Tender Proposals - Tips and Tricks

Winning a tender contract can make and break businesses - especially small business and companies that rely on the regular and ongoing work.  Sometimes competing with larger multinational companies can be scary, especially when they often have people employed for the specific purpose of winning contracts.  As a small business it is the little things that help you win contracts.To make sure your company is noticed it is vital that a professional, accurate and specific tender is submitted to ensure you are assessed suitably.   Here are 3 common mistakes to avoid when preparing your submissions:

1. Be specific - If the tender asks for a specific format, or template - follow it!  I can stress enough how important it is to write your submission to the specific tender.  Too often I have seen companies submit a generic response to a tender.  There is few times this will result in success - follow the guidelines, ask questions and answer all criteria.
2. Abide by the time lines - Time lines are in place for a reason, and with government contracts, usually legislated and highly regulated.  Not only is it important to meet the time lines to ensure your submission is considered - it looks unprofessional if you cannot submit a tender proposal on time.  The reflection on your company for being late is poor, and more often than not will be remembered by the tender panel for all the wrong reasons. 
3. Tailor your submission - Generally the tender evaluation process has specific criteria to assess all tenders against to ensure fairness, comparability and an equatable process.  Answer all sections, provide all copies of documentations and specifically address price criteria.  Provide examples of similar work, not just your whole portfolio, examples need to be comparable.   If a tender asks for a specific fee breakdown address this specifically - do not just provide a general price list.  Even if your prices are not different to general rates, provide the rates in format/template that is requested. 

Tender submissions are not designed to be easy to win - they take time, commitment and dedication, however the rewards the reap often outweigh the effort.  As with most parts of business the effort you put in is reflected in the results. 

So What is a Virtual Assistant

So what is a Virtual Assistant? To put it simply it is an assistant that works remotely to deliver services that you may not otherwise have access to. For instance you might need assistant with specialty services, such as tender proposals, presentation and reports or helping you get on top of tasks so that you can focus on what you specialise in - running your business.

Some people might think "why engage a Virtual Assistant, it is only admin work and I can do that myself" - but don't underestimate the value of a specialist, a virtual assistant is not limited to general administration duties. Think of a Virtual Assistant as a right hand man that can compliment your business and help you meet your professional goals and ambitions.

Just like you you might hire an accountant to do your taxes or accounts, a Virtual Assistant specialises in certain tasks. Sure you could probably complete your accounts if you are not an accountant - but would you lose money that you didn't even realise you were missing because it is not your speciality? Generally a Virtual Assistant has a specialty, education and experience in the relevant industry.

The beauty of a Virtual Assistant is that they allow you to focus on what you specialise in - delivering services for your business. If you are feeling overwhelmed by tasks, or just wish you had more time delivering your services instead of spending 4 hours formatting a presentation, a Virtual Assistant is a viable option. Not only to free up your time, but in most cases a Virtual Assistant could complete a formatting task in half the time or less than it might take you.

The advantage of hiring an assistant on an ad hoc basis also ensures you are employing someone on a project basis instead of full time employment where the employer is responsible for full time wages, super potentially sick leave and annual leave. In the case of a Virtual Assistant you pay only for the time dedicated to your project, thereby reducing your project overall costs.

If you have any further questions about Virtual Assistants or any additional enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me at hcrick@y7mail.com.