Introduction
Whether in the public or private sector, when it comes to responding to invitations to tender, many companies find it difficult to draw up a winning bid. This is usually when a consultant can be of great help.
In this article, we give you three excellent reasons to use a bidding consultant.
1. Calling on expertise, experience and method
As with many disciplines, expertise in public procurement and RFP is acquired over time. Calling on the services of a tender consultant means working with someone who knows the little secrets that make a sales proposal or technical brief win or lose.
A consultant can help you quickly understand the buyer’s issues and needs, as well as identify your strengths and weaknesses (using a SWOT matrix, for example), so you can put together a bid and offer that emphasize your strengths.
More generally, our consultants have worked with SMEs, ETIs and major accounts and have been able to identify best practices and pitfalls to avoid, particularly in terms of methods and processes. Using the services of a consultant can help you avoid the pitfalls that often occur when responding to invitations to tender (headlong rush, rationalizing effort, organizing teams and response times, proofreading, etc.).
In short, by using a consultant, you can ensure that your proposal is well written, well structured and tailored to the customer’s needs.
2. Save time and money!
Responding to a call for tenders is a time-consuming process, which can require considerable human resources (internal or external).
Submitting a response to a public contract or RFP requires a great deal of research, analysis and writing. We have seen RAO or bid management units set up within major accounts, but not all companies have the resources to internalize this function, particularly among SMEs and ETIs.
On the other hand, hiring a consultant is an option open to companies of all sizes and in all sectors. Whether it’s a question of outsourcing the entire process of responding to calls for tender (public or private contracts), or lending a helping hand to existing teams (particularly if you want to increase the volume of responses), SMEs, ETIs and major groups can call on Prime Conseil’s expertise in this field.
Our consultants are able to take charge of the entire bidding process, from the initial enquiry to the analysis of the customer’s needs, right through to the submission of the bid and final offer.
Meanwhile, your teams can focus on new subjects, whether related to the outsourced business or not…
3. Increase your chances of success (significantly)
Let’s be clear: the ultimate aim of responding to a call for tenders is to win the contract and sign it!
By calling on our consultants, you increase your chances of success. In addition to providing technical assistance in understanding your needs and drafting technical briefs or supporting documents, our consultants can also help you identify the key success factors in the call for tenders or tender documents, in order to identify what will make your proposal a winner (technical, price, processes and methods, illustrations, experience, profiles, etc.)!
Last but not least, our consultants can also help you prepare for your sales presentations and market negotiations. This will give you a competitive edge and increase your chances of winning the contract.
Conclusion
Responding to invitations to tender is a complex and sometimes time-consuming activity, and the short-term results can be disappointing.
By calling on our consultants, you can benefit from our expertise, experience and proven methodology to save time and resources, and increase your chances of success.
If you’d like to win more tenders (public contracts and RFPs) to develop your business, call on our consultants!
