How to write a winning bid proposal 

If you’re bidding for contracts, you will need to be prepared to write a winning bid proposal. You may be wondering how to achieve this. Bidding for contracts can be deeply competitive. So, you want to make sure your bid proposal stands out from the crowd and your competitors.

What is a bid proposal?

A bid proposal is a document used to outline a business’s products or services when applying for a contract. It details the pricing, time frame, and other information on how they will deliver the contract for a specific project. The proposal should be catered to the buyer’s needs. It should persuade the buyer they are the best fit for the job.

How big does a bid proposal need to be?

The size of your bid proposal will totally depend on the buyer. Each buyer will have different requirements. You may have an RFP (Request for Proposal) for a contract award price of over a million dollars. Additionally, you may have one for $10k. It’s, therefore, reasonable to assume the bid with a higher contract price will be a larger bid. Due to this, it will likely need a larger bid proposal here.

Each contracting authority will have different needs and requirements that will need to be met. Again, this will affect the size of the bid proposal that you will need to complete. We often get asked for bid proposal examples. Due to the specificity of each case, there’s no single golden example that will work for all bids.

How the bidding process works

The bidding process depends on the contracting authority and what format of solicitation they use. There are various types of solicitation used by buyers to procure commodities. For example:

• RFI

An RFI stands for Request for Information and it’s commonly used by procurement teams as an initial research stage. It can also be referred to as Sources Sought. An RFI allows a buyer to carry out market research before issuing a solicitation such as an RFP.

• RFP

An RFP is the most common form of solicitation. For this, buyers are looking for high-quality responses to their questions. They’ll be expecting you to demonstrate how you will deliver then contract and why you’re the best for the job. You will need to detail specific information in line with the specification of your capabilities. This is the most common form of solicitation that will require a bid proposal.

If you struggle to convey why you should win a contract on paper, an RFP Writer can help. They’re experts in writing winning bids for businesses. They know how best to convey your organization to buyers in line with the specification. A Government Contracts Consultant can help optimize your success when bidding on public sector RFPs.

• RFQ

RFQ stands for Request for Quote and it’s a type of solicitation focused primarily on pricing. Here, the contracting authority may require you to answer questions about your business experience. You should have competitive pricing as that is often the focus of an RFQ.

• IFB

IFB means Information for Bid. If issued, the commissioner knows how they want the contract to be delivered. They don’t need quality responses and only require suggestions. Vendors can’t negotiate the contract and it’s often awarded to the lowest priced bidder that meets the minimum requirements.

8 tips to writing a winning bid proposal

1. Only bid on suitable projects

Bid proposals can take a lot of time and resources. To write a winning response, you will need to focus your efforts. Instead of bidding on all opportunities you’re eligible for, you should focus your efforts else you may get overwhelmed. Taking the time to decide whether a bid you come across is worth investing your time is essential. This can help optimize your bid strategy and lead to you producing a winning bid proposal.

By cutting down on the number of bids you’re producing will allow you to have a more focused approach. Really assess whether the bid is right for you and if you can deliver the contract. This streamlined approach can result in you taking more time and produce a bid of a higher quality.

2. Always read the specifications before you go ahead with your bid proposal

Reading the statement of work (SOW) before you go ahead with your proposal is essential. You must read every page (even if it’s an 80-page document). This is because it might contain information that is essential for you to have, in order to be eligible. If you skip this and go ahead with your bid proposal when you aren’t eligible, it’s a waste of time.

Here, they will detail critical information on what they’re expecting from you as a vendor. Remember that you can always ask for clarification questions if you’re unsure of anything. Bear in mind that there is usually a cut-off time to ask these clarification questions. It’s typically a while before the submission deadline. Therefore, if you are of unsure anything then it’s better to ask sooner rather than later.

3. Plan 

Planning your bid proposal before you bid is integral. You should manage your time appropriately. Setting internal deadlines for you and your team can help. A checklist of the documents and relevant deadlines can help you keep on track. For example:

• Submission deadline date and time
• RFP cover letter
• Clarification questions deadline
• Site visit deadline
• How many questions are in the document
• Pricing
• Number of supporting documents
• Relevant policies and procedures
• The format of submission

4. Have a tailored response to the buyer’s needs

Reading the SOW thoroughly will also enable you to tailor your response more accurately. This will then increase your chances of success. The best bid proposals will have a very tailored approach to the buyer’s needs. They will deconstruct the questions asked, breaking them down into subheadings. This will make your response clearer for the evaluator. It will also help signpost you to make sure you have answered every aspect of the question yourself. It’s quite common for RFPs to have multiple aspects to answer within a rather longwinded question. Unsuccessful bidders will only focus on one aspect of the question.

If you are struggling with your RFP response, you could consider outsourcing to proposal writing services. They can help increase your chances of success, being experts in writing winning proposals. Their narrative and research skills are unparalleled, and they will move hell and high water to win you a contract.

5. Do research on the buyer

By doing the groundwork and researching the buyer will pay off in your response. Doing your research on the buyer will enable you to get a better understanding of them. They may have certain quotas they need to make or have certain objectives they’re aiming towards. A buyer will appreciate that you have done your homework on them. Evaluating their challenges and values may enable you to find something to your advantage. You can then use this in your bid proposal demonstrating that you’re interested. This will never go amiss and will increase your chances of success, allowing you to tailor your response.

6. Are you offering something unique?

A winning bid proposal will offer a unique or innovative aspect to their bid. Before you start planning your response, really consider if you can offer the buyer something unique. What are your unique selling points (USPs)? Do you have an edge over your competitors and offering something they aren’t? If you do, then you are standing in better stead.

7. Do you have the necessary experience?

You will need to have contract examples when submitting your bid proposal. Buyers will often ask for 2 – 3 contract examples completed within the last 3 – 5 years. They want to be reassured that you have experience in completing contracts similar in scope and complexity. It’s also good to note examples where you finished on time and within budget. These are the type of qualities a buyer wants to know.

Including how you overcame any challenges is a good opportunity to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. No matter the sector you’re bidding in, this is always good to demonstrate as flexibility is key. Contracts may not always go to plan, but it’s how you deal with it going forward that matters.

Depending on the word count, you should consider adding a positive testimonial from a client. This can do nothing but strengthen your bid. Make sure that you aren’t taking an artistic license as you may be required to provide contact details.

8. Proofread your bid before you submit

Proofreading your bid proposal should be factored into your bid proposal plan. You want to plan adequate time for edits, revisions, and proofreading. A buyer is likely to prefer a bid with no errors than one riddled with them. Continuous spelling and grammatical mistakes throughout won’t give a good impression to the buyer. If you’re unable to produce an error-free proposal, how can you deliver a contract?

If you’re struggling to spot errors yourself, try sending it to someone else. A fresh pair of eyes can help catch any unseen mistakes. We all know how tired you can get reading the same thing over and over. Additionally, you could wait a couple of days before reviewing it yourself again. You should always strive to present the most flawless bid proposal you can. This will take time, but it will pay off in the long run.

So, now you know how to improve your bid proposal. Following these tips will help optimize your chances of success with your next bid. If you’re bidding for contracts but aren’t seeing success – we can help.

Here at Hudson Bid Writers, we are bid writing experts. We proudly hold an 87% success rate. We offer a range of services that can help your business win your next contract.

Our services

RFP Writing

Our RFP Writing service is the perfect solution to ensure that you submit a high-quality bid, even when you’re busy. Our writers will break down the solicitation documents, allowing you to see what the bid and the contract involves. This will help to ensure that you have all the specified evidence and meet the requirements of the contracting authority. Our RFP Writers will then craft persuasive, high-quality responses, attach supporting evidence and even submit the bid on your behalf. Upload the solicitation documents for a free quote.

RFP Mentor

Have you already written a bid but need a second pair of eyes to review your work? Our RFP Mentor service will do just that. Simply send over your bid responses and the solicitation documents. Our writers will then assess your work, ensuring that your responses are in line with the specification. They will also check for any spelling or grammar errors. You can then submit your bid with confidence. Upload your work for a free quote.

Proposal Ready

Do you need help with preparing a bid proposal? Proposal Ready can help businesses that are new to bidding or those in need of rejuvenating their content. Our Bid Consultants can offer you proposal writing services, creating:

• 3 designed and company branded case studies
• 5 company branded and professionally designed resumes for key personnel
• 1 company branded bid proposal credentials document that can be used to respond to future RFPs.

Find more helpful tips and advice in our blogs. We cover topics including:

• Working with RFP Writers
• Government bids
• Federal contract bids
• RFP cover letters
• Government RFPs
• Bid proposals
• Federal government RFPs
• RFP Consultants
• How technical Bid Writers can help your business
• State bids
• And many more.

 

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Hudson Outsourcing LLC will not be responsible for any material that is found at the end of the links that may be posted on this blog site. 

Because the information on this blog is based on Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s own opinion and experience, it should not be considered professional financial investment advice. The ideas and bidding strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Hudson Outsourcing LLC’s thoughts and opinions will also change from time to time as the market changes and as Hudson Outsourcing LLC develops.