Contracting Tips
8 tips to make sure your Bids or proposals are practicalBelow are 8 common pitfalls to avoid when submitting a bid or proposal.
1. Using complex language.
Keep your proposal simple and easy
to follow by using easy-to-understand language, and steering
away from long-winded sentences and paragraphs.
2. Applying
for a contract that will place your current projects at risk.
All too often, businesses submit proposals or bids
they can't fully complete. Before applying for a contract,
make sure
you possess the skills, manpower and other requisites to
finish the project. Otherwise, you'll find yourself scrambling
to
meet the contract requirements while your other projects
suffer.
3. Pricing an item unit incorrectly.
Many experts say
this is the most common mistake made in submitting a bid. A
typical example
is submitting a bid on yards when the request was for meters.
A simple error such as this could cost you a contract.
4. Submitting a messy bid.
Just as you wouldn't send a coffee-stained
business card to a potential client, you
should not submit
a proposal that is unprofessional in style or appearance.
Before you seal the envelope, double-check your document
for typos,
blank pages, unnumbered or misnumbered pages, smudges,
rips and
poor grammar.
5. Focusing on frills rather than fundamentals.
Rather than putting all your effort into dazzling government
buyers with
your marketing
flair, you should concentrate on making your proposal
or bid rejection-proof. This, many experts say, is
the key
to contract
success. Begin by responding to each and every requirement
in the solicitation -- no matter how insignificant
or silly it may
seem. This makes it impossible for the agency to reject
you for being non-responsive to the solicitation. Then,
make
sure your
proposal offers a clear and well-thought-out solution
that will solve the problem at hand, while calling
attention to the direct
benefits of your proposal. This makes it impossible
for the agency to reject you for being "non-competent," or
not as qualified as other bidders, and the client cannot
reject your
bid on the grounds that you will not add value to the
contract. Finally, make sure you firmly follow the
bid/proposal rules.
Don't submit three pages if the agency asks for a maximum
of two.
6. Not allowing enough time.
When it comes
to bids and proposals, the clock starts working against you
from
day one. Not only
will you need time to check and recheck your documents,
but you'll
also need time to read any agency-specific rules
and regulations and other information that will help you
write your submission.
Most importantly, you'll want to begin calculating
the time and materials you will need to fulfill the
contract.
You'll
need
this information to determine your bid price -- a
vital part of the proposal. Finally, make sure you allow
enough time
for your proposal to reach the agency office before
the deadline.
7. Ignoring or underestimating your
competitors.
A crucial goal of your proposal is to differentiate
yourself
from
your competitors.
How much more efficiently will you do the job?
Why is your price better than theirs? What benefits will
the
agency
receive if
it works with your company, instead of your competitor?
If you haven't taken time to study and understand
your competitors,
it's unlikely that you'll beat them to the contract.
8. Inconsistency.
Last but not least, it's important to review
your bid for consistency before you send
it off.
Is your
work plan in agreement with your budget and schedule?
Do your figures
add up? Are you consistent with measurements
and any other elements that are vital to your proposal?