How to Use a Bid Programme
Have you ever felt like your bid process is a chaotic whirlwind? Without a solid plan in place, bidding and bid writing can quickly become overwhelming, leading to missed deadlines, lost opportunities, and a lot of unnecessary stress. That’s where a structured bid programme comes into play.
A bid programme is a key document that helps you manage the milestone stages of a bid process, keeping everything on track and ensuring every task is completed on time. In this blog, we have created a simple bid programme. We break down exactly what a bid programme is, why it is crucial for winning contracts, and how you can use our free downloadable guide to create one that works for you. Let’s transform bidding chaos into control.
What is a Bid Programme?
A bid programme is essentially a roadmap that outlines every stage of the bid process. It serves as a working document to track progress, delegate responsibilities, and ensure that your submission is delivered on time. Each bid stage will have a designated responsible person and a deadline, ensuring accountability and efficiency.
Without a bid programme, teams can easily lose track of what has been completed, who is responsible for what, and when each section needs to be ready. This often results in last-minute panic and rushed responses, which can reduce the quality of your bid. A structured approach prevents this and allows you to manage bids with confidence.
Key Stages of a Bid Programme
1. Receiving Bid Documents
The bid process begins the moment the tender documents arrive. These must be distributed to the relevant team members to allow sufficient time for review and preparation.
2. Bid Kick-off Meeting
Organising a bid kick-off meeting is crucial. This session brings everyone involved into one room (or virtual space) to discuss:
Roles and responsibilities
Bid submission deadline
The overall bid strategy
Initial storyboarding of written bid responses
Key bid review stages
Any clarification questions to be submitted to the buyer
This step ensures everyone is aligned from the start, setting the stage for a smooth bidding process.
3. Storyboarding and Drafting Responses
Once the strategy is in place, your bid writer(s) will begin drafting responses based on the initial storyboarding session. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will provide key insights to help craft compelling answers.
At the same time, the pricing team (if separate) will begin working on cost structures, as pricing decisions often influence written responses.
4. Mid-Bid Review
Depending on the complexity of the bid, there may be one or multiple review stages. A mid-bid review ensures that responses are:
On track with the bid strategy
Addressing the buyer’s key requirements
Coherent and compelling
Reviewers will provide feedback, which the bid writer will incorporate into the second draft.
5. Final Review and Editing
As the deadline approaches, the final bid review ensures that all written bid responses are polished and aligned with the bid strategy. At this stage, there should be no major rewrites—only minor refinements to improve clarity and impact.
A final proofread of the full bid will catch any typos, grammatical errors, or formatting inconsistencies before submission.
6. Submission and Lessons Learned
Once the bid has been submitted, the work isn’t over yet. A post-bid debrief is essential to reflect on:
What went well
Challenges faced
Areas for improvement
This process helps refine future bid strategies, making each submission smoother and more effective.
7. Why a Bid Programme is Essential
Using a structured bid programme provides several key benefits:
Keeps you on schedule: Avoids last-minute rushes and missed deadlines.
Ensures accountability: Everyone knows their role and responsibilities.
Improves bid quality: Well-planned responses lead to higher-quality submissions.
Reduces stress: Minimises chaos and uncertainty.
Enhances win rates: A strategic, well-organised bid stands out to evaluators.
Get Your Free Bid Programme Guide
A well-structured bid programme can make all the difference in winning contracts. To help you get started, we have created a free downloadable guide packed with templates and practical advice, fill out the form below and well send you an email to download.