The EPCM of Tender Writing:gHow Engineers can successfully build compelling & persuasive bids...

WA Oil & Gas Facilities Group(a co-venture between Engineers Australia(a co venture between Engineers Australia and the Society of Petroleum Engineers)

Whilst this presentation is based on actual pevents from real live bids, the names of people and details of stories portrayed in these slides and details of stories portrayed in these slides may have been altered to protect the innocent.  Any similarity to real people, live or otherwise,  is unintentional and purely coincidental   The is unintentional and purely coincidental.  The presenter is hereby indemnified against any direct or consequential loss of any kind associated with giving this presentation  associated with giving this presentation. 

W ’  j t h i  We’re just having j ga little fun  so a little fun, so ddon’t sue us!

Tom Tom Sales Manager

Yoda HR ManagerHR Manager

Judy yContracts Lawyer

DonAccountantAccountant

Doc  LogicalLogicalDoc Engineer

LogicalLogicalDetailedDetailedDetailedDetailed

TechnicalTechnicalHardworkingHardworkingHardworkingHardworkingGreat Writer?Great Writer?Great Writer?Great Writer?

E lEarly Positioning

We know this bid is good odds – We are against a

We’ve done exactly this typeis good odds

there are less than 4 competitors...

“liked” incumbent, so let’s pass on

this one...

exactly this type of work in this

industry before...

There’ll be other We helped the bids - we have

too much else on right now...

client write the scope for this

bid...

We’ve been working on this

g

This bid is in theworking on this opportunity long before the RFT

l d

This bid is in the top 3 on my

sales funnel – it’s strategicwas released strategic

There are only 20 other bidders This tender is ourother bidders.

Awesome! Better than lotto odds...

How come this spec looks like our competitor

This tender is our ticket to this new

industry...

10 years as the

our competitor wrote it!

incumbent? It must be time for a

change!

Was that a Request for

g

This bid isqTender that just landed on my

desk?

This bid is “strategic” – I’ll

add it to my sales funneldesk? sales funnel...

Some facts about liked incumbents:Some facts about liked incumbents:

Good client relationshipsp

Know the scopep

Can often influence the outcome

Win 66% of the time

Think t ice before bidding against them!Think twice before bidding against them!

Skills engineers have that will help win bids? g p

Planning: Success occurs before the RFT Planning: Success occurs before the RFT

Risk: The “liked” incumbent mostly wins

Logic: Sometimes you need to say no

PersuasionPersuasion

The Executive Summary will contain We need to be sureSummary will contain our key win themes and client benefits.

We need to be sure we analyse our competitors and

ghost their strengthsWe write a cover

Persuasion is not

ghost their strengthsWe write a cover letter with every bid we submit...

Persuasion is not “sales fluff” and can really make a difference...

The bid is all about our client, so make sure we

talk benefits...Proposals need to be clear, well

written andwritten and compelling

Put our company Competitors? Weprofile in as the

Executive Summary!

Competitors? We don’t need to worry about

h !

All that sales fluff

ythem!They don’t ask

for a cover letter so why give them All that sales fluff

is nonsense. Just give them a

so why give them one?

cheap price!

Make sure you tell them how great we are

No-one reads tenders – so why make it easier tomake it easier to

follow

How content is presented can influence key p ytake‐away messages. This is because content is obviously very important but it needs to be obviously very important but it needs to be presented well to gain attention. Different presentation of content can change emphasis, determine what is read and when  and can determine what is read and when, and can highlight key messages. To get the right balance of key messages and technical detail, content and presentation must be considered together  and presentation must be considered together. 

Content: obviously very important y y p

Presentation: changes emphasis, determines what is read & when, highlights key messages

B l t t  d  t ti   f k   Balance: content and presentation of key messages / technical detail must be balancedg

How content is How content is presented can influence key take‐away messages

Skills engineers have that will help win bids? g p

Argument / Win: Develop a good strategy Argument / Win: Develop a good strategy

Persistent: Repeat the message

Brief: Bullets and tables are great

CCompliance

Read the whole bid to make sure we’ve ticked all

the boxes...Let’s aim to

b it it ll

Let’s answer allthe questions

d i th d submit it well before the deadline...

and in the order they have asked

But, we do understand the li t th i

If they ask for it we should

client so there is some leeway on

compliance

provide it in our submission...

Just fill in the price schedule –

that’s the only important bit... So we’re an hour

l t ’ h

It doesn’t matter if we miss a few

ti it’p

late – we’re such a great company it won’t matter...

questions – it’s all just waffle

No one will really care if I break a

Just find our last l d care if I break a

few minor rules...proposal and

change the client name...

S   h  i  it OK t  b d th   l ?So when is it OK to bend the rules?

Speed limits?

Meeting starts?

RFT questions?q

“Provide your contract quality plan.”Provide your contract quality plan.

1. Provide it post award1. Provide it post award

2. Previous example2. Previous example

3. Suggested TOC3. Suggested TOC

4. Tailored draft plan4. Tailored draft plan

Skills engineers have that will help win bids? g p

Process: Good at following instructions Process: Good at following instructions

Detailed: Find all requirements in the RFT

Drafts: Good at presenting drafts

MMoney (Price Strategy)

We must be inWe must be in the ballpark to be

competitive Price exactly as th d

I don’t understand all the pricing t bl l t’ per the spec and

give options for more choice

tables, so let’s seek clarification

I need to price profitably for a

This is just a budget quote, so

sustainable business

let’s not spend much time

The lowest price always wins -let’s drop our

pants to win this! We need to put thi

I don’t understand the pricing, so just guess p

everything wewant into the

price...

pricing, so just guess and add 20%...

This bid is strategic – let’s

A budget quote? I want to see full strategic let s

go in below cost!cost justification anyway...

Who doesn’t own an i‐something?Who doesn t own an i something?

Australia’s cheapest cars in 2010:‐ Proton S16‐ Proton S16‐Hyundai Getzy‐ Kia Rio 

Options vs alternativesOptions vs alternatives

Skills engineers have that will help win bids? g p

Hard Workers: Don’t want to give $$ awayg y

Fit for Purpose: Give them what they wantp y

Great designers: Provide optionsGreat designers: Provide options

Smart: Know the client and price  Smart: Know the client and price accordingly  

1.  Early Positioning

2. Persuasion

  C li3.  Compliance

4.  Money (Price Strategy)y gy

A i ti f P lAssociation of Proposal Management ProfessionalsManagement Professionals

www apmp orgwww.apmp.org

www.bidwrite.com.au