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Our client

Our client is a large, fast-growing company in the transport/mobility sector with multiple offices in Europe and the US.

The challenge

Having worked with the client some years before on its tendering submissions, Talent Lab was asked to take a look at whether its tendering processes, and the way information was stored and used, were being efficiently and effectively.

As our client has grown, so has the competitive landscape and the number of tenders it was being asked to submit. Though they provide the same services wherever it operates, different regulations and attitudes in each jurisdiction mean every tender response has to speak to these concerns. Where the requirement is the same it is often tempting to think a ‘cut and paste’ approach can help generate high quality responses, but it causes more problems than it solves.

How we helped

• We analysed a selection of recent RFIs/ITTs and our client’s response submissions.
• We reviewed their internal processes.
• We facilitated interactive and confidential discussions with multiple stakeholders.

Talent Lab identified that many of their current processes were wasting time, the most valuable commodity in tendering.

We observed that in common with many firms, unresolved issues at review stages resulted in critical decisions and tasks being shunted towards the deadline date. Industry best practice review stages – Pink, Red, and Gold – needed refinement to suit the company’s needs with greater clarity on the expected outcomes at each stage. Undefined roles and responsibilities also resulted in ‘too many cooks’ not working together effectively to shape a coherent, final submission. This meant that our client was spending too much time on ‘features’ and not enough quality time on pre-positioning activities and developing the ‘benefits and added value” that are key to scoring higher marks.

Outcome

• An alternative approach to tender management, with an emphasis on win strategy, roles and review stages, to enable the central bid team to drive a more effective process.
• A new blueprint for content capture, storage, usage and updates to deliver a more dynamic bid library. The emphasis is on establishing key building blocks and ownership of content updates to future-proof the library, rather than fixed narratives.
• Shining a light on the pivotal role of decision-making in alleviating frustration and bid fatigue, while ensuring a harmonious balance between timeliness and quality throughout every stage of the tender process.