Win or lose, your micro business should ask for feedback, as even a winning tender will have flaws that could be improved on in the future.
If you have received a rejection for a bid that you have worked hard on, then it is incredibly important that you ask for feedback after the tender evaluation.
Something small could be stopping your business from winning valuable contracts with the public sector and instead of guessing, the quickest and most efficient way of improving your bid strategy is to ask for the buyer’s feedback.
Learn from the tender evaluation
This may seem like a cliché, however, learning from your mistakes could lead to success in the future.
Onwards and upwards may seem like the best way to go, but looking back on why your proposal was turned down by a buyer will help your business to move forward. Think of it as constructive criticism.
The feedback that you are given from a failed bid will arm you with knowledge that will help you to strengthen future bids.
How should you ask?
Suppliers working with the public sector have the rights to request a verbal or face to face debrief with the buyer. Although raising a challenge is time limited, there is no deadline for requesting a debrief.
A lot can be learned from your failed bids and a face to face meeting will provide you with an opportunity to discuss the response in greater detail. Take the opportunity to listen to the buyer’s feedback and to ask any questions you may have.
The purpose of the debrief is to find out from the buyer’s viewpoint how the bid could have been improved and where it fell short. Whether you agree or not, record any feedback that you are given. Incorporate what you learn into future bids – it could increase your win rate.
What Questions Should I Ask?
First, you must find out what led to your bid being rejected.
It is important that your business understands where it is going wrong. If you are unsure what to ask to elicit detailed feedback and are confident that your bid was wholly compliant, the following questions may give you the insight that you require to win in the future:
- Was your business eligible?
- Did your business provide everything that was requested?
- Did you hit the deadlines stated?
- Did you give enough details relating to pricing, strategy and company background?
- What could your business do differently in the future?
How Can Supply2Gov Help?
At Supply2Gov we encourage all our customers to request feedback. This will show buyers that your business is committed to improving.
Remember, if you don’t shoot then you will never score. Don’t let one failure stop you from applying to other bids.
Once you have asked for feedback, get back in the game with Supply2Gov tender alerts. Knowledge is power and you will be able to produce a more polished proposition when it is time for your business to submit another tender bid for evaluation.
We can help you to find relevant tenders in your region, country or across the UK & ROI. Find out more about our free local area subscription.