Build a Better Bid Management Team

Even the most efficient business leaders can’t respond to every targeted bid themselves. There’s too much work for one person to do alone. From finding strategic bids to helping grow their business to writing, editing and designing winning proposals — plus everything in between — teamwork is key to building a winning bid. It’s time to build a bid management team. Already have a procurement team? Then it’s time to analyze your bid management team structure.

Each member of a bid management team should bring complementary skillsets while leveraging their strengths and expertise. Since bids typically require quick turnarounds, your team must be collaborative, communicative and in sync throughout the entire proposal process. A team that works well together can decrease your response time outlay and thus increase the number of bids you can respond to. 

So, if you’re looking to win more bids, the first step is to build a potent bid management team. Here we share five key roles necessary to do just that and increase your chances of securing more contracts.  

Bid Manager

The role of a bid manager is to oversee the bid through its entirety. After selecting the right bid, they’ll manage the kick-off meeting, the bid’s development and any review sessions. The bid manager will verify that the submission meets each and every compliance requirement. They’ll also follow up after the award announcement.  

To craft a compelling response, the bid manager must thoroughly understand what the procurer is looking to achieve. This includes their evaluation strategies and buying process, their competition, and what drives them to purchase. Therefore, the bid manager must have a deep understanding of not only the internal operations of the responding business but of external marketplace factors as well.   

Essential bid manager skills:

• Experience with public and private sector bidding 
• Understanding of the industry sector your business represents
• Ability to work and communicate well with other team members
• Well-honed organization, motivation and problem-solving skills

Content Manager

The content manager’s primary responsibility is organizing, updating and maintaining your response content database. This includes managing certifications, technical answers, references, previous bids and more. Without constant upkeep, your content library can quickly become cluttered with outdated info. When that happens, it can delay your response process. Bad content management will also affect your submission timeline. It can even cause you to miss a deadline.

Your content portfolio is an important piece of your business’s response strategy, and you should use it as a competitive advantage. Because when your response team has access to the best content available, everyone benefits. Think of the content manager as the person in your bid management team structure who cares for your bid foundation. Every quality brick helps build a strong house. In the same way,  you need solid, fresh, and quality content to build strong bids. If your content isn’t maintained, it opens opportunities for a bid to spiral out of control. Messy bid structures are like messy building foundations. They crumble quickly. 

Essential content manager skills:

• High level of organization and a proven process for categorizing information
• Attention to detail
• Ability to edit, proof and strengthen previous content

Bid Writer

The bid writer set the tone of the overall response. As a storyteller, they write convincing bids that gain the attention of potential customers. To do so, they must research the client and highlight the pain points noted within the RFP. They then produce a professional narrative conveying how your brand solves the procuring entity’s problem.  

This isn’t to say that their job is to write the entire proposal single-handedly. Instead, the bid manager and content manager work in tandem with the bid writer, helping to prepare the essential information required within the response. The bid writer further ensures the bid reads as a cohesive document.

Bid writers also help convey factors that an issuing organization may consider outside of price alone. For instance, these can include the business’s structure, values,  history, demonstrated success, reputation, and references in the response. The bid writer ensures the bid hits on every point. With a bid writer, your brand will present clear and effective information. Your RFP response depends on how well you’ve made your case to the potential client. So, make your case through well-written, organized content.

Essential bid writer skills:

• Effective communication and strategic thinking
• Proficient written and verbal expression skills
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines

Bid Editor

Submitting a clear, concise and error-free bid can make or break the chances of winning a contract. That’s why a bid editor is essential to your response management process.

As someone who brings a “fresh set of eyes” to your bid, they’ll comb for details other team members may have overlooked. They’ll also check for proper formatting and grammatical errors while verifying that all certifications, signatures and documentation have been attached. Furthermore, they can suggest where answers could use writing, design improvements, or additional information to ensure they’re fully compliant. This role reads the bid as if they’re the client and provides clarity throughout the response. So, make sure to include a bid editor in your bid management team structure.

Essential bid editor skills:

• Excellent writing, editing and proofreading skills
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Keen eye and creative mind to spot areas for enhancements

Bid Designer

Your bid designer ensures your final proposal looks professional and on-brand for your business. They create and incorporate images into the response to break up large chunks of written content. Additionally, they support key messages and improve the reader’s engagement with the proposal. In other words, they add flare to an otherwise long sea of black-and-white details. 

Essential bid designer skills:

• Creativity to visually communicate a brand message through text and imagery
• Understanding of design principles
• Ability to work in a deadline-driven environment without compromising the end product

A proposal that caters to the specific needs and priorities of the RFP is your best chance to succeed. This requires a personal touch. Professional creativity won’t be delivered solely through digital RFP platforms. In other words, a skilled human response can help communicate how your business connects with their needs.

Ready to Build a Better Bid Management Team?

At The Bid Lab, we pride ourselves on developing bids that set our clients apart from their competitors. If you’re not ready to expand your own team, our bid professionals can take on the demands of any RFP — so you don’t have to. That even extends to helping you find the perfect procurement opportunity (psst: check out Bid Banana, our user-friendly RFP search engine!). The Bid Lab team includes project managers, writers, designers, researchers, and editors. In other words, our experts will ensure your RFP response is on time, on point, and on the shortlist. We’re committed to exceeding expectations with a smooth bid management team process. So, if you’re ready to join forces, schedule a free consultation with our specialists today. Or, give us a call at 1-844-4BIDLAB or email us at respond@thebidlab.com.