1. The EPCM of Tender Writing:
g
How Engineers can successfully build
compelling & persuasive bids...
WA Oil & Gas Facilities Group
(a co venture between Engineers Australia
co-venture
and the Society of Petroleum Engineers)

2. Whilst this presentation is based on actual
p
events from real live bids, the names of people
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

3. We’re just having
W ’ j t h i g
j
a little fun, so
a little fun so
don’t sue us!

5. Tom
Sales Manager
Yoda
HR Manager

6. Judy
y
Contracts Lawyer
Don
Accountant

7. Doc Logical
Engineer
Detailed
Technical
Hardworking
Great Writer?

8. Early
l
Positioning

9. We know this bid We’ve done
is good odds – exactly this type We are against a
there are less than of work in this “liked” incumbent,
4 competitors... industry before... so let’s pass on
this one...
We helped the There’ll be other
client write the bids - we have
scope for this too much else on
bid... right now...
g
We’ve been
working on this This bid is in the
opportunity long top 3 on my
before the RFT sales funnel – it’s
was released
l d strategic

10. There are only 20
other bidders
bidders. This tender is our
How come this Awesome! Better ticket to this new
spec looks like than lotto odds... industry...
our competitor
wrote it!
10 years as the
incumbent? It
must be time for a
g
change!
Was that a
Request for
q This bid is
Tender that just “strategic” – I’ll
landed on my add it to my
desk? sales funnel
funnel...

11. Some facts about liked incumbents:
 Good client relationships
p
 Know the scope
p
 Can often influence the outcome
 Win 66% of the time
Think twice before bidding against them!
Think t ice before bidding against them!

12. Skills engineers have that will help win bids?
g p
 Planning: Success occurs before the RFT
 Risk: The “liked” incumbent mostly wins
 Logic: Sometimes you need to say no

13. Persuasion

14. The Executive
Summary will contain We need to be sure
our key win themes we analyse our
and client benefits. competitors and
We write a cover ghost their strengths
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 Proposals need
talk benefits... to be clear, well
written and
compelling

15. Put our company
profile in as the Competitors? We
Executive don’t need to
Summary! y worry about
They don’t ask them!
h !
for a cover letter
so why give them All that sales fluff
one? is nonsense. Just
give them a
cheap price!
Make sure you
No-one reads
tell them how
tenders – so why
great we are
make it easier to
follow

16. How content is presented can influence key
p y
take‐away messages. This is because content is
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

17.  Content: obviously very important
y y p
 Presentation: changes emphasis, determines
what is read & when, highlights key messages
 Balance: content and presentation of key
B l t t d t ti f k
messages / technical detail must be balanced
g
How content is
presented can influence
key take‐away messages

19. Skills engineers have that will help win bids?
g p
 Argument / Win: Develop a good strategy
 Persistent: Repeat the message
 Brief: Bullets and tables are great

20. Compliance

21. Read the whole
bid to make sure
we’ve ticked all
Let’s answer all the boxes...
the questions Let’s aim to
and i th order
d in the d submit it well
b it ll
they have asked before the
deadline...
If they ask for it But, we do
we should understand the
provide it in our client so th
li t there i
is
submission... some leeway on
compliance

22. Just fill in the
price schedule –
It doesn’t matter that’s the only
if we miss a few important bit...
p So we’re an hour
questions – it’
ti it’s late
l t – we’re such
’ h
all just waffle a great company
it won’t matter...
Just find our last No one will really
proposal and
l d care if I break a
change the client few minor rules...
name...

23. So when is it OK to bend the rules?
S h i it OK t b d th l ?
 Speed limits?
 Meeting starts?
 RFT questions?
q

24. “Provide your contract quality plan.”
Provide your contract quality plan.
1. Provide it post award
2. Previous example
3. Suggested TOC
4. Tailored draft plan

25. Skills engineers have that will help win bids?
g p
 Process: Good at following instructions
 Detailed: Find all requirements in the RFT
 Drafts: Good at presenting drafts

26. Money
(Price Strategy)

27. We must be in
I don’t understand the ballpark to be
all the pricing competitive Price exactly as
tables, so l t’
t bl let’s per th spec and
the d
seek clarification give options for
more choice
This is just a I need to price
budget quote, so profitably for a
let’s not spend sustainable
much time business

28. The lowest price
always wins -
I don’t understand the let’s drop our
p
pants to win this! We need to put
pricing, so just guess
everything we
thi
and add 20%...
want into the
price...
A budget quote?
This bid is
I want to see full
strategic – let’s
let s
cost justification
go in below cost!
anyway...

29.  Who doesn t own an i something?
Who doesn’t own an i‐something?
 Australia’s cheapest cars in 2010:
‐ Proton S16
‐ Hyundai Getz
y
‐ Kia Rio
 Options vs alternatives

30. Skills engineers have that will help win bids?
g p
 Hard Workers: Don’t want to give $$ away
g y
 Fit for Purpose: Give them what they want
p y
 Great designers: Provide options
 Smart: Know the client and price
accordingly

31. 1. Early Positioning
2. Persuasion
3. Compliance
li
4. Money (Price Strategy)
y gy

32. Association of Proposal
A i ti fP l
Management Professionals
www.apmp.org
www apmp org

33. www.bidwrite.com.au