Bid Writing Examples and Templates
Learning from bid writing examples is one of the fastest ways to improve your tender responses. This guide provides sample responses, templates, and analysis of what makes bid writing effective.
Use these examples as inspiration—always tailor content to your specific situation and the buyer's requirements.
Example 1: Company Experience Question
Question: "Describe your organization's experience delivering similar services. Provide evidence of relevant contracts delivered in the last 5 years." (500 words max)
Poor Response:
"We have extensive experience in this sector. We've worked with many clients over many years and always deliver excellent results. Our team is highly qualified and committed to quality. We have ISO certifications and follow best practices. Clients are always satisfied with our work."
Why it fails: Vague, no specifics, no evidence, generic claims anyone could make.
Strong Response:
"Over the past five years, we have successfully delivered 47 comparable service contracts for NHS trusts, local authorities, and housing associations, with a combined value exceeding £12 million.
Representative Contract 1: NHS Trust X (2023-ongoing, £850k) We provide [specific service] across 12 community sites serving 45,000 patients annually. Key achievements include:
- Reduced service response times by 34% within first 6 months
- Achieved 97% user satisfaction (independently surveyed)
- Zero contract compliance issues across 18 monitoring reviews
- Awarded 2-year contract extension based on performance
Representative Contract 2: Metropolitan Borough Council (2021-2024, £1.2m) Delivered [specific service] supporting 150+ service users. Outcomes included:
- Exceeded all 8 KPIs throughout contract term
- Introduced innovative [approach] now adopted as best practice
- Named preferred supplier for successor framework
Our track record demonstrates consistent delivery, measurable outcomes, and strong client relationships directly relevant to this requirement."
Why it works: Specific contracts, named clients, quantified outcomes, directly relevant evidence.
Example 2: Methodology Question
Question: "Describe your approach to delivering the specified services." (750 words max)
Template Structure:
- Opening statement (50 words) - Summary of approach
- Understanding (100 words) - Show you grasp the requirement
- Methodology overview (150 words) - Your framework/approach
- Key stages (300 words) - Walk through the process
- Quality assurance (100 words) - How you ensure standards
- Closing (50 words) - Link back to buyer benefits
Sample Opening:
"We will deliver the required services through our proven [Name] Methodology, refined over 15 years and 200+ successful implementations. This approach ensures systematic delivery, measurable outcomes, and continuous improvement aligned with your strategic objectives."
Sample Stage Description:
"Stage 2: Implementation (Weeks 4-12)
During implementation, our dedicated project team will:
- Deploy trained specialists to each service location within agreed mobilisation schedule
- Conduct comprehensive user orientation sessions ensuring smooth transition
- Implement our quality management system with daily performance monitoring
- Establish regular communication rhythm with your contract manager
This stage builds on lessons from our NHS Trust X contract, where phased implementation across 12 sites achieved 100% go-live success with zero service disruption."
Example 3: Social Value Question
Question: "Describe how you will deliver social value through this contract." (400 words max)
Strong Response:
"We are committed to delivering measurable social value aligned with the Council's priorities. Our Social Value Plan for this contract includes:
Local Employment and Skills
- Create minimum 4 new jobs for local residents (within 10-mile radius)
- Offer 2 apprenticeship positions annually through our partnership with [Local College]
- Provide 200 hours of work experience placements for local schools
Supporting Local Economy
- Commit to 60% local supply chain spend (currently achieving 67% on similar contracts)
- Prioritise SME subcontractors for specialist services
- Attend quarterly "Meet the Buyer" events to develop local supplier relationships
Environmental Sustainability
- Operate fully electric vehicle fleet from contract commencement
- Achieve carbon neutral service delivery through verified offsetting
- Implement paperless operations, reducing waste by estimated 5,000 pages annually
Community Contribution
- Donate £5,000 annually to local charities selected by service users
- Provide 100 volunteer hours to community initiatives
- Partner with [Local Food Bank] for ongoing support
We will report social value delivery quarterly through your preferred monitoring framework, with full transparency on progress against these commitments."
Why it works: Specific, quantified commitments aligned to common buyer priorities.
Example 4: Risk Management
Question: "Identify the key risks to successful delivery and explain your mitigation strategies." (300 words max)
Template:
| Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | |------|------------|--------|------------| | Staff turnover | Medium | High | [Specific measures] | | Service demand exceeds capacity | Low | High | [Specific measures] | | Technology failure | Low | Medium | [Specific measures] |
Sample Response:
"We have identified three key risks to successful contract delivery:
Risk 1: Staff Turnover (Medium Likelihood, High Impact)
Mitigation: We maintain staff retention rates of 92% (sector average: 78%) through competitive pay, career development, and positive workplace culture. For this contract, we will:
- Recruit to 110% establishment, providing immediate cover capacity
- Cross-train team members to cover multiple functions
- Implement monthly wellbeing check-ins
Risk 2: Demand Fluctuation (Medium Likelihood, Medium Impact)
Mitigation: Our flexible resourcing model, proven on [similar contract], enables rapid scaling. We will:
- Monitor demand weekly against forecasts
- Maintain trained relief staff pool for surge response
- Agree flex mechanisms in service level agreement
These proactive measures ensure resilient, uninterrupted service delivery."
Templates for Common Questions
Our RFP software includes templates for:
- Organisational capability statements
- Methodology descriptions
- Quality assurance approaches
- Health and safety policies
- Environmental management
- Safeguarding commitments
- Business continuity plans
- GDPR compliance statements
Using Examples Effectively
Do:
- Use examples as inspiration, not copy-paste
- Adapt structure and approach to your situation
- Ensure all claims are true for your organization
- Tailor language to specific buyer requirements
Don't:
- Copy examples verbatim
- Claim experience you don't have
- Use generic content without tailoring
- Ignore specific question requirements
Ready to create winning bid content? Start your free trial of rfp.quest for AI-powered bid writing that helps you craft compelling, tailored responses.
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