How much do bid writing services cost?

How much does bid writing cost?

A supplier was shocked to receive a quote of £20,000 ($25,172) to outsource government tender writing to a bid writing company. 

​Luckily, the bid writing market is a competitive one. This means there is a bid writer for every budget.

​But, with over 50 bid writing services in the UK to choose from, how do you know which is the best value for money bid writing service for you? ​
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In this blog post, management consultant Naomi Clews discusses how bid writing services are costed and what to consider when discussing fees with a bid writer or bid writing company.

How much do bid writers charge? 
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On average, you can expect to pay anywhere in the region of £550 and £1,200 a day for a contractor ($692 - $1,510) employed via a bid writing agency, to write your bid. Some bid writers also choose to use the traditional method of selling copy, charging by the word or the page.
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Alternatively, a bid writing company with a large in-house multi-disciplinary team may charge a blended rate to reflect the different levels of skill, experience and activities undertaken by the team of people who work on a bid.

For example, a junior writer (e.g. a newly qualified university graduate) may write the majority of the bid with input from a Subject Matter Expert (SME) or more senior bid writer, with their work reviewed by a bid manager or bid director.

This approach provides a cost effective method of training new recruits whilst they earn revenue for the bid writing company.

In comparison, freelance websites offer writers from all over the world who generally charge an average of £50 - £70 per hour ($63 - $88) to write a bid.

However, due to the nature of any online marketplace it is hard to establish if the individuals previous experience and track record is truthful.

There is also an increased risk of modern slavery and worker exploitation when hiring writers from online market places.

Other bid writers sell bid writing services through their own limited companies. They can be more completive in terms of quality and price as they don't rent expensive office space nor spend vast amounts of money on referrals and sales and marketing campaigns.  

Due to the difference in the charging approach, it is important to establish what method of charging the bid writing quote is based on.

Examples of bid writing charging mechanisms include:

• Fixed rate 
• Day rate 
• Blended rate 
• Hourly rate 
• Number of words
• Number of pages   

​The method of charging for bid writing services can also impact on the total cost of bid writing services and the quality of the bid.

​For example, if you agree to pay by the word and the buyer decides to increase the word count (part way through the procurement process), the total cost of bid writing services may increase as a consequence.

It may also be in the interest of the bid writer to lobby the buyer to increase the word count, as they will earn more money.  

A fixed rate provides a defined budget. But, the charges need to reflect existing market rates and the work involved if you want to avoid receiving a generic copy and paste bid response.  

On the flip side, a bespoke, tailored bid could prove very expensive on an open ended day rate agreement.  

Do bid writing charges fluctuate? 
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Yes, supply and demand can impact on the bid writing quote you receive.

​At busy times there is a smaller pool of good bid writers available.This means charges are higher as there is more demand for their services.​

How do I avoid overpaying? 
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It is critical to have a bid writing service specification before you make contact or speak to a bid writer or bid writing company. 

One approach to creating a bid writing service specification, is to ask yourself some questions. For example:

• What part of the bid writing process am I good at?
• What part of the bid writing process do I need help with?
• How much bid writing support do I actually need?

If you determine that a proofreader is what you need, a freelance proofreader with an English degree (BA) may provide this service for a fraction of the price of a bid writing service. 

Unless grammar and/or spelling is allocated a specific weighting in the procurement documents, awarding a lower score (due to grammatical or spelling mistakes) is unlawful and may be subject to challenge. 

​The next step in the specification writing process may be to determine how involved in the bid writing process you want to be.

For example ask yourself: 
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• Do I want the whole bid taken off my hands? And, can I afford this? 
• Would tips and pointers on how to edit my bid be more affordable?
• Do I want reassurance that my bid will score well?

 
​If organisation is what you lack, a business manager or a project manager may be more beneficial to you.

However, if you want a complete overhaul of your competitor strategy, your ideal person would be a management consultant with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and decades of commercial experience. 

It's important to include in your specification the requirement for a specific understanding of your industry, e.g. providing examples of winning similar bids and that the bid writing service is exclusively committed to the success of your business and your business alone.

Once you know WHAT you want, you are in a much stronger position to articulate your requirements (for a bid writing service) in writing in a specification to share with a bid writer or bid writing company. 

It's important to remember that there are costs associated with membership, exhibitions, award events and advertising that may be passed on to you, the consumer, when you buy bid writing services. 

If price is a deciding factor, freelance bid writers keep their operating costs low and will often provide the same high quality bid writing service at a more competitive price point. 

With a clear idea of what your bid writing services requirements are, you can hopefully avoid over paying and/or paying for unnecessary bid writing services.

If you are unsure as to what you need, you could ask the bid writer or bid writing company to break the total bid writing services charge into its component parts.

This way you can quickly determine which bid writing activities to outsource and which activities to keep in-house. 

The following examples of associated bid writing services may be required and offered for an additional fee:
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• bid management,
• proof reading,
• selection questionnaires,
• project plans,
• organigram,
• tables and graphics,
• case studies,
• references,
• policies and procedures.

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It is important to remember (when buying professional bid writing services) that it may not be possible for your bid writer to provide an accurate quote (prior to viewing the procurement documentation).

This may be the reason (when a customer insists on a quote in advance of the release of the tender documents) why a quote of £20,000 is provided.

This approach protects the bid writer and/or bid writing company from undercharging for their services and performing the work at a loss. 

In Conclusion

Most bid writers and bid writing companies know their worth and when you find the right one for YOU and YOUR business it is worth its weight in gold. 

It therefore pays to take the time to create a specification, share it with bid writers and bid writing companies and shop around to find the best deal available at the time. 

About the Author 
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Naomi Clews

Naomi Clews, management consultant and owner of boutique procurement advisory firm Naomi Clews Consultancy Limited has 30 years purchasing and supply chain management knowledge, experience and skills. Find out more here. ​