Most companies don’t lose bids because they’re unqualified. They lose because they’ve made avoidable errors, errors that are often repeated again and again, regardless of industry, size, or experience. At Keystone, we’ve met with countless organisations who’ve wondered why their bid didn’t land. Often, the answer is painfully simple.
Let’s break down the three most common categories of mistakes that cause companies to lose tenders, and what to do about them.
Failing to Understand the Rules
Misreading the RFT
Many bids are lost before they’re even written. Why? Because the tenderer hasn’t properly read, or understood, the Request for Tender (RFT).
The RFT outlines what the buyer wants, how they will evaluate responses, and what documentation must be submitted. Ignoring this, or cherry-picking sections, is a fast track to elimination.
Ignoring Scoring Criteria
Too often, companies write what they want to say rather than responding directly to what will be scored. If a section is worth 30%, give it 30% of your attention. If sustainability has no points assigned, don’t waste a time or space in a bid that may have strict page count or word count limits on it.
Over-relying on Boilerplate Content
Boilerplate content (i.e. generic prepared material) has its place, but only when it’s tailored. Cut-and-paste material, especially when it doesn’t address the tender specifics, is immediately obvious to evaluators. Worse, it signals a lack of effort or understanding. There is a risk that that this ‘’content slop’’ will get even worse and more prevalent through the inept use of Artificial Intelligence. Forewarned, should be forearmed.
Poor Project Positioning
Not Tailoring the Bid
Every procurement is unique. A generic approach won’t work. Bids need to speak to the exact needs of the contracting authority. This means using their language, referencing their objectives, and aligning your solution clearly with their outcomes.
Weak Case Studies or Irrelevant Experience
Too often, companies include work examples that are either too vague or not relevant to the tender in question. A solid case study should mirror the scope, context, and complexity of the tender. Otherwise, it’s just noise.
Failing to Communicate Value
It’s not enough to describe what you’ll do, you need to convince evaluators why it matters. What problem will you solve? What impact will it have? What will be better as a result of your work?
Execution Mistakes
Incomplete or Late Submissions
This should be obvious, yet it happens all the time. Missed appendices. Unsubmitted pricing. Upload failures. Deadlines matter. So does checking your submission multiple times.
Errors in Pricing or Compliance Forms
Incorrect pricing forms, unsigned declarations, mismatched figures – any of these can disqualify an otherwise strong bid. Have someone else review your commercial and compliance elements.
Sloppy Presentation
Yes, content trumps style. But a poorly formatted, inconsistent or messy submission makes it harder for evaluators to engage with your proposal. Good formatting is a sign of professionalism and attention to detail.
Losing Is Not Inevitable
Every lost bid is a learning opportunity. But many of these mistakes can be avoided entirely with the right approach. Bid writing isn’t about chasing every opportunity, it’s about understanding how to bid well.
If your organisation is tired of the near misses, the “we came second”, or the complete mysteries of why you didn’t win, it might be time to rethink the process.
Source:
France to buy surveillance aircraft from Sweden’s Saab
