Undertake post-submission activities
Overview
This standard is about undertaking post-submission activities. These are very important for review and evaluation stage as part of continuous improvement regardless of win or loss. Debriefing objectives should aim for organisational performance improvement with review of successful and unsuccessful bids to ensure increased chances of winning future projects.
Bidders should take opportunity to provide feedback to the buyers on their tender processes. This will help buyers with continuous improvement of their processes to establish and maintain a reputation as a fair, honest and ethical customer. This standard is relevant to in-house bid managers, other related professionals, sales, marketing and business development teams, quality assurance teams and business owners.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- respond to buyer’s requests for further information or clarification
- take part in post submission activities as requested by the buyer
- amend the bid in line with the buyer’s requests and submit the documents
- confirm byer’s decision on the bid along with their feedback on its performance against specified criteria
- brief teams on the bid outcomes
- analyse the buyer’s feedback with the bid team and the key stakeholders
- identify the lessons learnt for your organisation's future bids
- agree and implement an action plan based on lessons learnt review
- ensure that lessons learnt are incorporated within your organisation's bid strategy
- save the bid and supporting documentation in the bid library for future reference
- review your organisation's bidding process, identifying reasons why the bid was successful or unsuccessful
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the relevant legal, regulatory and ethical requirements relating to bidding, tendering and procurement
- how to collate and provide further information or clarification to support the bid
- the negotiation, competitive dialogue and other processes, including how to achieve a realistic final offer
- the post-submission activities, such as clarification questions, additional paperwork, presentations, demonstrations, scenario days, site visits
- the course of action in case if contract is awarded
- the actions to take if the bid is unsuccessful
- the procedures and timings for acknowledging the contract award
- how to arrange an inception call with the buyer and internal meetings
- the methods for obtaining feedback from buyers
- how to analyse and implement outcomes of buyer’s feedback into future bids
- the relevant legal framework of the bidding process and the factors to consider before making an appeal or lodging a complaint
- the methods of collecting and analysing the bid process experience to generate lessons learnt
- how to use lessons learnt to improve your organisation's bidding processes and chances of future success
- how to incorporate lessons learnt into your organisation's bidding strategy
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
- Business strategy
- Interpersonal skills
- Information collection and analysis
- Negotiating
- Presentation skills
- Process evaluation
Glossary
Award
The Commissioner’s announcement of the successful bidder on a contract.
Lessons learnt
These refer to knowledge or understanding gained by experience that has a significant impact for an organisation. The experience may be either positive or negative. Successes are also sources of lessons learnt.
Letter of acceptance
A letter issued by the buyer to the successful provider, notifying them of the formal acceptance of their offer for the service. This forms a legal agreement between the buyer and the provider.
Portal
The web-based platform where the tendering process takes place; the main interface between a prospective provider and the Commissioner. All tender information, clarification questions, and bid submissions are published ~/~and submitted through the portal.
The Procurement Act
The Procurement Act 2023 came into force on 24 February 2025. It is a new UK legislation that reforms public procurement. It aims to simplify processes, encourage more small and social businesses to win public contracts, and increase transparency for taxpayers. Key changes include tougher rules for excluding underperforming suppliers, greater scrutiny of spending on a new Central Digital Platform, and improved monitoring of supplier performance. (Source: GOV.UK)
Links To Other NOS
INSBA011 Support negotiations in a business environment
INSML057 Select suppliers through a tendering process
INSBA015 Develop and deliver a presentation
INSBA016 Organise and coordinate corporate events
INSBA018 Organise and run meetings
External Links
Gov. UK – How to make a freedom of information (FOI) request: www.gov.uk/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/the-freedom-of-information-act