"The speed and efficiency with which the whole operation worked was second to none. It was spot on. I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses and tendering was not part of my business route, it was something I had never considered. When I saw the tender I realised I was completely out of my depth with the business speak needed to complete it. I know the importance however of getting that business speak right, and I knew I didn't have those skills.

Anything you have to pay for as a small business is a big gulp. But once I got that tender back and I saw what was written down was readable and understandable, then I knew I had made the right decision. Because only Ways2win, who understand how to make a document readable and straight forward, can make it so. There was not one second when I stopped and thought, 'I could have done this myself'."

Joanna Jeffery, Business Owner, Read Successfully

Industry

Education - literacy games using phonics

Location

Devon

Business Challenge

Been successfully supplying her products directly to the public sector but then was forced into tendering for existing work, so winning the contract was business critical. No previous tendering experience at all. Lack of expertise in understanding the tendering process, writing and submission.

Solution

Tender Readiness Audit, Bid writing support and provide clear structure, on-site visit, submission service.

Result

Read Successfully awaits the outcome.

Bid Overview and Value Derived

Our client ran a small but successful business supplying phonics reading games to schools, but suddenly had to start tendering for work she had won previously though private contract. When the tender document arrived she knew she was out of her depth and sought advice and help from Business Link who referred her to us. We spoke on the phone and reviewed the documentation and provided a quote for a full completion and submission service.

Our client needed a lot of hand-holding so firstly our tender writer visited her on-site and looked critically at the tender document. There was great communication from the word go, and together we identified the technical aspects which the client was best able to answer, with our tender writer teasing out the right questions, and then turning those answers into polished responses. We helped set down on paper her business structure and processes. The client was dealing with a quality processes in her own day-to-day fashion but needed to now put that process into context, and draft a Quality Assurance Policy and Complaints Policy. We helped shape the policy language into a response that reflected the needs of the public body she was tendering to.

Overall we helped our client build confidence in her ability to tender and through conversation, pulled out anecdotal evidence and helped transfer her business onto paper. One of the win themes we pulled out was the personal service she could provide. One client already had a bank of imagery but we helped her place visuals effectively throughout her tender. Finally we provided a full printing and submission service of the completed tender on her behalf.