Why Professionals Should Handle Your Tenders from the Start

Kate Woods (MCIPR) (ACIM) ?? Helping your business grow ?? | Marketing Support | Comms | PR | Presentations | Bids & Tenders | Compliance | Business Development | ?? The stuff you wish you didn’t have to do, giving you more time ? and money ??

When it comes to writing tenders and compliance documents, you’ve probably found yourself staring at a daunting request for thousands of words, strict requirements, and tight deadlines. If you’re like many managing directors in the construction industry, you may think, “We’ll handle it ourselves and bring in help later if we need it.”

But here’s the thing: fixing poorly written tenders is not only more stressful, but it also costs significantly more than getting it done right the first time with professional support. Let’s explore why starting with experts makes sense—and how it could save you time, money, and frustration.

The Problem with DIY Tender Writing

Picture this: you’ve assigned your team to write a tender for an important project. It’s a big opportunity, and you’re confident in their ability to pull it together. But as the deadline looms closer, cracks start to show:

• The document is disorganised.
• Key information is missing or doesn’t meet the tender requirements.
• It’s clear that no one really understands what the evaluator is looking for.

Now, you’re facing a last-minute scramble. You bring in professionals, but instead of refining a solid draft, they’re forced to start from scratch—or worse, spend hours untangling a patchwork of poorly written content. This isn’t just inefficient—it’s expensive. The issue often lies in the mismatch of expertise: while they may excel in their fields—be it engineering, finance, or product development—they’re not trained copywriters, making the process of writing a tender even more time-consuming and costly.

Real Example: A Tight Deadline Gone Wrong

A construction company recently approached us with a tender requiring over 6,000 words of detailed responses. They’d already spent weeks working on it, only to realise that they weren’t meeting the tender’s criteria. By the time we received the draft, the deadline was just days away.

Not only did we have to rewrite large sections of the submission, but we also had to gather missing information, ask critical questions, and align their responses with the evaluator’s expectations—all in record time.

The result? The submission was saved, but at double the cost it would have been if we’d been involved from the beginning.

The Benefits of Starting with Professionals

1. Saving Time and Money

When you engage professionals at the outset, you avoid the costly process of rewriting and fixing mistakes. Think of it as an investment that ensures the job is done right the first time.

Consider this: if your team spends 40 hours writing a tender, and you later hire someone to spend another 40 hours reworking it, that’s 80 hours you could have avoided by involving experts from day one.

2. Meeting Requirements Without Stress

Professionals understand tender requirements inside out. We know how to interpret the technical jargon, identify key phrases, and deliver submissions that tick all the boxes. Instead of worrying about whether your tender will be disqualified for non-compliance, you can focus on running your business.

3. Creating Tailored, Winning Submissions

Generic templates and boilerplate responses won’t cut it. Professionals craft submissions that showcase your business’s unique strengths, highlighting your expertise and aligning with what evaluators want to see.

Why Waiting Costs More

Let’s be clear: the longer you wait to bring in professionals, the more it will cost you. Here’s why:

1. Rewriting Takes Time: Fixing poorly written tenders involves rethinking, restructuring, and often starting over. This takes far more effort than writing it correctly from the beginning.
2. Missing Information is Expensive to Gather: By the time you realise key details are missing, the clock is ticking. Professionals must then chase down answers, which adds time and cost to the project.
3. Rushed Work Increases Risk: Last-minute submissions are more likely to contain errors, which could jeopardise your chances of winning the contract entirely.

Example: The Perils of Subcontractor Management

A company we worked with recently needed to address subcontractor management in a tender response. Their initial submission barely scratched the surface—it was vague, poorly structured, and lacked detail on how they select, monitor, and assess subcontractors.

We had to rewrite the entire section, asking targeted questions to draw out the necessary information. This could have been avoided if we’d been engaged from the beginning, allowing us to guide the process and ensure every detail was included from the start.

Top Tips for Managing Your Tender Process

If you’re considering writing a tender in-house, here are five critical questions to ask yourself first:

1. Do we have the expertise to understand the tender’s requirements?
2. Can we allocate enough time to write a detailed, polished submission?
3. Do we have all the necessary information ready to go?
4. Can our team craft responses that are both compliant and compelling?
5. Are we prepared to risk losing the opportunity if our submission isn’t up to standard?

If you’re unsure about any of these, it’s time to involve professionals.

What Professionals Bring to the Table

• Clarity and Focus: We cut through the noise and identify what matters most in your submission.
• Compliance Expertise: We ensure every detail aligns with procurement requirements.
• Strategic Thinking: We highlight your business’s strengths and tailor responses to the evaluator’s priorities.
• Time Efficiency: With our support, you can focus on your core responsibilities while we handle the heavy lifting.

Conclusion: Don’t Leave It to the Last Minute

Writing tenders isn’t just an administrative task—it’s a strategic investment in your business’s growth. By involving professionals from the start, you increase your chances of success, save time and money, and avoid the stress of last-minute fixes.

The next time you’re faced with a tender or compliance document, ask yourself: Is it worth the risk of doing this ourselves? If not, let’s talk.

Need Support?

We specialise in creating high-quality, tailored tenders and compliance documents for businesses like yours. Whether you’re aiming to win your next big contract or ensure your processes are compliant, we’re here to help.

Contact us today, and let’s start building your winning submission together.