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For many of you out there working in the logistics sector, writing tender proposals may not be your forte, or you may not have the time or knowledge to understand the big wide world of tendering. Often, we receive phone calls from clients asking, “what is tender writing and how can this benefit me?” To those that know, tendering can be a very lucrative affair, particularly in the logistics sector. In this blog, we pick apart exactly what tender writing is with a particular focus on helping you succeed in the logistics sector.
Before diving headfirst into how to approach tender writing in the logistics sector, we feel it is fundamental to provide you with an explanation of what tender writing is and how it all works. To summarise, tender writing is the development of responses to contract opportunities, be it public sector or private sector. Think of this a bit like an audition, a buyer is looking for you to fulfil a role and provide a service and you are showcasing why your company is the best possible choice to fulfil said role. However, this may not only be simply writing, you may be requested to compile company information together, such as policies, case studies and accreditations.
Whilst this may seem daunting, tender writing can be a very worthwhile endeavour if done correctly. Internal research has shown that the average Logistics tenders typically tend to be valued anywhere between £10,000 right the way up to £25,000,000, with obvious exceptions at either end. Now this means that there are opportunities for every business out there, whether big or small, to grow and expand. However, whilst tender writing is certainly not quantum physics, it is not as easy as diving in headfirst. Much like my old Math’s teacher used to say, fail to prepare, prepare to fail, and this most certainly applies to tender writing.
We have conducted internal research which has shown that the two biggest themes we see in Logistics tenders are environmental and health and safety focused. With this in mind, below are some tips to secure you higher marks in your tender responses.
In the modern era, it is vital that we all act more conscientiously toward our carbon footprint and energy usage. However, this is massive in the logistics sector, particularly if you and your staff spend a large majority of your time travelling. For example, let’s say you are a haulage company submitting a response to a tender for bulk deliveries, it will be key that you showcase what measures you enact within your tender responses. Listed below are tips for what you can include within your tender response and help you understand further what successful tender writing is:
Mentioning the use of software can be vital when writing tender responses, especially in the logistics sector. There is numerous, affordable software out there which helps organisations to calculate route optimisation and drive down emissions. Internal research has shown that 95% of tenders we come across include questions regarding the environmental measures company’s implement and 99% of logistics tenders include said questions.
Receiving expert consultancy regarding your carbon footprint or having company’s conduct audits on how you can reduce emissions will not only be beneficial for the environment, it will be beneficial for your company’s pocket too. Mentioning this can be crucial in scoring high marks in your tender responses. Buyers like to know potential suppliers have gone the extra mile, even more so when said mileage is environmentally conscientious.
Now this may seem obvious, but many companies may overlook this when carrying out tender writing. Shouting about this will earn you top marks and will allow you to showcase that your company are willing to spend and invest in modern automotive technology that is environmentally friendly. Of course, make this reasonable, a buyer will know if you are exaggerating, and stating your entire fleet of HGVs will be fully electric within the next 6 months may be a bit of a stretch.
Health and Safety in the Logistics sector can be massive, particularly when involving the use of large, heavy vehicles and long-distance travelling. Understanding the question, ‘what is tender writing?’ is not just focused on your ability to write, it is about showcasing your company has robust procedures in place to ensure measures to uphold Health and Safety are implemented. Key tips for writing tender responses that showcase this are as follows:
Risk assessments are key, especially when responding to Health and Safety questions in tenders. If a question is asking you for your approach to Health and Safety and minimising risks, it is a safe bet that the buyer will be looking for risk assessments and method statements (RAMs) to be attached, whether they are explicitly asking you to do so. Of course, if the buyer states no further attachments are permitted, then stick to the buyer’s requests.
For example, let’s say you are a removal company who specialise in office removals, then you need to include, how you minimise damage to property, how you ensure workers are safe and do not drive excessive hours, how you minimise the risks associated with manual handling and so on.
When understanding what tender writing is, oftentimes businesses tend to overlook policies and company literature. Again, submitting attachments showcasing well-developed Health and Safety policies will help strengthen your tender writing and validate your responses further. For example, the average question regarding Health and Safety in the logistics sector is 750 words.
Now if you are a national company who manufacture and deliver products, 750 words will not be enough to fully showcase the Health and Safety measures your company implements. With this being said, ensure your policies are detailed and up to date with current legislation.
To conclude, when tendering for contracts in the logistics sector, making sure you showcase the environmental measures you implement can be crucial to scoring high marks. Concurrently, ensuring you showcase the measures your company enacts regarding health and safety can be crucial, of which may often involve attaching further documentation to verify this.
Should you require any further assistance, get in touch with our Hudson Succeed team today. Our Hudson Succeed team offer bespoke tender consultancy and is experienced across all sectors. Our Bid Writers will provide you with the knowledge needed to tackle tendering.
Not only this, but we have developed the world’s first virtual tender learning environment, Tender VLE, which provides you with free tender hints and tips, regardless of your location.
Now you’re a bit more familiar with what’s required, you may be looking for some writing support. Writing isn’t everyone’s strong suit and that’s ok. Outsourcing a bid you’ve found to bid writing specialists can help you secure that next contract.
Here at Hudson Succeed, we pride ourselves on being bid writing experts. We hold an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of collective bid writing experience. We offer four levels of bid writing support to suit every business need. You may not need the whole bid written for you; you may simply need it proofread before you submit. We can help with that. Our services include:
Once you’ve found the perfect bid for your business, send it our way. Our Bid Writers can take care of the whole thing for you they’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll let you know what they need from you, providing you with a full Tender Writing breakdown.
Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is perfect for businesses that have never tendered before. A Bid Writer will work with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully. Tender Ready offers your business:
If you’ve been tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts, our Tender Improvement package can help. Our Bid Team will assess your previous responses and tender documents. They will work with you to improve for future submissions. This package includes a 12-month subscription to a Hudson Discover portal and additional tendering development services.
If you’ve written your own tender response and need it double-checked for errors, Tender Mentor can help. A Bid Writer will proofread your work for any inconsistencies, grammar, or spelling mistakes. They will also ensure it’s in line with the specification before you submit. This is a great way of improving your skills and understanding of how to polish your tender.
Upgrading to Discover Elite can help optimise your tendering efforts – even when you’re busy. Our two new time-saving tools can improve your competitor awareness and success rate when bidding for a contract.
Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.
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