15 May How to improve your quality score in a bid
Problems are meant to be solved, but often solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.
In every Bid Response you’ll encounter, there will always be a set of requirements you will have to meet. The setting of ‘passing scores’ by your potential client ensures that only capable suppliers with the correct credentials would be considered for the contract award.
These key client requirements often take the form of a Tender Evaluation or a Marking Scheme. They both follow the same principle, which is to evaluate your suitability for the bid.
The Tender Evaluation criteria will help you to decide if you qualify for the tender with a high score and at this point, it’s a good time to decide if you should ‘bid or pass’. Aim for many ‘Excellent’ and no ‘Not Eligible’ scores.
The Marking Scheme is often used in tenders where quality is of vital importance. This is where your experience, past performance, technical resources and technical proposals will be carefully considered.
Normally, technical and financial assessments are made, where a weighting, or a minimum score is used to calculate tender offers received.
This is where it is vital to capture with a well thought out, compelling solution which not only meets these requirements but exceeds expectations and surpasses competitor offerings. That’s a big ask, but it can be done. Just don’t expect old formulas to give new solutions. This is a time to put some big hitters on the case.
To get you started, we recommend you follow some basic rules on how best to ensure you improve your quality score for the bids you do choose to submit.
1 Read the Mark Scheme and Evaluation Criteria to understand what the client is looking for in a top scoring response. Don’t breeze over this, it is your road map to a solid bid. Concentrate on acing the high-scoring questions. If it’s not clear what would make a top response, ask for clarification
2 Some evaluation criteria are broken down for each response regarding expectations, whilst others are generic to be applied across all responses. Be sure to differentiate, especially in areas where your specialisms are a vital part of the product or service required
3 Break down under each response how the mark scheme can be applied most effectively. This needs to be brainstormed with other team members who have a vested interest in winning the bid
4 Use the evaluation criteria to create informative headings. This will shape your writing style and content to answer the questions. At the same time it will signal to the assessor your bid is also compliant with their mark scheme and complies with the areas required to award you a high score
5 Want that all important high score? Responses that provide plenty of relevant added value – backed up with evidence – will score well. The more you understand the clients’ problems, the more likely it is you can find creative solutions. Almost any bid can include significant value adds at little cost to your company if you take the time to think creatively.
6 Show me the evidence! Thread empirical, relevant evidence into your response to back up statements you’ve made, and include relevant samples or examples for the contract being tendered for.
7 Paint a picture. Well-structured responses will always be enhanced with relevant graphics that are easy to read. Easy to read? Easy to score!
If you don’t take the shot…you’ll never know whether it would have won or not. But remember– being able to deliver innovative bids, tenders and proposal documents which capture the requirements and needs of your clients experience really counts.
If think you’d benefit by outsourcing this task, call us on 01908 382414 for some inspiration and straight-talking advice.
