Top 10 Bid Writing Tips (For SMEs New to Public Sector Bidding)
Let’s get one thing straight: public sector bids aren’t judged on vibes.
They’re judged on marks.
Your evaluator isn’t looking for a lyrical essay about your company’s “passion” and “commitment.” They’re looking for a clear, compliant answer that proves you can deliver what’s asked, with minimal effort on their part.
If you’re an SME new to public sector bidding, this post is your shortcut. These are 10 practical bid writing tips that help you avoid rookie mistakes, stay compliant, and score higher, without turning your tender response into a bloated novella.
(And yes, we’ll be blunt. It’s kinder that way.)
The 10 tips (quick list for skim‑readers)
Follow the instructions like they’re the law
Read the whole tender — then read the question again
Break the question into “mini‑questions” before you write
Mirror the buyer’s language (without copying and pasting)
Use a simple structure: What / How / Why / When
Lead with the answer — then prove it
Be specific (numbers beat adjectives every day of the week)
Write for the exhausted evaluator: plain English + signposting
Review properly (your brain will lie to you)
Do a final submission sanity‑check (because portals don’t care)
Now let’s unpack them.
1) Follow the instructions like they’re the law
Why it matters:
Because in public sector bidding, non‑compliance can kill you before the buyer even gets to your “great solution.”
Do this:
Use the buyer’s required format.
Stick to word/character limits.
Provide the attachments they ask for.
Answer every part of the question.
This is painfully consistent with public sector supplier guidance: read the tender documents carefully, focus on requirements, and format your response so it’s easy to read and evaluate.
Common mistake:
Submitting a gorgeous narrative… that doesn’t actually answer the question asked.
2) Read the whole tender — then read the question again
Why it matters:
New bidders often read only the question box they’re replying to. But the real requirements often live in the specification, schedules, policies, or “helpful” appendices.
Do this:
Read the full tender pack once for context.
Read it again, highlighting anything that looks like a requirement, constraint, deliverable, or “must.”
Note anything unclear early — public guidance explicitly encourages asking clarification questions if you’re unsure what’s being asked.
Common mistake:
Guessing what the buyer means. Guessing is fun at pub quizzes. Not in tenders.
3) Break the question into mini‑questions before you write
Why it matters:
Most tender questions are actually three to seven questions wearing a trench coat.
If you don’t break them down, you’ll answer one part brilliantly… and accidentally ignore the rest (which is a very efficient way to lose marks).
Do this:
Copy the question into a working doc and split it into bullet points, for example:
“Describe your approach to mobilisation…”
“…including governance…”
“…and how you will manage risk…”
“…and how you will measure performance…”
Then answer each bullet explicitly.
Common mistake:
Writing a single blob of text and hoping the evaluator will fish the required points out of it. (They won’t. They’re tired.)
4) Mirror the buyer’s language (without copying and pasting)
Why it matters:
Buyers use certain phrases for a reason: those phrases often reflect what they care about, what they’ll score, and how they talk internally.
Matching their language makes it easier for evaluators to map your answer to their requirements — and it signals that you’ve actually read the tender properly.
Do this:
Pull key phrases from the specification (e.g., “safe transitions,” “continuity,” “response times,” “quality assurance,” “social value”).
Use them naturally in your headings and opening lines.
Keep it human. Nobody likes a parrot.
Common mistake:
Using your internal jargon (or marketing slogans) and making the evaluator do translation work.
5) Use a simple structure: What / How / Why / When
Why it matters:
Structure wins bids. Not because it’s pretty — because it makes your answer easy to score.
At BidVantage, we use a simple framework: What, How, Why, When. It keeps answers focused, stops waffle, and helps maintain consistency (especially across multiple writers).
Do this:
For most method statements, try:
What you will do (your promise, in plain English)
How you will do it (your method, step-by-step)
Why it works (benefits + proof + risk reduction)
When it happens (timescales, frequency, milestones)
Common mistake:
Starting with a long “about us” intro. The buyer didn’t put the tender out because they wanted your origin story.
6) Lead with the answer — then prove it
Why it matters:
Evaluators are often scanning. If you bury your actual answer halfway down, you’re making it harder to award you marks.
Do this:
Start with a direct opening line:
“We will deliver X by doing Y, ensuring Z outcome.”
Then back it up with method + evidence.
Public sector guidance also calls out avoiding generic statements and focusing on “how you show that, why it matters, and the value it adds” — which is basically this tip in a suit.
Common mistake:
Opening with: “We are committed to excellence and customer satisfaction…”
Cool. So is everyone else.
7) Be specific: numbers beat adjectives every day of the week
Why it matters:
“High quality” is not measurable.
“Robust processes” are not auditable.
“Excellent communication” is not a plan.
Specifics are scoreable. Specifics build confidence. Specifics reduce perceived risk.
Do this:
Swap vague claims for measurable detail:
Who does it (roles, accountability)
How often (daily/weekly/monthly)
How fast (response times, turnaround)
How many (capacity, staffing, coverage)
How you’ll measure it (KPIs, reporting cadence)
And yes, include outcomes where you can — public guidance explicitly encourages measurable outcomes and relevant evidence.
Common mistake:
A page of “we will” statements with no operational detail.
8) Write for the exhausted evaluator: plain English + signposting
Why it matters:
Even brilliant content can score poorly if it’s hard to find.
Public sector supplier guidance is refreshingly clear: use plain language, avoid jargon, keep sentences concise, and use headings/subheadings to organise content.
Do this:
Use short sentences.
Use headings that mirror the question.
Use bullet points for lists and steps.
Use bold sparingly for key promises/outcomes.
Keep paragraphs short.
Common mistake:
Writing like you’re trying to win “Most Words Per Sentence.”
(There is no such award. And if there was, you still wouldn’t want it.)
9) Review properly (because your brain will lie to you)
Why it matters:
When you’ve stared at your own writing for hours, your brain starts auto‑correcting mistakes that are still on the page. You will read what you meant to write, not what you actually wrote.
Public guidance explicitly recommends getting someone else to “sense check” the bid response and sharing the specification with them so they can check you’ve met the requirements.
Do this:
Run a two‑stage review:
Compliance check: Did we answer every part? Did we stick to limits? Did we include required documents?
Quality check: Is it clear? Evidence-based? Easy to score? Any contradictions?
Common mistake:
Leaving review to the final hour, then “proofreading” by panicked scrolling.
10) Do a final submission sanity-check (because portals don’t care)
Why it matters:
You can write the best bid in the world and still lose because you uploaded the wrong file, missed a mandatory box, or submitted at 12:00:01.
Do this (the boring-but-winning checklist):
Correct file versions (final means final)
Correct file formats (PDF/Word/Excel as required)
Mandatory fields completed in the portal
All attachments uploaded (and open correctly)
Naming conventions followed
Submission completed with confirmation received
Common mistake:
Assuming “save” equals “submitted.” The portal disagrees.
A “copy/paste” bid writing checklist (for beginners)
Use this before you write — and again before you submit:
Before writing
I’ve read the whole tender pack, not just the question.
I’ve broken the question into mini‑questions.
I know what evidence/case study I’m using.
While writing
My first line answers the question directly.
I’m using clear headings and plain English.
I’ve included specifics (who/when/how often/how measured).
I’ve used What / How / Why / When to keep structure tight.
Before submitting
Someone else has sense‑checked it against the spec.
It meets word/character limits and format rules.
The correct files are uploaded and open properly.
FAQ
What’s the biggest mistake SMEs make in public sector bids?
Treating the bid like a sales brochure instead of a scored assessment. Public sector evaluators need a clear, compliant answer that’s easy to map to the requirement.
How do I know what the buyer will score?
Look for evaluation criteria, question wording, and repeated phrases in the specification. Even when criteria aren’t laid out neatly, the tender documents tell you what matters — which is why reading the whole pack is non‑negotiable.
Can I reuse answers from old bids?
You can reuse building blocks (policies, standard methods, boilerplate) — but you still need to tailor the response to the buyer’s language and requirements. Generic answers are called out as a bad habit in public guidance.
How long should a method statement be?
As long as it needs to be to answer the question fully — and no longer. (If there’s a word count, that’s your container. Use it wisely.)
Do I need a professional bid writer to win?
Not always — but you do need a repeatable process, good evidence, and proper review. Many SMEs lose winnable contracts because the response is unclear, generic, or missing proof.
Final thought (and a gentle nudge)
If you’re new to public sector bidding, the fastest way to improve your win rate is simple:
Make it easy to award you marks.
Answer what was asked, prove it, keep it readable, and don’t let admin mistakes undo your work.
If you want more practical bid advice, you can explore other BidVantage articles on our blog, or contact us for tailored support and training.