Bid and Tender Management

Course Overview

In today's fast paced and ever changing business world, mergers, acquisitions tender and bidding opportunities are becoming the norm. Over two intensive days, you will learn the key principles of effective bid and tender management. This will enable you to maximise your ability to plan, manage and submit powerful and successful bids.

An optional third day may be provided to those who wish to further embed their skills, through the use of a practical bidding scenario. This exciting and practical, hands-on course focuses on providing you with the tools necessary to drive a compelling winning bid. Using real-life examples, you will experience the dynamic and competitive nature of the complete bidding cycle.

From initial bid evaluation and decision to tender, through resource allocation and daily management, to the ultimate production and submission of a bid, you will gain the tools to maximise your bidding opportunities.

Audience

Key business managers, business development executives, bid writers, key account managers, research and business planning managers will all benefit from this exciting course. Fundamental business skills and concepts are assumed, and will not be covered on this course.

Skills Gained

The course will cover the entire bid cycle. It will provide you with proven and effective business tools and methods to:

• Evaluate and analyse bid requirements.
• Align your approach to what your customer wants.
• Determine and target the resources you will require.
• Identify the information you need to succeed.
• Set up the internal review procedures required for your bid.
• Structure your bid documentation effectively.
• Differentiate your bid from that of your competition.
• Control a structured submission.
• Plan and work efficiently within tight timescales.
• Assess and review

Prerequisites

None

Course Outline

The competitive bidding process:

• Understanding bid basics?
• Timescales and resources
• The buyer's and the seller's perspectives
• Business and legislative drivers
• Overseas implications

When to bid - the decision making process

• Bid/no-bid decisions
• Identifying 'show-stoppers'
• What will excite your customer
• Alliances and partnership opportunities
• Strategic and tactical business excellence models
• EFQM and RADAR Scoring Matrix
• Presenting and communicating your decisions

How to manage an effective bid and response

• What is an ideal bid?
• The 'Power' Team workshop
• Understanding the competition
• Formation of the core bid team
• Other members of the team
• Roles, skills and responsibilities
• The bid manager or director
• The structure and format of the bid document
• Controlling and monitoring the bid process
• Storyboarding
• Selling the benefits of your proposal
• Business case preparation and presentation
• The impact of change
• Qualifications to your bid
• Risk assessment and KPIs
• The 'Red Review' - why, who, when?
• Clarification requests

Production and submission of your bid

• Compliance
• Structure and impact
• Production
• Follow-up, responding to queries
• Presenting to your customer
• Review and evaluation
• Qualitative and quantitative assessment, review and continual improvement
• Negotiating the deal
• Mobilisation