Common mistakes in tender writing
Jun 09, 2010
DO you know that many would-be contractors sabotage their own bids? This is through making mistakes that leave contract committees with no option but to throw out their bids.<br>
By Aidah Nanyonjo
DO you know that many would-be contractors sabotage their own bids? This is through making mistakes that leave contract committees with no option but to throw out their bids.
Benon Basheka, the managing director of Radix Management Consulting, notes that most companies are disqualified on technicalities.
Basheka also explains that organisations do not follow the same procedures when in tendering.
“It is only the Government that follows the procurement Act of 2003. Private sector and non-governmental organisations handle bids differently.†Basheka outlines some of the mistakes bidders make when applying for Government tenders.
Failure to read and understand the bid document
Government agencies bid documents have different sections that guide you on what is required for the project.
It is important for a bidder to read the document properly to know the dos and don’ts.
“Follow the instructions. If you are asked to submit a technical proposal two weeks before a cost proposal, do so.
“Do not try to change the order of the process or its timing.â€
Also, if you are asked to write the title of the bid on the right hand side of the envelope, do that. If you write it on the left, you have already disqualified yourself.
Avoiding specification guidelines
Most bidders don’t pay attention to specifications or the statement of requirements. It is those specifications that contract committees follow while evaluating the bid proposals.
If you don’t read and understand the specifications, you will lose the job.
“When a company asks for specific goods or services, don’t try to tell them what it should have asked.
Offer what you have been asked, no more, no less.â€
Ignoring details
There could certain information you must provide, but you it out.
This is done, especially, if a bid is prepared in hurry. Take your time and fill the document as required.
“But most companies write in hurry and leave out the most important aspects.â€
Failure to understand the evaluation criteria
Most companies don’t understand the criteria to be used in the bid evaluation process.
The bid document indicate the score for each section, but you find someone spending a lot of time on a section that has few marks, leaving those where they could score highly.
Inaccurate submissions
Some bid proposals are submitted with mistakes, especially wrong figures. Instead of writing sh500,000, one writes sh50,000.
These are careless and preventable mistakes. However, the law allows for such wrongly-written bids to be corrected.
Bid too low for a contract.
This is an oldest trick. Many firms believe that the lowest bid will be the most attractive, even in a best-value proposal. However, that lowest-of-the-low bid is a red flag to government officials. They know immediately when a low bid is unrealistic and that the company is expecting to cover its costs later in the process with supplemental billings. It has no value in a best-value contract.
Bid too high for a contract
Again, the government must apply the best-value criterion to a contract that is to be awarded on that basis. So, a company whose bid has the highest quotations, than what government budgeted for is likely to lose the contract.
Bidding exactly what is on the budget.
This is like folling the government officials. Your company’s bid should not match exactly with the amount that is budgeted for the job. An unrealistic bid stands out under scrutiny, especially when a company is pricing at a budget line for a technical capability that will cost more than that existing line amount. This is another form of low balling, only the bidder is hoping to get its foot in the door by using the government’s own figures. So, the government officials will know when a budget figure is not a realistic amount for a contract.
Not Owning the Result
People often write in terms of things “happening†instead of saying things like “our approach delivers.†You should take ownership of the results when you work on a project. Instead of “if you select us, we will do the work, and you will get the results†you should say that “if you select us you will benefit from the results we deliver†The benefits to the customer are benefits that you provide. In proposal writing it’s logical and necessary to show the link between your offering and the results.
Not saying why you should be selected
Does what you have written clearly articulate why the customer should select you? The evaluator must look at competing proposals and select the best one. Does your proposal say why they should select you?
DO you know that many would-be contractors sabotage their own bids? This is through making mistakes that leave contract committees with no option but to throw out their bids.
Benon Basheka, the managing director of Radix Management Consulting, notes that most companies are disqualified on technicalities.
Basheka also explains that organisations do not follow the same procedures when in tendering.
“It is only the Government that follows the procurement Act of 2003. Private sector and non-governmental organisations handle bids differently.†Basheka outlines some of the mistakes bidders make when applying for Government tenders.
Failure to read and understand the bid document
Government agencies bid documents have different sections that guide you on what is required for the project.
It is important for a bidder to read the document properly to know the dos and don’ts.
“Follow the instructions. If you are asked to submit a technical proposal two weeks before a cost proposal, do so.
“Do not try to change the order of the process or its timing.â€
Also, if you are asked to write the title of the bid on the right hand side of the envelope, do that. If you write it on the left, you have already disqualified yourself.
Avoiding specification guidelines
Most bidders don’t pay attention to specifications or the statement of requirements. It is those specifications that contract committees follow while evaluating the bid proposals.
If you don’t read and understand the specifications, you will lose the job.
“When a company asks for specific goods or services, don’t try to tell them what it should have asked.
Offer what you have been asked, no more, no less.â€
Ignoring details
There could certain information you must provide, but you it out.
This is done, especially, if a bid is prepared in hurry. Take your time and fill the document as required.
“But most companies write in hurry and leave out the most important aspects.â€
Failure to understand the evaluation criteria
Most companies don’t understand the criteria to be used in the bid evaluation process.
The bid document indicate the score for each section, but you find someone spending a lot of time on a section that has few marks, leaving those where they could score highly.
Inaccurate submissions
Some bid proposals are submitted with mistakes, especially wrong figures. Instead of writing sh500,000, one writes sh50,000.
These are careless and preventable mistakes. However, the law allows for such wrongly-written bids to be corrected.
Bid too low for a contract.
This is an oldest trick. Many firms believe that the lowest bid will be the most attractive, even in a best-value proposal. However, that lowest-of-the-low bid is a red flag to government officials. They know immediately when a low bid is unrealistic and that the company is expecting to cover its costs later in the process with supplemental billings. It has no value in a best-value contract.
Bid too high for a contract
Again, the government must apply the best-value criterion to a contract that is to be awarded on that basis. So, a company whose bid has the highest quotations, than what government budgeted for is likely to lose the contract.
Bidding exactly what is on the budget.
This is like folling the government officials. Your company’s bid should not match exactly with the amount that is budgeted for the job. An unrealistic bid stands out under scrutiny, especially when a company is pricing at a budget line for a technical capability that will cost more than that existing line amount. This is another form of low balling, only the bidder is hoping to get its foot in the door by using the government’s own figures. So, the government officials will know when a budget figure is not a realistic amount for a contract.
Not Owning the Result
People often write in terms of things “happening†instead of saying things like “our approach delivers.†You should take ownership of the results when you work on a project. Instead of “if you select us, we will do the work, and you will get the results†you should say that “if you select us you will benefit from the results we deliver†The benefits to the customer are benefits that you provide. In proposal writing it’s logical and necessary to show the link between your offering and the results.
Not saying why you should be selected
Does what you have written clearly articulate why the customer should select you? The evaluator must look at competing proposals and select the best one. Does your proposal say why they should select you?