Interim Bid Writers and Bid Management

Interim Bid Writers

An Interim Bid Writer or Bid Manager can be a real saviour when you require urgent bid support. The expertise and flexibility offered by Interim Bid Writers can significantly impact the success of bid management strategies. Not only can they add value, an external critique but importantly ensure that opportunities are not missed due to lack of tendering capacity.

What is a Bid Writer, if not the bridge between potential and success, or certainly a key part of the solution? Their strategic involvement elevates the quality of submissions, aligning them closely with the expectations and requirements of the tendering process and buyer, or contracting authority.

This article highlights the role of Interim bid staff, across bid management. As a complete tender management company, Thornton & Lowe supplies freelance, interim, temp and perm bid writers. This is delivery by our bid recruitment division, Bid Resource.

Understanding Interim Bid Management

What It Entails

Interim Bid Management involves engaging highly skilled professionals who can navigate the complexities of the tendering process effectively. These professionals, often referred to as Interim Bid Managers or Bid Writing Consultants, provide an essential service by managing tenders and writing bids on behalf of businesses that may lack the in-house capabilities or resources to do so. Their role is pivotal in ensuring that businesses can still compete for, and win, valuable contracts without the ongoing overhead of a permanent bid writing staff. Interim Bid Managers work on a flexible basis, often stepping into a project to provide expertise during peak times or for particularly challenging bids that require specialised knowledge.

Differences from Permanent Roles

Unlike permanent roles, Interim Bid Managers are not embedded within the company’s long-term structure but are brought in to manage specific projects or to cover certain periods. This offers businesses a significant degree of flexibility and efficiency, especially when dealing with large, complex bids or when navigating public sector tenders that can be incredibly time-consuming. The ability to bring in an expert only when needed helps companies control costs while still maintaining a high standard of bid management and submission quality. Moreover, interim managers often bring a fresh perspective and specialised skills that might not be available internally, enhancing the overall quality of the bid submissions and increasing the chances of success.

Advantages of Interim Bid Writers

Engaging interim bid writers offers many benefits to organisations involved in the tendering and bid writing process. See the key advantages below:

Cost Saving Measures

One of the primary benefits of employing interim bid writers is the significant cost-effectiveness they bring to the table. Organisations can avoid the financial burden of full-time salaries and associated employee benefits by opting for interim professionals. This flexibility allows businesses to scale services up or down based on current demand, ensuring financial resources are optimally allocated. Moreover, interim bid writers can mitigate the need for extensive in-house training, as they come equipped with specialised knowledge and experience, ready to tackle the intricate demands of tender submissions.

Increased Bid Success Rates

Interim bid writers not only alleviate the workload but also enhance the quality of each submission, thereby improving the success rates of securing contracts. Their expertise allows for a more tailored approach to each tender, aligning closely with the specific requirements and expectations set forth by contracting authorities. Interim bid writers ensure that submissions are not only compliant but are positioned competitively. This professional touch increases the likelihood of winning bids, making the investment in interim expertise highly valuable for businesses aiming to expand their reach through successful tenders.

Steps to Implementing Effective Interim Bid Management

Initial Assessment

To initiate effective interim bid management, it is essential to thoroughly assess each tender opportunity. Our team at Thornton & Lowe will evaluate new opportunities, deadlines, your challenges and need for interim bid support and provide several interim bid writing options for your consideration.

Ongoing Support and Evaluation

Following the initial assessment, our approach includes continuous support and evaluation to enhance the bid management process. Where required, we also provide expert bid guidance, coordinate the bid writing, bid review, and submission process. Regular meetings with your bid team are crucial to monitor progress and effectiveness, ensuring that any necessary adjustments are made swiftly. Additionally, ongoing portal support helps to identify and evaluate further opportunities, beyond the live (urgent) opportunity.

Interim Bid Writers and Quality Assurance

We are often asked to provide Interim Bid Writers and Bid Managers, but unlike traditional bid recruitment agencies, we can also coordinate the project and manage quality if required.

Our commitment to quality is what really sets us apart from the competition. Not only can we provide a member of our highly-successful bid management team, but all their work runs through our ISO:9001 quality management systems. For example, If we place an Interim Bid Writer in your team, their work will still reviewed and assessed by our Bid Manager. We look to add value at each stage, while making sure we consistently drive excellence throughout the process.

Many organisations often have 'peak bidding times' and require additional capacity or role-specific expertise. We can provide the entire bid function and lead on a project. This is common with large and complex projects, often associated with infrastructure, rail, highways and utilities tenders.

Our expert team of bid professionals will work with your senior management team and subject matter experts to project manage the tender process from start to finish and create a compelling submission.

At Thornton & Lowe, we pride ourselves on...

• Our robust quality management processes - even if you only need a single Bid Writer on-site

• Our ability to project manage any tender submission from cradle to grave

• Taking ownership of the bidding process.