Winning more tenders doesn’t mean bidding on everything. The most consistent winners are ruthless about what they don’t bid.
The 3-filter bid/no-bid framework
- Compliance: Can you meet every mandatory requirement?
- Capability: Can you prove experience, capacity, and delivery?
- Profitability: Can you price sustainably and still win?
Start by scanning the tender using the 5-minute checklist.
Red flags that should trigger “No Bid”
- Mandatory briefing you can’t attend.
- Functionality threshold you can’t reach.
- Locality requirements you don’t meet.
- Deadline too short for a quality response.
Bid selection improves win rate
When you filter aggressively, you submit fewer bids—but win a higher percentage. Pair this with a pipeline system to keep volume healthy.
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