We have seen far too many tenders, bids and proposals that fail because the organisation that have submitted the tender have made incorrect assumptions or not stated the assumptions they have made.
If you capture your assumptions, you can then look to test them with the client, ask clarification questions or even state them in your tender, so the client knows on what basis you have made your proposal.
Click on the tool to download this free Word resource.
By completing the simple matrix below, it will flag up assumptions you may need to act on. Contact us here if you want more information.
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We recommend you use the tool right throughout the proposal and bidding process. Read the tender documents first then complete the tool. You will get a sense very quickly whether your assumptions are correct.
We've been involved in many many bids and proposals over the years. We see suppliers making assumptions all the time that are incorrect and it can cost them the win. Capturing and then testing assumptions is a critical activity.
This is certainly an option, but be aware that if it's a formal competitive bid, any questions you ask will be shared with the competition. In our experience, the answers can often be vague or just re-direct you to the tender documentation. Be clever in working out how to test your assumptions. If you can, speak to the customer.
If you have a lot of assumptions and can't test them with the client, you may need to consider including a section on the assumptions you've made in your response. Be clear as to what the assumption is and why you made it and any implications to the client. If you do this, be absolutely sure your assumption isn't already addressed in the tender documentation - or worse, a conflicting assumption already stated.
"At all times, Stuart gave constructive evaluations of our company and processes. He identified areas where we could improve the way in which we are communicating with existing and prospective customers and provided practical advice on how to achieve this." Managing Director, Glen Contracts Cleaning
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