Once you’ve received the go-ahead to proceed with the bid, it’s extremely important to put together a provisional bid plan.
A bid process makes considerable – and often unforeseen – demands of an organisation. The road ahead can be very bumpy so a plan gives all the stakeholders comfort. Don’t underestimate its motivational power. A good initial plan can make a tough bid seem manageable.
No plan ever survives contact with the enemy.
-Helmuth van Moltke
Sticking to the plan may not be practical but if it launches the project and provides focus it has more than done its work. The bid manager’s job thereafter is to ensure that show stays on the road until the final document is submitted.
Components of a bid management plan
- Practical elements of RFP – key dates, structure, and submission channel
- Evaluation and Scoring Criteria
- Buyer profile and requirements
- SME support
- Key messaging
- Presentation style
- Key outputs
- Project governance and communications
- Accountability and Responsibility Matrix
- Document production timetable.
- Clarification questions.
Sample bid management plan
The following bid plan is for a small bid. Larger submissions will more than likely require more detail.
Key Dates
- 10th April (12pm) – Deadline for clarifications
- 12th April – ABC target date for responding to clarifications
- 30th April – Deadline for receipt of tenders
Submission
Via e-tenders
Contact Person
Joseph Bloggs:
Phone: 08X x98x789
Key Messages
- This is a rebid, so it’s very important to show the value that you have brought to ABC throughout the last contract.
- With COVID 19 – Remote working is going to be very important in future. How do we show that we have an edge here, and what are our proposals for improving this as a way of coaching?
- How does what we do assist in “delivering a high-performance culture that supports innovation and collaboration by maximising individual potential and further improving individual, team and company performance”?
- Likewise how does what we do feed into their values of “being courageous, caring, driven, and trusted”?
Buyer / Client Needs
- Do you know who will be marking this?
- From your interactions with them over the years what are their key concerns and beliefs?
- What do they really value from a supplier?
- Is there anything that they are really interested in that isn’t articulated in this RFP?
Evaluation and Scoring Criteria
Criteria | Lot 1 Score | Lot 2 Score | Pass Mark |
Qualification of proposed coaches | 100 | 100 | 60 |
Experience of proposed coaches | 300 | 300 | 180 |
Overall approach | 200 | 200 | 120 |
Price | 400 | 400 | N/A |
In the event of a tie for both lots, the submission with the highest score will be deemed the most economically advantageous tender. If it’s a tie after this the next criteria to be considered will be the experience for proposed coaches.
Key Outputs / Documents for this bid
- Executive Summary
- Curriculum Vitae
- Profiles
- Approach and Methodology.
Bid Production Timetable (Provisional)
Output | Who | When |
Bid Template | Michael | 9th April |
Clarification Questions | Susan, Linda and Michael | 9th April |
Needs articulation (Stated & Unstated) | Susan, Linda and Michael | 10th April |
CVs (Both Lots) | Susan, Linda | 10th April |
Profiles (Both Lots) | Susan, Linda | 10th April |
Approach and Methodology | Susan, Linda | 10th April |
Pricing | Linda | 14th April |
Form of Tender | Linda | 14th April |
Graphics | John | 14th April |
Executive Summary | Linda | 15th April |
1st Draft production | Michael | 15th April |
1st Draft Review | Susan and Linda | 17th April |
2nd Draft | Michael | 22nd April |
2nd Draft Review | Susan and Linda | 24th April |
Finalised Bid and Submission | Susan | 27th April |
Clarification Questions
- There are two lots for this tender. Should separate tenders / documents be submitted for each lot?
- They haven’t included a response template. How do they want us to present the proposal?
- Do you require a Gantt chart for the project plan?
What now?
Hopefully this gives you some idea of how to piece together a bid management plan. If your still confused just grab one of your best project managers and ask them to put a plan together for you. If you want to find out more about any of our business development and bid management services click on the link below.