular level show how you would mobilise and manage the contract - you are a risk! Keep it real.
