How Commissioners Score Your Tender Responses: What Providers Need to Know
🔍 Why Understanding Scoring Matters
Tender writing isn’t just about answering the question — it’s about answering it in a way that maximises your score. Understanding how commissioners score responses can help you structure your answers, avoid common mistakes, and achieve better outcomes.
📋 How Scoring Works in Social Care Tenders
- Questions are usually weighted by importance (e.g., safeguarding might carry more marks than environment)
- Responses are scored against published criteria (e.g., 0–5 scale for poor to excellent)
- Higher marks are awarded for detailed, evidenced, tailored responses
- Generic or vague answers score lower — even if you meet the basic requirement
- Evaluation panels score individually, then moderate as a group
💡 How to Improve Your Scores
Focus on clarity, structure, and evidence. Write with evaluators in mind — make it easy for them to find the information they need to award high marks.
Address each part of the question, align with contract priorities, and demonstrate how your service delivers measurable outcomes.
💼 Rapid Support Products (fast turnaround options)
- ⚡ 48-Hour Tender Triage
- 🆘 Bid Rescue Session – 60 minutes
- ✍️ Score Booster – Tender Answer Rewrite
- 🧩 Tender Answer Blueprint
- 📝 Tender Proofreading & Light Editing
- 🔍 Pre-Tender Readiness Audit
- 📁 Tender Document Review
🚀 Need a Bid Writing Quote?
If you’re exploring support for an upcoming tender or framework, request a quick, no-obligation quote. I’ll review your documents and respond with:
- A clear scope of work
- Estimated days required
- A fixed fee quote
- Any risks, considerations or quick wins
🔁 Prefer Flexible Monthly Support?
If you regularly handle tenders, frameworks or call-offs, a Monthly Bid Support Retainer may be a better fit.
- Guaranteed hours each month (1, 2, 4 or 8 days)
- Discounted day rates vs ad-hoc consultancy
- Use time flexibly across bids, triage, library updates, renewals
- One-month rollover (fair-use rules applied)
- Cancel anytime before next billing date
🚀 Ready to Win Your Next Bid?
Chat on WhatsApp or email Mike.Harrison@impact-guru.co.uk
Updated for Procurement Act 2023 • CQC-aligned • BASE-aligned (where relevant)