SP Perspectives
This perspective challenges the mindset that success depends on hitting 'submit'. Instead, it uncovers what winning teams do before a bid exists, and how that can help you shorten time to income, increase your team's influence, and win more without chasing every tender.
Many proposal teams still operate as reactive "RFP factories", struggling with resource constraints and outdated processes. In today's competitive landscape, that's not enough.
Social value has moved from being a compliance requirement to a decisive element in public and opportunities. Let's consider a £10 million contract where social value accounts for 15% of the total score. Your competitor prices at £10m and achieves a social value score of 12%. You score 10%. Assuming all other factors are equal, you would need to be £200,000 cheaper to offset your competitor's advantage. Alternatively, if you scored the maximum 15%, then you could have beaten the competitor with at a ~£10.2m bid.