"Wash-Up" - Post-Bid Review Meeting: Essential Steps for Successful Project Evaluation

Purpose of the Wash-Up Meeting

A wash-up meeting helps you evaluate and learn from completed projects or activities. You can examine what worked well and identify areas that need improvement.

The meeting brings your team together to share honest feedback about the project's execution. You'll want to capture both successes and challenges while the details are still fresh in everyone's minds.

Key objectives include:

• Documenting lessons learned
• Identifying process improvements
• Celebrating team achievements
• Gathering feedback for future projects
• Addressing any unresolved issues

Your wash-up discussion creates valuable documentation that helps prevent repeating past mistakes. This knowledge becomes a useful resource for planning similar projects.

The meeting gives team members a chance to voice their thoughts in a structured way. You can uncover issues that weren't apparent during the project and find solutions together.

Preparation for the Wash-Up

A successful wash-up meeting needs proper planning, clear communication with participants, and organised documentation. These elements create the foundation for productive discussions and valuable insights.

Agenda Setting

Create a focused agenda that outlines specific topics for discussion. Start with key project milestones and outcomes to guide the conversation.

Keep the agenda concise with 4-5 main points to maintain focus during the meeting. Each point should have a clear purpose and time allocation.

Essential Agenda Items:

• Project outcomes vs initial objectives
• Resource management effectiveness
• Timeline adherence
• Key challenges faced
• Successful strategies to repeat

Attendee Invitation

Send invitations to team members at least one week before the meeting. Include people who played significant roles in the bid process.

Key Participants to Include:

• Bid manager
• Technical writers
• Subject matter experts
• Project stakeholders
• Client relationship managers

Consider scheduling the meeting within 2 weeks of bid submission while details are fresh in everyone's minds.

Documentation Compilation

Gather relevant documents before the meeting to support discussions with concrete evidence.

Required Documentation:

• Original bid requirements
• Final submission documents
• Timeline records
• Resource allocation sheets
• Client feedback (if available)

Create a shared folder for all participants to access these documents before the meeting. This helps everyone prepare informed contributions and saves time during discussions.

Label and organise files clearly to make reference during the meeting easier.

Key Elements of Discussion

A structured wash-up meeting analyses three critical aspects of the bid process to generate actionable insights and improvements for future bids.

Bid Evaluation

Review your win/loss analysis to identify the factors that influenced the outcome. Key focus areas include your bid's technical merit, pricing strategy, and competitive positioning.

Break down the client's feedback into specific strengths and weaknesses. Pay close attention to scoring criteria and how well your proposal met each requirement.

Essential evaluation points:

• Proposal quality and completeness
• Compliance with tender requirements
• Response to client's pain points
• Solution differentiation
• Value proposition clarity

Performance Analysis

Examine your team's execution throughout the bid development process. Track key milestones and deadlines to spot bottlenecks and delays.

Map out the roles and responsibilities to identify gaps or overlaps in team coverage. This helps optimise resource allocation for future bids.

Process metrics to measure:

• Document quality control effectiveness
• Internal review cycles
• Team collaboration efficiency
• Response time to client queries
• Resource utilisation rates

Cost Examination

Calculate the total bid cost, including staff hours, external consultants, and production expenses. Compare these against your initial budget estimates.

Break down costs by bid section and team member to spot areas where resources could be used more efficiently.

Cost analysis checklist:

• Labour costs per bid section
• External supplier expenses
• Travel and meeting costs
• Printing and production fees
• Technology tool investments

Track your bid-to-win ratio against total bid costs to measure return on investment.

Strengths and Weaknesses Assessment

A strengths and weaknesses assessment forms a vital part of your wash-up meeting. You'll need to evaluate both your bid process and the final submission.

Start by gathering your team for a brief meeting to explain the assessment's purpose. Give each person time to reflect on what went well and what didn't.

Use these key areas to guide your assessment:

Process Strengths

• Team communication effectiveness
• Resource allocation
• Timeline management
• Cross-team collaboration

Process Weaknesses

• Bottlenecks and delays
• Communication gaps
• Resource shortages
• Technical challenges

Create a simple scoring system to rate each aspect of your bid. This helps track improvements for future bids and makes the feedback more concrete.

Document specific examples for both strengths and weaknesses. These real examples make it easier to implement changes and repeat successful strategies.

Remember to keep the discussion balanced. Focus equal attention on both positive achievements and areas needing improvement.

Your assessment should lead to clear, actionable steps for future bids. Write these down and assign team members to address each point.

Lessons Learnt

A post-bid review meeting helps you capture valuable insights from your bid process. Your team can identify what worked well and what needs improvement for future bids.

Schedule your wash-up meeting soon after bid submission while details are fresh in everyone's minds. The ideal timing is within 1-2 weeks after submission.

Key areas to discuss in your wash-up:

• Bid process management and timeline
• Team communication and collaboration
• Quality of bid content and responses
• Resource allocation and workload
• Technical challenges faced
• Client feedback (if available)

Take notes during the meeting and assign clear actions to specific team members. This creates accountability and ensures improvements get implemented.

Best practices for productive wash-ups:

• Set a clear agenda
• Involve all key team members
• Create a safe space for honest feedback
• Focus on constructive solutions
• Document decisions and action items
• Set deadlines for improvements

Your wash-up insights can strengthen future bids and boost win rates. Make sure to store the lessons learnt in a central location that your bid teams can easily access.

Track the progress of your action items through regular check-ins. This helps ensure your team actually implements the improvements you identified.

Action Plan Development

A structured action plan after your bid review transforms insights into concrete improvements. The plan must address both immediate fixes and systemic changes to enhance future bid performance.

Short-Term Strategies

Create a prioritised list of quick wins within 48 hours of your wash-up meeting. These actions should target issues that need immediate attention.

Immediate Actions to Consider:

• Fix documentation gaps identified during the bid
• Update pricing templates and cost models
• Resolve team communication bottlenecks
• Address resource allocation issues

Assign clear owners to each action item with specific deadlines. Use a simple tracking system to monitor progress.

Track completion rates weekly and adjust timelines as needed. Share updates with the bid team to maintain momentum.

Long-Term Improvements

Focus on fundamental changes that will strengthen your bid process over the next 6-12 months.

Strategic Improvements:

• Build a centralised bid knowledge base
• Develop standardised bid templates
• Create training programmes for new bid team members
• Establish stronger supplier relationships

Consider investing in bid management software to streamline future processes. This investment often pays off through improved bid quality and reduced effort. Take a look and book a demo of Tender Library.

Feedback Collection and Analysis

A post-bid review needs clear feedback from all team members. You should gather input through surveys, one-on-one discussions, and team meetings.

Take notes on specific issues that came up during the bid process. Write down both successes and problems to create a balanced view.

Key areas to examine:

• Communication effectiveness
• Resource allocation
• Timeline management
• Technical challenges
• Team collaboration
• Client interactions

Your feedback sessions work best when held shortly after bid submission. This timing helps capture fresh insights while memories are clear.

Create a structured format for collecting feedback. Use rating scales and open-ended questions to get both measurable data and detailed explanations.

Important questions to ask:

1. What worked well in our process?
2. Which areas need improvement?
3. Did we have enough resources?
4. Was the timeline realistic?
5. How effective was our communication?

Meeting Facilitation Techniques

A skilled facilitator plays a vital role in making your wash-up meeting productive. Consider appointing someone to guide the discussion and keep everyone on track.

The facilitator needs to manage three key aspects: time, participation and outcomes. They should stick to the agenda and ensure all items receive proper attention.

Essential facilitation techniques:

• Set clear ground rules at the start
• Keep discussions focused and relevant
• Encourage input from all participants
• Manage dominant speakers tactfully
• Document key points and decisions
• Track time for each agenda item

Your facilitator should create a safe space where team members feel comfortable sharing honest feedback. Use open-ended questions to spark meaningful discussions.

Break larger groups into smaller ones when needed. This helps quieter team members contribute more freely to the conversation.

Time management tips:

• Allocate specific minutes to each topic
• Use a visible timer
• Give 5-minute warnings before transitions
• Park off-topic items for later discussion

Post-Meeting Activities

The success of a wash-up meeting depends heavily on what happens after everyone leaves the room. Proper documentation, clear communication of action items, and structured follow-up keep the momentum going.

Documentation of Outcomes

Take detailed notes during the meeting and compile them into a clear, structured report within 24 hours. The report should include:

• Key decisions made
• Lessons learned from the bid process
• Areas identified for improvement
• Specific challenges encountered

Create a standardised template for your documentation to ensure consistency across different bid reviews. Include direct quotes and specific examples where relevant to provide context.

Dissemination of Action Items

Convert agreed actions into a practical task list with clear ownership and deadlines. Your action items should be:

• Assigned to specific team members
• Given realistic timelines
• Marked with priority levels
• Tracked in your project management system

Send the action items to all stakeholders within 48 hours of the meeting. Make sure to highlight urgent tasks that need immediate attention.

Follow-Up Scheduling

Book your next check-in meeting while the wash-up is still fresh.

Schedule short 15-minute progress updates every two weeks to maintain accountability.

Create a timeline of key milestones and review dates.

These should align with:

• Action item deadlines
• Team availability
• Implementation phases
• Future bid deadlines

Set up calendar reminders for all participants to ensure consistent tracking of progress.

Post-Bid Review Wash-Up Template

Follow-Up Actions

Remember: The goal is honest feedback to improve future bids, not to blame individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Post-bid review meetings help teams learn from each bid's successes and weak points. These meetings play a key role in making future bids stronger and more competitive.

What are the typical agenda items for a post-bid review meeting?

Start with a review of bid compliance and scoring.

Look at each section's strengths and weaknesses.

Check the pricing strategy and how it matched up against competitors.

Review the timeline performance and any delays or bottlenecks that occurred during the bid process.

How can one effectively prepare for a wash-up meeting following the bidding process?

Gather all bid documents, scoring sheets, and feedback from the client if available.

Create a list of specific challenges faced during the bid process.

Ask team members to note their observations before the meeting to ensure nothing gets missed.

Which participants are essential for a thorough wash-up meeting after bidding?

The bid manager and key writers must attend to share insights about their sections.

Include subject matter experts who contributed technical content.

The pricing team should join to explain cost decisions and competitive positioning.

What insights should be documented during the post-bid review?

Record specific examples of successful bid strategies and techniques.

Note areas where the bid response could have been stronger, with clear steps for improvement.

Track time management issues and resource allocation challenges.

How does the outcome of a wash-up meeting influence future bidding strategies?

Use feedback to update bid templates and response libraries.

Create action items to fix weak areas before the next bid starts.

Adjust resource planning based on identified bottlenecks.

In what ways can the wash-up meeting improve the overall recruitment process?

Identify skills gaps in the bid team that need filling.

Plan training needs for team members based on bid performance.

Set clear roles and responsibilities for future bid teams.