11 Mar How To Set Up A Bid Writing Department For Your Business
If your organisation regularly competes for contracts—whether in the public or private sector—having an in-house bid writing department can offer a substantial competitive advantage.
Rather than relying on external consultants or scrambling for resources when opportunities arise, having a dedicated team ensures that your submissions are consistent, compliant, and compelling. But where do you start?
This article outlines how to structure a successful bid team, what tools and processes to put in place, and how to invest in ongoing training to keep your department sharp and ready for any opportunities.
Team Structure: Building The Right Foundations
The strength of your bid writing team will almost entirely depend on the people behind it.
While some businesses try to stretch existing marketing or sales teams to cover bid writing too, this can lead to overstretched staff and underwhelming results. By contrast, having a specialist team brings focus, clarity, and efficiency to the process.
Here are the key bid writing roles to consider:
Bid Writers: These are the wordsmiths responsible for producing well-structured, persuasive content. They need strong writing skills, attention to detail, and a good grasp of how to effectively respond to buyer requirements.
Bid Managers: A bid manager oversees the full bid lifecycle—from opportunity identification to submission. Their role involves project management, coordination, and making sure deadlines are met and processes followed.
Researchers: These team members are responsible for opportunity scanning, background research, and intelligence gathering. Having the right people in this role can ensure your business becomes better briefed than your competitors and delivers high-quality bid responses tailored with exceptional levels of insight.
Compliance Specialists: Bid opportunities often include mandatory requirements around policies, certifications, and formats. Here, a compliance expert ensures nothing vital is missed and that every bid adheres to the buyer’s criteria.
Pricing Analysts: For many contracts, pricing can be as important as the narrative. A pricing lead helps craft commercially viable submissions, working alongside finance teams to ensure accuracy and competitiveness.
Graphic Designers: Presentation matters. A talented designer can help elevate your submission with clear layouts, infographics, and branding – just be sure to check what types of visuals the buyer permits in the bid.
In smaller organisations, some of these roles may be combined. But as your bidding activity increases, it’s worth investing in specialists who bring depth to each area.
Tools And Processes: Setting Your Team Up For Success
Having the right equipment will make the bid process faster, more organised, and less prone to error. Below are some essential tools that will ensure an efficient bid writing operation:
Bid Management Software: Platforms like Loopio, Qvidian, or Trello can help you track deadlines, assign tasks, manage document versions, and monitor progress. For complex submissions, tools like Monday.com or Asana offer even more control.
Document Management Tools: A cloud-based system (such as SharePoint or Google Drive) allows real-time collaboration and version control. This is especially useful when multiple people are contributing to a bid at once.
Standardised Templates: Create a library of branded templates for executive summaries, case studies, CVs, and response sections. This not only saves time but also ensures consistency and professionalism across submissions.
Answer Libraries: Having an indexed, searchable database of past responses can significantly reduce drafting time. Be sure to regularly review and update content to keep it relevant and compliant.
CRM Systems: Use customer relationship management tools like Salesforce or HubSpot to track tender opportunities, submission outcomes, and client interactions. This helps you build a clear picture of what’s working and where improvements are needed.
Process Maps And Checklists: Document your bid process, from qualification through to review and submission. Having a clear roadmap avoids confusion and ensures quality assurance steps are never skipped.
By combining these tools with disciplined project management, your team will be better equipped to handle even the most complex bids.
Training And Development: Investing In Long-Term Capability
As procurement rules change over time, buyers’ expectations shift and competition becomes more sophisticated – this makes continuous development essential.
Here are some ways to ensure your team keeps up to date with the latest bid writing trends:
Workshops And Training Sessions: Regular training—whether internal or external—can sharpen core skills like persuasive writing, pricing strategy, or compliance management. For instance, organisations such as the APMP (Association of Proposal Management Professionals) offer structured learning and certification.
Professional Development Plans: Encourage team members to set personal development goals. This might include attending industry conferences, completing short courses, or shadowing more experienced colleagues on complex bids.
Lessons Learned Reviews: After every major submission, hold a debrief to review what went well and what could be improved. Use this feedback to refine your templates, processes, and strategy.
Procurement Updates: Make sure you stay up to date with changes in procurement legislation—particularly in the public sector. Regularly review updates to platforms such as the UK Government’s Find a Tender service and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS).
Peer Reviews And Mentoring: Create a culture where drafts are constructively reviewed by colleagues. This encourages collaboration, raises quality, and helps less experienced team members learn on the job.
By embedding a culture of learning and improvement throughout your bid writing department, you not only enhance your chances of winning bids—you also create a more engaged, confident, and resilient team.
A Bid Writing Department Can Boost Your Business!
Setting up a bid writing department is a strategic investment. It requires thoughtful planning, finding the right personnel, and creating robust systems—but the rewards are worth it. With a well-structured team, smart processes, and a commitment to continuous improvement, your business can approach every tender with confidence, clarity, and a competitive edge.
In fact, whether you’re bidding for your first contract or scaling up to pursue national frameworks, having a dedicated, effective bid writing team within your business can be the difference between an unsuccessful bid response and a winning one.
However, the reality is that most businesses aren’t in a position to recruit all the professionals needed to create a high-quality bid writing team. That’s why we offer industry-leading outsourced bid support that gives you access to an expert team of bid writing specialists who are ready and waiting to win your business more work.
Get in touch for more info!
