Tendering is a great way to grow your business. There are multiple advantages of participating in the bidding process and winning a government contract on GeM or CPP portal. However, bidding in a right way and knowing about things to avoid when tendering is extremely important in order to win the order.

In India, there are government eProcurement opportunities published every month for eligible bidders to bid. There are detailed FAQs, bidders manual kit, and customer support and help for GeM and CPP portal available, to assist bidders with their queries and concerns. And yet, many tender applications are rejected or disqualified due to multiple reasons.

To help you in this regard, here is a list of common tender mistakes that you can avoid while eTendering and ensure that you submit a winning bid proposal.

7 Things to avoid when tendering

1. Participating in wrong tenders:

When you come across any tender announcement, participation should be conscious call. Relevant tender does not only mean only relevant to your scope of work. It also means that it should be strategically right for you to participate in the tender. Check if your company is eligible to bid, verify if you have resources to complete the order if you win it and analyse if it makes overall business sense to participate in the bidding process. Else, you would only be wasting your time and energies.

2. Not submitting what is asked for:

Usually, the tender announcement clearly mentions the required documents for tendering. Read the whole announcement carefully and make a checklist of all the things that you need to submit. Collate all the documents and certificates, double check if you have necessary information in the required format and then submit. If you do not submit what is asked for, your bid will be rejected. For example, if the tender document has asked for a proof of relevant experience, stick to relevant projects that you have done. Do not talk about other projects that may be prestigious for you but irrelevant to the buyer.

3. Late submission:

Late submission is another no-no. As soon as you decide to participate in a particular tender, note the deadline of the submission. Prepare your documentation well in advance and submit it in time. Late submissions are usually rejected outrightly. In current times however, since the tendering process has moved online, the window for tender submission closes on the mentioned closing dates. As such, if you do not submit your tender application before the closing date, you can no longer submit your bid and participate. As a note of caution, always try to submit your tender application and applicable tender fees and EMD, a day or two before the closing dates to avoid any last-minute technical glitch.

4. Incorrect quotation:

Be careful while quoting the price. This is one of the common tender mistakes that bidders make in tendering. The price you quote has to create a win-win situation for you and the buyer. The offer has to be value for money for the buyer while sustainable for your business. Read the requirements carefully and then do your calculations to arrive at a quote. Verify the pricing before submitting by checking if you have taken everything into consideration.

5. Don’t forget EMD and tendering price:

While collating the documents, make a note of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) and tendering fee. Do not forget to make a timely payment and submit the proof of the same.

Note: In most cases, MSMEs are exempted from submitting EMD. Read the tender notice carefully and understand the format of the tender notice so that you can ensure that you update relevant details and share your Udyam registration number and/or Udyam certificate to leverage the MSME exemptions in eTendering.

6. Incorrect writing:

While writing the bidding document, make sure you are providing precise information and make it crisp. Some of the common tender errors that companies make during tender submission are providing lengthy information, irrelevant information, unclear information, basic grammar errors, etc. Do not write focussing on what you have done, instead write about how you can solve the challenges or fulfill requirements of the buyer. Focus on buyer’s needs while highlighting your strengths. Additionally, avoid basic grammar errors and typos.

7. Not proofreading the document:

Another dos and don’ts of eTendering is not revisiting your tender document before submission. Once you have collated all the required documents and verified everything you need is attached, keep a day for proofreading. Carefully run through the documents. Check for any grammar and linguistic errors you might have missed earlier. Alternatively, you can even assign the task to a trusted team member to review the bid proposal with a fresh pair of eyes.

Closing remarks

By avoiding simple mistakes, you can make an impression on the buyer to win a contract. While rewarding a contract, buyer expects professionalism from the supplier which has to reflect in your bid. Hence, make it is best to be careful and avoid these simple mistakes.