The Hidden Errors Costing You Tender Points (and How to Catch Them)

Even the strongest tender response can lose valuable points because of small, preventable errors. In competitive social care tendering, these mistakes aren’t just embarrassing – they can make the difference between winning and losing.

We’ve seen it happen many times. Great service, good evidence, strong outcomes… yet the bid drops marks because of avoidable issues. That’s why our professional bid proofreading service for social care exists – to protect your score and your reputation.


🔍 The Common Hidden Errors

  • Typos and grammar slips – Even a single error can undermine perceived professionalism.
  • Inconsistent terminology – Referring to the same role or process by different names confuses assessors.
  • Formatting inconsistencies – Bullet points in one section, paragraphs in another, headings in different styles.
  • Missed question parts – You may have answered the first half of the question but missed the second entirely.
  • Incorrect or outdated statistics – Figures that don’t align with the rest of the bid raise red flags.

🛡 Why This Costs You Points

Commissioners are scoring dozens of bids. When yours is harder to read, inconsistent, or unclear, you make it harder for them to award top marks. Attention to detail is scored implicitly – you’re showing how carefully you’ll handle service delivery by how carefully you handle your bid.


đź’ˇ How to Catch These Before Submission

  • Have someone not involved in writing review the entire bid.
  • Check the tender specification and scoring guidance while reading – did you fully answer each requirement?
  • Read aloud to spot awkward phrasing or missed words.
  • Use a checklist to ensure consistent formatting and terminology.
  • Consider a final check from an external expert.

We regularly proofread learning disability and domiciliary care tenders where even experienced bid teams have missed small but costly errors. A fresh set of eyes can make the difference between second place and a contract win.

If you want peace of mind that your bid is clear, consistent, and error-free, speak to our social care bid proofreading experts before you submit.


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.

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