Taking a proactive approach to bid proposals is a great way to give your business a competitive edge. Submitting late or last-minute can cost you the contract before your proposal is even read. Your proposals should reflect the attention to detail and care you would bring to the job, but when the process is rushed, details and overall bid quality suffer.

A strategic approach to bidding can help you make and manage the time you need to take control of deadlines. Keep reading for practical ways to cut last-minute stress, strengthen your proposals, and win contracts.

Staying Calm When Time Gets Tight

Your success as a supplier depends on winning bids. Most suppliers have experienced the chaos (and stress) of a last-minute crunch, but sloppy mistakes and missing requirements can quickly derail your bid proposal. When time gets tight, some things – like polishing design elements or adding extra case studies – can be sacrificed, but others are crucial for demonstrating your compliance and credibility.

Here are three non-negotiable steps to make time for when preparing your bid proposal: 

• Understand requirements: it can be tempting to “save time” by skimming the RFP, but addressing all buyer needs should be the basis of your proposal. It may sound obvious, but make sure you read (and re-read) the RFP thoroughly.
• Strengthen writing: poor-quality writing can distract from your business’ offerings and project a lack of professionalism. Ask a team member to look over your draft and use the bids&tenders platforms to check for errors before submitting.
• Boost efficiency to handle more bids: If your bidding process is disorganized or manual, you’ll waste time on each proposal and miss out on other opportunities. By using a procurement system, you can centralize requirements, track deadlines, and automate routine tasks. This frees up your team to prepare higher-quality proposals in less time.

Even in a time crunch, prioritizing these steps can mean the difference between winning a contract or being disqualified.

Good Bids Start With a Great Procurement System

The key to meeting your bid proposal deadlines is to stay organized and to choose a procurement platform that works for you. Thousands of Canadian suppliers already trust bids&tenders as their go-to portal, helping them simplify submissions and receive support at every step.

The bids&tenders platform helps you:

• Plan ahead by notifying you as soon as relevant bids are posted, giving you time to strategize and set internal deadlines.
• Draft and submit your proposals within the platform, making it easier to collaborate with your team.
• Check your submission for errors, giving you the confidence that nothing will get missed, even if you’re working against the clock.

Interested in hearing top tips from Canadian suppliers winning Canadian bids? Download the supplier guide below for expert insight on acing your bid proposals.