What Is a Tender Proposal?
A tender proposal is a formal document submitted in response to an invitation to tender (ITT), presenting your offer to deliver the required goods, works, or services. Unlike informal quotes, a tender proposal is a structured, scored submission evaluated against published criteria.
In UK public procurement, tender proposals must comply with the Procurement Act 2023 and follow the buyer's specific instructions. Getting the structure and content right is the difference between winning and wasting your bid costs.
Tender Proposal Structure
1. Executive Summary
A concise overview (typically 1-2 pages) that:
- Demonstrates understanding of the buyer's requirements and challenges
- Summarises your proposed approach and key differentiators
- Highlights your most relevant experience and outcomes
- States your key commitments and innovations
- Creates a positive first impression for senior decision-makers
2. Understanding of Requirements
Show the buyer you truly understand what they need:
- Paraphrase their requirements in your own words (don't just copy the specification)
- Identify underlying challenges and objectives beyond the stated requirements
- Reference their strategic priorities (research their corporate plan, annual reports)
- Acknowledge complexities and risks you've identified
- Demonstrate sector knowledge and market awareness
3. Proposed Approach / Methodology
Detail exactly how you'll deliver:
- What you'll do — Specific activities, deliverables, and outputs
- Who will do it — Named team members with relevant qualifications
- When it will happen — Timeline with key milestones and dependencies
- How you'll manage quality — Processes, standards, and checkpoints
- How you'll manage risk — Identified risks with mitigation strategies
4. Team & Resources
Present your team credibly:
- Named individuals with relevant experience and qualifications
- Organisation chart showing reporting lines and governance
- CVs in the buyer's required format (usually 1-2 pages each)
- Capacity confirmation — How you'll resource this alongside other commitments
- Continuity plans — What happens if key staff leave
5. Relevant Experience
Provide evidence of your capability:
- Case studies in STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
- References from similar clients (named, with permission)
- Quantified outcomes — Cost savings, performance improvements, satisfaction scores
- Relevance — Explicitly link each example to the current requirement
- Recency — Prefer examples from the last 3-5 years
6. Social Value
Address the Social Value Model themes:
- Employment & skills — Apprenticeships, local hiring, training commitments
- Supply chain — SME engagement, local procurement, prompt payment
- Environmental — Carbon reduction, waste minimisation, biodiversity
- Community — Engagement activities, STEM, volunteering
- Wellbeing — Staff welfare, community health initiatives
Make every commitment specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
7. Pricing
Present costs clearly in the buyer's required format:
- Use their pricing schedule exactly as provided
- Ensure all costs are included (no hidden extras)
- Explain any assumptions underpinning your pricing
- Demonstrate value for money, not just lowest price
- Consider total cost of ownership over the contract period
8. Implementation Plan
Show how you'll mobilise:
- Transition timeline — From contract award to service commencement
- Key milestones — Dependencies, risks, and contingencies
- TUPE — How you'll handle staff transfers if applicable, per TUPE Regulations 2006
- Quick wins — Early improvements you can deliver during mobilisation
- Communication — How you'll keep the buyer informed throughout
Tender Proposal Scoring Guide
Understanding how evaluators score helps you write better proposals:
| Score | Descriptor | What This Means | |-------|-----------|----------------| | 0 | Unacceptable | No response or completely fails to address the requirement | | 1 | Poor | Significant concerns; major omissions or weaknesses | | 2 | Acceptable | Partially addresses the requirement but lacks detail or evidence | | 3 | Good | Addresses the requirement with adequate evidence | | 4 | Very Good | Exceeds the requirement with strong evidence and added value | | 5 | Excellent | Exceptional response demonstrating thorough understanding and innovation |
According to GOV.UK evaluation best practice, to score 4-5 you must provide specific evidence, measurable commitments, and added value beyond the minimum requirement.
Tender Proposal Examples
Example: Good vs Poor Response
Question: "Describe how you will ensure quality of service delivery"
Poor response (scores 1-2):
"We are committed to delivering high-quality services. Our experienced team will ensure all work meets the required standards. We have ISO 9001 certification."
Strong response (scores 4-5):
"Quality assurance is embedded throughout our delivery model via a three-tier approach:
1. Operational quality: All deliverables pass through our documented quality gateway process (ISO 9001:2015 certified) before client submission. This includes peer review by a senior practitioner and sign-off by the project director.
2. Performance monitoring: Monthly KPI reporting against the 7 performance indicators specified in Schedule 4, using our real-time dashboard. Any KPI trending below target triggers an improvement action within 48 hours.
3. Continuous improvement: Quarterly service reviews with your contract manager, incorporating user feedback (we achieved 94% satisfaction on our similar contract with [Named Client]). Annual strategy sessions to align with your evolving priorities.
This approach delivered a 98.5% right-first-time rate on our [Similar Contract] — exceeding the 95% target by 3.5 percentage points over 3 years."
Common Tender Proposal Mistakes
- Generic content — Recycled from previous bids without tailoring to this specific buyer
- Claims without evidence — "We are the best" without proof
- Ignoring evaluation criteria — Answering what you want to say, not what they're scoring
- Poor structure — Making evaluators hunt for relevant information
- Non-compliance — Exceeding word counts, missing mandatory documents, wrong format
- Over-promising — Commitments that become contractual obligations you can't meet
- Jargon overload — Using internal terminology the evaluator may not understand
Tools for Better Tender Proposals
- Tender software — End-to-end management of the proposal process
- AI bid writing — First-draft generation tailored to evaluation criteria
- Content libraries — Searchable repositories of approved case studies and answers
- Compliance checkers — Automated word count and requirement verification
- Bid management software — Team coordination and deadline tracking
Related Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a tender proposal be? Follow the buyer's word count exactly. If none is specified, typical lengths are: executive summary (500-1,000 words), method statement sections (1,000-3,000 words each), case studies (500-1,000 words each).
Should I include pricing in the proposal or separately? Usually separately. Most buyers have a distinct pricing schedule that's evaluated independently. Check the tender instructions carefully.
How do I handle requirements I can't fully meet? Be honest about capability gaps. Propose mitigation strategies (subcontracting, training, phased implementation). Never claim capability you don't have — it becomes a contractual obligation.
What format should my tender proposal be in? Whatever the buyer specifies. Usually Word or PDF, sometimes directly into a portal. Check and follow the submission instructions precisely.
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