The strongest bids read as though they were written by someone who already knows the organisation. Most of that knowledge is public if you know where to look.
Their buying history
Start with what the buyer has awarded before. How often do they buy what you sell? Do they use frameworks, or tender each contract? Do they return to the same suppliers, or change regularly? How large are their contracts, and how long do they run?
Be careful with averages. Only a minority of award notices state a value, so a "typical" figure drawn from a handful of valued awards can be badly misleading for a buyer with hundreds of contracts.
Their plans
- Pipeline and market engagement notices show what larger bodies expect to buy and when.
- Procurement strategies are often published and set out priorities such as local spend, small business participation and carbon reduction.
- Corporate and service plans say what the organisation is trying to achieve, which is what your bid should connect to.
- Committee and board papers for councils and NHS bodies often discuss contracts before they are tendered, including why a service is being re-procured.
Their spending
Local authorities in England publish details of their spending over £500 under the transparency code. That can show who they already pay for work like yours, and how much, including suppliers that never appear in an award notice.
Questions to answer before you write
- What problem is this contract really solving, and what went wrong last time?
- Who will use the service, and who will score the bid?
- What does this buyer say it values, in its own words?
- What would make changing supplier feel low-risk to them?
Clarification questions
If something in the documents is unclear, ask. Questions and answers are usually shared with every bidder, without saying who asked, so write the question you would be happy for competitors to read.
On Bidwire
Every buyer page shows what the buyer has awarded, how often, which categories they buy in, which companies won, and what they have open to bid right now. Where values are sparse the page says how many awards stated one, rather than showing a median that means little.