Details
Bidding against competitors can be a big investment, and one that you want to ensure there is a good return. You cannot afford to waste time developing bids where the probability of win is low, or where it isn’t clear what it will take to win.
Clients go to market seeking many different types of arrangements ranging from sole suppliers to panels, fixed lump sums to time and materials, and from arms-length to partnering.
Clients also have disparate goals and processes. Some want it cheap; others truly seek value for money. Some do not know what they are looking for; others know exactly. Some will have a very specific process-orientated approach; others may let you free form. Some limit meaningful interaction; some want extensive involvement. Some have teams of stakeholders involved; others hand over the entire process to consultants.
How then, are you to develop highly efficient bidding operations given the diversity of client approaches and goals? How can you get a return on investment from scarce resources when so many tendering exercises do not end up successful?
This hands-on course delivers the techniques for successful pragmatic bidding. The course consists of two intensive days filled with practical methods and numerous interactive exercises, case studies, and role-playing as a client’s evaluation team – designed to assist you to determine the most effective techniques for your organisation.
For more information please contact us on 02 9080 4028 or email us at [email protected]
Outline
Introduction and overview of training
- Course design layout
- Meeting individual objectives
Current state analysis of the bidding/tendering opportunity
Please bring along a current bid you are working on which we will work through over the two days.
Taking a strategic view in planning
Understanding the lifecycle of a deal/tender
- The four phases of best practice – and where the tender fits in
- Building and managing bargaining power and the total cost of contract
Skills development
- Targeting the skills that your organisation needs (ie. the bid team)
- Skills planner exercise
Understanding how clients go to market– answers to everything that has mystified you
- The five possible stages
- How clients facilitate bids (briefings, data rooms, Q&A, site tours etc)
– what to expect
The tender document or ‘Market Package’
- Structure – various formats you may see and your challenges
- Conditions of tendering – why they are there and what they mean to you
Evaluation criteria and scoring
- What makes up client evaluation teams?
- Forms of criteria used – mandatory, qualitative and quantitative
- How clients decide, weight and score criteria
- Exercise: Criteria Weighting
Pricing the deal/tender
- Pricing options – client and supplier perspective
- Avoiding the Winner’s Curse
- Bidding against an incumbent provider
- Exercise: Pricing
Client expectations – hitting the mark
- The contract scorecard defined and explained
- Governing documents around the scorecard
- Activity: Scorecard design
Bid/tender responding decisions
- 1st generation vs re-tender
- Assess client purchasing patterns
- Assess client advisors – probity, financial, technical
- How clients facilitate bids (briefings, data rooms, Q&A, site tours etc.) – what to expect
- Initial bid/no bid criteria
- Alternative proposals
The written bid/tender
- What evaluation teams want to see
- Differentiation – why should you win?
- Statutory declarations vs acknowledgements
- Statements of departure/compliance – traps for the unwary
- References
- Bid language – compelling the client to buy, but not to copy
- Presentation and quality assurance – it will affect your credibility
- Activity: Practice a bid/tender response
Interactive techniques – what works and doesn’t work
- Presentations
- Site visits
- Workshops
Speaker/s
With over 30 years of experience, Dr Cullen is a contracts expert having negotiated over $18 billion of contracts in various industries in Australia and globally. Sara has trained over 6300 professionals worldwide and published 19 books and 126 papers.
Sara is the founder and Managing Director of the Cullen Group, a boutique firm specialising in creating high-performance contracts and commercial relationships between buyers and sellers.
She is also a lecturer and Honorary Fellow at Melbourne University and Research Associate at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Previously, she was a National Partner at Deloitte in the consulting practice and the firm’s global thought-leader on outsourcing.
Sara has a PhD in contracts, a Master of Management (Technology), and a BSc in Accounting. She is also a Certified Mediator and Chartered Accountant (US).
Special Offer
Melbourne // 26-27 July 2017
Super Early Bird rate: $2,395 (Save $300 + GST). Use code P17GL013ME. Expires by 16 Jun 2017.
Early Bird rate: $2,595. Expires by 7 Jul 2017.
Standard rate: $2,695.
Sydney // 6-7 September 2017
Super Early Bird rate: $2,395 (Save $300 + GST). Use code P17GL013SY. Expires by 28 Jul 2017.
Early Bird rate: $2,595. Expires by 25 Aug 2017.
Standard rate: $2,695.
Sydney // 10 – 11 October 2017
Super Early Bird rate: $2,395 (Save $300 + GST). Use code P17GL013SY. Expires by 1 Sept 2017.
Early Bird rate: $2,595. Expires by 22 Sept 2017.
Standard rate: $2,695.
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