WINNING BUSINESS with tenders WAYNE DIGNAM MANAGING DIRECTOR

2Winning Your Bids AGENDA TRENDS OPPORTUNITIES JOINT BIDDING BEST PRACTICE BID WRITING

3Winning Your Bids 3 Tender Team How do we bring business to our clients? Live tender support Bid process development Develop written content Evaluate previous tenders Bidding since 2005

4Winning Your Bids What would you like? To be better at influencing and motivating others to give you business

5Winning Your Bids Strategy Mixing marketing and pitching with tenders Find the right opportunities and partners Develop your portfolio Be smart with winning tenders

6Winning Your Bids Current trends »OGP Frameworks »Well trained less buyers »Sophisticated marking »Data on suppliers »New EU Directives »More spending »Joint bids »Etenders »Circular 10/14

7Winning Your Bids What a buyer wants Cost vs Risk vs Benefit Criteria with highest ratings Multiple buyers on panels Kept out of trouble

8Winning Your Bids Framework Specialists Turnover Have a lead Mediation Decide quickly Joint Bidding

9Winning Your Bids 9 Joint Bidding Invest time in finding out about potential partners Seek referencesBe ruthless with the award criteria Have an agreementMediator if requiredLegal certainty

10Winning Your Bids Joint Bidding Sign an NDA Follow ITT format Sign an agreement Exclusivity Define prime contractor Liability and risks

11Winning Your Bids Benefits Added Value to a buyer Less risk to buyer and bidders Value to each bidder Less risk for bigger contracts Improved method of working Cover geographic requirements

12Winning Your Bids Best Practice

13Winning Your Bids 13 Opportunity qualification Very critical step in the sales process Considerations Cost of submitting a tender Resources to prepare response Impact on day to day business activities Opportunity alignment with business strategy Ability to deliver the business Quantify win probability Not just a once off activity

14Winning Your Bids 14 Qualification – areas to examine Customer environment and landscape Competition Solution you are offering Commercial and legal considerations Understand why you will win Have you a strategy to win?

15Winning Your Bids 15 Customer landscape Customer organisation structure Understanding the decision process Who are the decision makers? Have you relationships with the right people at the right levels? Is there an approved budget for the project?

16Winning Your Bids 16 Competition Who are the key competitors? What is their status with the customer compared to yours – existing suppliers? Competitor relationships in the customer organisation Competitor strengths – that differentiate them Competitor weaknesses – that need to be addressed

17Winning Your Bids Outline Bid Plan TaskOwnerDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8Day 9Day 10Day 11Day 12Day 13Day 14 Kick-Off MeetingAll Prepare Proposal TemplateDesign Prepare CV TemplateBM/Design Prepare Case Study TemplateBM/Design Issue CV & Case Study TemplatesBM Prepare MethodologyDesign/PM Prepare Mobilisation PlanDesign/PM Prepare Project Management PlanDesign/PM Draft Project Management SectionTechnical Writer Prepare Schedule of FeesTeam Lead Gather CVs & Case StudiesBM Write Remaining ContentTechnical Writer/BM Write Executive SummaryTeam Lead/BM Collate and editDesign/BM ProofAll Final EditsBM/Design ProofAll Page Turn, Print & BindBM/Design Submit proposalBid Manager

18Winning Your Bids 18 The RFT documentation Read it thoroughly and understand it Ask clarifying questions early for anything that is not clear Particularly note: Deadlines for various activities Dates for any briefing meetings/ information sessions Evaluation criteria – pass/fail and scoring Any room for negotiation on contract terms Format of response if stipulated What has to be submitted

19Winning Your Bids 19 Structure and content of the response Document your understanding of the customer’s requirements Key objectives for the project Obstacles that need to be overcome for success Describe your solution Focus on how the solution meets the customer’s business needs Demonstrate that your solution is low risk

20Winning Your Bids 20 Structure and content of the response Delivery team almost always required: Be clear on the roles of each individual Prepare consistent CVs Make the CV relevant to this project Be clear about how service delivery will be managed and governed Ensure your text answers the questions being asked concisely Be consistent with similar information in different response sections

21Winning Your Bids 21 Pricing Prepare pricing as early as possible – not a last minute task Understand minimum margins required by the business Review risk log and factor in any contingencies into the model Use your wider organisation in negotiations with your suppliers and partners Provide pricing information in the format that is stipulated in the RFT

22Winning Your Bids 22 Submitting winning tenders Qualify carefully and only respond to qualified opportunities Have you engaged with the customer before the tender was issued? Do you really understand the customer’s requirements? Submit quality documents Well structured as per instructions Answer all questions concisely Drive home the key sales messages that give advantage Price keenly for success

23Winning Your Bids 23 Opportunities Meet the buyer events Below threshold contracts Private Sector Tenders Framework Agreements EU Funded Programmes Joint Bids

24Winning Your Bids Toolkit and next steps Ask Questions Meet buyers before tenders are advertised Don’t be afraid to ask the obvious Formalise the fact finding Listen Carefully Listen for needs Everything they say is important to them, however trivial Convince you are the right partner Consult Widely Seek input and guidance from as many stakeholders as possible Enterprise Ireland, InterTade Ireland, CIF, Chambers Ireland, IBEC, SFA, ISME.