Ride the Wave: Eva Eriksson's top tips for smart bidding

On Wednesday 3rd December we held the Ride the Wave Smart bidding workshop at Jubilee Library, providing advice and support for businesses going through the tendering process. Our case study, Eva Eriksson, gives us her top tips below. Eva is the Chief Executive of Grace Eyre, a charity that has been working to support people with learning disabilities in Sussex for over 115 years. 

1. Tender co-ordinator – who will do what?
2. Familiarise yourself with the tendering system – some use portals, hard copy by post or both
3. Deadlines – make sure you plan the writing – don’t leave it to the last minute
4. Ask questions – no question is stupid!
5. PQQ – if you don’t meet it, go no further – action plan how to meet in future (in 3 years’ time)
6. Read the question – and answer the question!
7. ‘Fresh pair of eyes’ – you can get ‘blind’ to what you have written so get someone else to read it before submitting
8. Relationship with commissioners – do they know what you do? Networking is very important.
9. Make sure you have fully understood what to include in your costings. Can you afford to deliver it?
10. Use examples of what you have done – show them what outcomes you have achieved and what impact it has had – what is the difference you can make?

If you would like to contact Eva please email eeriksson@grace-eyre.org. For information on our Ride the Wave workshops please contact ridethewave@businessinbrighton.org.uk or call 01273 719097.

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