FAQ

Are you able to help us with bids and tenders to the Security Industry?

Yes we certainly can. We have experience with the full range of security tenders from the supply and provision of CCTV, to patrols, maintenance services and venue. We help security companies large and small and have experience in helping our clients secure a range of contracts. For example, we have helped clients secure an airport screening contract at major international airport, a security services tender for a major university, and a tender for a cctv supply and installation tender for a government department. We understand the nuts and bolts of the security industry, and will work with you to identify your key win themes to help you win.

The security industry is often highly price sensitive and very competitive. It’s important to develop a point of difference in your tender response. Sometimes we do this through graphics and infographics and other times we do this through innovative value-added services. Either way, we’ll work with you to help you make your bid stand out of the crowd.

Do you help businesses across the UK with bids? Where are you based and will a consultant come to me?

Yes we do. We’ve based in London, and we’re actually part of the global Tsaks Consulting group with offices in Greece, Australia and New Zealand. We service clients across the UK remotely from our London office. However, we can come to you and some of our personnel work remotely from other cities. For larger bids and tenders, we are able to work from your offices and be implanted as part of your team. This is works well for pulling resources and responses together on a large project.

If we need to jump on a plane and attend your offices then we will do so, although most of the time it’s just as easy to service you remotely from our offices wherever you are across the UK and still deliver a quality result.

What does it cost to hire a bid writing consultant and do you charge on fixed price basis or on hourly rates?

It depends on the size of the bid and what is involved. We are happy to review any RFP or RFT and provide a fee proposal so it’s free to find out. Generally, speaking, for smaller bids we are able to provide a fixed price. There’s nothing like good old-fashioned cost certainty. For larger bids, we work off hourly rates or day rates. Where we work off hourly rates, we are transparent in the sense that  we will provide detailed reporting on what time was spent doing what and we will track changes where possible.

To give you a rough idea a small local government tender may cost approx 1800 pounds

I need help to write an equipment supply bid to government. Are you able to help? What kind of help can you provide?

Yes we can and we have experience writing equipment supply submissions. Generally speaking, with these types of contracts it’s often not all about price! There are many other considerations including post-product service, warranties and inventory and delivery strategy. We can help you respond to your next equipment supply bid and guide you through the often unique and challenging sets of questions that are usually incorporated into the procurement process. We can help you write the bid, project manage the response and ensure it’s submitted on time. The only item we are unable to assist you with is your pricing.

Do your consultants assist with supporting documentation such as Quality Management Systems, Environmental Management Systems and work health and safety management systems?

Yes – we can assist. If you would like them to be independently certified, then we generally recommend you use a specialist consultant. However, if you are submitting a bid or proposal and require the appropriate supporting documentation, we’re generally able to put these together as part of the tender.

How can I win more tenders? What is storyboarding?

These are two different questions so we’ll answer them both. There are a range of different strategies you can employ to win more tenders. Firstly, a comprehensive bid/no bid process is critical to make sure the opportunities you are bidding for a real opportunities. Secondly, it’s important to do some storyboarding for the different questions and responses, in order to identify key win themes and develop a strategy for the tender response.

Furthermore, it’s a good idea to invest in some basic graphics and a basic theme, in order to ensure you deliver a professional proposal document. Sometimes graphics can go a long way in making your proposal or bid more compelling. Then it’s time to write your bid. It’s important to use concise, simple language where possible, and at the same time, provide comprehensive answers to each question. Include evidence to back-up what you are saying and go into detail where possible (concise detail that is). Ensure that your supporting documentation is all compliant, and tailor each and every aspect of your response. Remember to allow time to proof read your document and write a compelling and persuasive executive summary. There is more to it, but that’s a short guide for now.

In terms of storyboarding, storyboarding is basically a process whereby you develop a strategy and theme for each response. We work through each individual question, identify your key strengths, and also identify and assess what strategies you can employ to win.

Do you help write private sector tenders as well? I need help with an oil and gas tender.

Most definitely. We help businesses and organisations respond to PQQs, RFQ and ROIs from the private sector. The private sector doesn’t always adopt the same procurement processes and functionalities as the public sector. Professional presentation is key, there is generally less focus on compliance, and your value proposition really needs to stand out. We help businesses bid for private sector work nearly every day.

With respect to the oil and gas industry, it’s an industry that our team members have had extensive experience in. For example, we have assisted major oil and gas companies with bids and proposals to governments in five different countries, and have also assisted a range of ancillary businesses. This includes, for example, a fire fighting services company tendering to provide fire fighting and other related services to a major oil company. We understand the oil and gas industry and know what it takes to win tenders including developing the appropriate safety documentation.

I need help with a recruitment bid response. We’re a recruitment company and need to secure a panel appointment. Can you assist?

Yes – we can. Recruitment tenders, like all tenders, are highly competitive. There is generally a focus on your recruitment methodology, database size and response times. We have helped recruitment companies secure panel appointments with government departments, universities and publicly listed corporations. We can assist by writing the response for you and providing guidance on different strategies to adopt.

For example, you need to play to your strengths and demonstrate that you are a specialist in the types of roles you propose to recruit for. It’s also important to demonstrate that you have the right team of recruiters, are service driven, and will provide a reliable, quality service. Finally, values are critical. You need to demonstrate that you have an understanding of the organisation’s values, share those values, and understand how to recruit with those values in mind. Finally, culture is important. You need to demonstrate how you take the time to understand the organisation’s culture, and incorporate questions in the interview process about culture to ensure that the proposed candidate is a good cultural fit.

We love helping recruitment companies win tenders so get in touch with us to see how we can help.

How do I respond to questions about a Work Health and Safety Management System if I don’t have one?

There are a few questions here. You can possibly just attach a table of contents, and confirm one will be available upon request. Sometimes they don’t ask to see a copy as an attachment. Your second options is to create a WHS management system based on a template. Some government departments provide free templates for use. We also have them available so feel free to get in touch. Finally, another option is to engage a specialise consultant to develop a plan and arrange external accreditation. This is advised where you will be consistently bidding for multiple government tenders which require a WHS Management System that is certified as a pre-requisite.

What is your turnaround time for assisting with a bid or proposal? I have an urgent bid that I need a consultant to help me win.

Generally speaking, we can achieve any reasonable deadline. If you have an urgent bid which you require assistance with, send the RFT documents through to us and we’ll let you know if we can help. If you can send through any previous proposals or provide a summary of what information already have in place that would be helpful.

In terms of assisting with urgent bids, we certainly can. We generally like a bit of notice, however, small bids can sometimes be put together in less than three days and we can help with turnaround times and working over weekends if required. There is no set turnaround time for any bid as it depends on the complexity of the bid (some bids for major projects can take a month or two). We can certainly guarantee that we will be as responsive as possible and we will be up front about whether or not we can meet the deadlines provided.

Do you assist with tenders, bids and proposal writing for the IT and ICT industry? We have a complex must win tender and we need help?

Yes. We have experience helping businesses across the UK with IT and ICT bids. They are generally highly technical and we don’t claim to be technical experts at all. We help with writing the general responses, re-writing and proof-reading the technical responses, and ensuring your bid is compliant. We’ve got experience across a range of IT and ICT bids such as managed services and hosting. We’re happy to help and understand the unique procurement methods usually adopted by companies when requesting IT and ICT bids and proposals.