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5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Bid Writer (To Protect Your Win Rate).
In the world of UK procurement, a “near miss” is a total loss. Whether you are chasing a Local Authority framework, a Crown Commercial Service (CCS) agreement, or a private sector ITT (Invitation to Tender), the quality of your submission is the only thing standing between you and a “Notice of Intent to Award.”
Hiring a bid writer is a high-stakes decision. To ensure your candidate can navigate the complexities of Social Value, PQQ/SQ stages, and rigorous scoring criteria, ask these five targeted questions.
1. “How do you ensure every response is ‘fully compliant’ yet persuasive?”
A bid can be beautifully written but still get a “fail” score if it misses a single mandatory requirement.
- The Right Answer: They should discuss their process for deconstructing the Specification and Instructions to Tenderers. Look for writers who use a “compliance matrix” to cross-reference their drafts against the buyer’s marking scheme.
2. “How do you approach the Social Value requirements of a UK tender?”
Since the introduction of PPN 06/20, Social Value often accounts for 10% to 30% of the total score. Generic answers won’t cut it anymore.
- The Right Answer: A top-tier writer will explain how they align your company’s CSR initiatives with the specific Social Value Model themes required by the buyer, ensuring your commitments are “SMART” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound).
3. “What is your strategy for interviewing our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)?”
Your technical leads are likely buried in “business as usual.” You need a writer who can extract the “gold” from their heads without causing friction.
- The Right Answer: They should mention a structured discovery or interview process. Instead of asking your team to write, they should lead storyboarding sessions to capture the “Win Themes” before a single word is typed.
4. “How do you manage the final ‘Production’ phase before the portal deadline?”
The final 24 hours of a bid are the most dangerous. Missing a Clarification Note or hitting a portal upload error at 11:59 PM is an expensive mistake.
- The Right Answer: Look for resilience under pressure. They should have a strict internal deadline for “Pen’s Down” to allow for a Red Team review (independent peer review) and final proofreading.
5. “Are you familiar with the APMP standards or specific UK procurement portals?”
Experience with portals like ProContract, In-Tend, or Jaggaer is a major plus, as is professional accreditation.
- The Right Answer: Mention of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) shows they follow industry best practices. They should also demonstrate an understanding of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (or the upcoming Procurement Act updates).
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