Should You Bid? How to Evaluate Tender Opportunities in Social Care
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❓ Should You Bid? How to Evaluate Tender Opportunities in Social Care
🚦 Why Evaluation Matters
One of the biggest mistakes social care providers make is bidding for every opportunity that arises — even when it's a poor fit. This leads to wasted resources, poor outcomes, and reduced confidence in future submissions. A structured approach to evaluating tender opportunities saves time, protects your reputation, and improves success rates.
✅ Key Questions to Ask Before Bidding
- Does this align with our existing services, expertise, and CQC registration?
- Do we have the capacity, infrastructure, and staffing to deliver this contract?
- Is this financially viable given expected costs vs contract value?
- Do we have relevant evidence and examples to demonstrate competence?
- Does this opportunity align with our strategic goals and values?
🚩 Red Flags to Watch For
- Unrealistic contract expectations vs funding
- Opportunities far outside your current geographical area
- Contracts requiring rapid mobilisation beyond your current capacity
- Scoring heavily weighted to experience you cannot yet evidence
💡 Focus on the Right Opportunities
Bidding selectively helps you build a strong track record, maintain quality, and protect resources for opportunities where you’re well-positioned to win and deliver with confidence.
📥 Bid Writing Support from Impact Guru
If you'd like support evaluating tender opportunities or developing a growth-focused bid strategy, visit our Bid Writing for Social Care Providers page to see how we can support you.
Written by Mike Harrison, Founder of Impact Guru Ltd — specialists in bid writing and strategy for social care providers.
Visit impact-guru.co.uk to browse downloadable strategies, method statements, or get in touch about tender support.