Second Place and 74% on a First Ever Tender
How a comprehensive bid review helped a first-time bidder submit a structured, competitive tender and come within touching distance of winning.
Background
A PR and communications agency decided to pursue a public sector contract for the first time, a significant step for any business entering the world of competitive tendering. With strong creative credentials and genuine capability to deliver, the agency was well-placed to compete. However, like many businesses new to procurement, they had no prior experience of the formal tender process and came into it with limited understanding of what would be required.
The Problem
The agency faced two challenges simultaneously: the sheer volume of work involved in producing a compliant tender response, and the speed at which it needed to be done. Having underestimated both, they found themselves mid-process with a draft submission that needed significant structural and editorial work before it could be submitted.
Without experience of how public sector buyers assess and score responses, there was a real risk that strong underlying capability would be undersold or buried in poorly structured answers or weakened by missing information. What they needed was expert, honest feedback delivered quickly enough to make a difference.
The Solution
Wordsmith Projects provided a comprehensive bid review service, going through the draft submission in detail, identifying structural weaknesses, gaps in information and areas where the response wasn't fully aligned to what the buyer was asking for. Our feedback was direct and practical, giving the team clear actions to improve the submission rather than vague commentary.
Crucially, the support didn't stop at the review itself. We remained in contact throughout the final stages, offering reassurance and practical guidance as the team worked to strengthen their response against the clock.
Implementation
Comprehensive review of the draft submission - We reviewed the full tender response in detail, assessing structure, content, compliance and alignment with the buyer's requirements. Every section was examined for gaps, unclear answers and missed opportunities to evidence capability.
Clear, actionable written feedback - Rather than high-level observations, the review delivered specific, prioritised recommendations, giving the team a clear roadmap for improving the submission within their available time.
Ongoing support through to submission - We stayed in touch throughout the revision process, answering questions and providing reassurance as the team worked to implement the feedback and finalise their response before the deadline.
Post-result debrief and encouragement - After the result was announced, Joanne followed up personally, acknowledging the outcome, helping the client contextualise their score and reinforcing the strong foundation they had built for future tendering.
Benefits
Honest, supportive expert feedback
A structured, complete submission
Speed without sacrificing quality
A realistic perspective on their first result
Results
The agency submitted a structured, compliant and competitive tender response and scored 74%, finishing in second place in their very first competitive bid. For a business that entered the process "very naive" to what was involved, this is a remarkable result and a genuine indicator of what the submission achieved on its own merits.
The client came away from the process with a strong foundation for future tendering: a better understanding of what public sector buyers look for, a clearer sense of how to structure responses, and the confidence that comes from knowing they can compete at this level. Their next bid starts from a considerably stronger position.
"Joanne is brilliant at giving honest and to the point feedback whilst also being very supportive. It was our first ever tender process and we came in very naive to the amount of work and needing a quick turn around. Joanne helped us through her review service. It was very comprehensive and helped us to structure our submission whilst including all relevant information."
Director, PR & Communications Agency
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