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.
💼 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)