Using External Bid Support to Develop your Team

We recently had a meeting with a customer who had lost a really important strategic bid. They had been given a post-bid evaluation by the commissioner, and the advice that they were given was that they should have used an external bid writer.  Anecdotally, we know that more and more organisations are using external expertise to write their bids, but this was the first time we came across a commissioner actually making the recommendation. They could clearly see the difference in quality between bids!

When a tender opportunity arrives, it’s natural to think your in-house team should handle it, as you know your own business best! However, if it’s a key strategic bid for a major contract, then bringing in external support can make a big impact.  Here are the most common scenarios where it makes sense to do this.

When should you consider using External Bid Support?

1. You lack in-house expertise

If your team isn’t experienced in writing tenders or bid proposals, an external writer can:

• Interpret complex tender requirements

• Structure responses professionally

• Ensure compliance and completeness

This is especially valuable for businesses new to public-sector bidding. It can be hugely beneficial to work with external experts and use the project as a learning opportunity for your internal team. Once the team has gone through the process a few times, then the work can be covered in-house

2. When the opportunity is high-value or strategic

For “must-win” bids—those that could significantly impact revenue or open up new markets—many companies bring in external bid writers to maximise quality and competitiveness.

3. If your internal team is at capacity

Bid deadlines are often tight. An external writer can provide:

• Extra bandwidth

• Quicker turnaround

• Reduced pressure on your internal team

This is common during seasonal peaks or when multiple tenders land at once.

4. When you need a new, objective perspective

External writers can:

• Spot weaknesses or gaps you no longer notice internally

• Strengthen your value proposition

• Challenge unclear, outdated of “fluffy” content

• Craft responses in an optimal way to get the maximum score

A professional Bid Writer will always identify scoring risks early.

5. If you need help with your bid strategy, not just writing

Experienced bid consultants can assist with:

• Developing your Key Win Themes to clearly differentiate you from your competition.

• Bid Governance

• Asking Strategic Clarification Questions

• Managing the Bid management Process and compliance

This strategic input can significantly raise your win probability.

6. You need a quick turnaround

External writers are accustomed to:

• Short deadlines

• Organising information quickly

• Working with incomplete or evolving content

This reduces the risk of missing opportunities.

7. A Learning and Training Opportunity

Last but not least, you may already have an internal bid manager and bid writer, but many organisations use external support as a valuable training tool. Customers often tell us that bringing in an external consultant helps internal teams stay on schedule and maintain stronger focus. Working alongside an expert with years of bid experience can be an excellent learning opportunity.

Conclusion

There are many valuable reasons to invest in external support. For most of our customers, after receiving full support on a few bids, they gain the confidence and capability to manage the process independently. In fact, a truly effective Bid Manager or Bid Writer ultimately works themselves out of a job — though fortunately, there’s always demand for high-quality support!