Collaborating to win tenders

Flying in FormationFlying in FormationFlying in FormationFlying in Formation

Collaborating to win and deliver tenders and

contracts

Copyright © 2013 Gibbs and Partners Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

What is a tender client looking for?What is a tender client looking for?What is a tender client looking for?What is a tender client looking for?

CONFIDENCE

● That you have the ability to deliver every aspect of what's needed

● That you have the capacity (human and financial) to deliver

● That you have contingency in place to deal with the unexpected

● That they will have proper recourse if things go wrong

A properly set up collaboration can deliver this.


Why collaborate?Why collaborate?Why collaborate?Why collaborate?

TO OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION

● Your services work in tandem or in sequence with those from different businesses, all of whom have the same target prospects.

● Partnering to create a coherent team that operates through a separate identifiable vehicle creates additional value for everyone:

● Clients get a comprehensive solution delivered by experts at every level while dealing with a single entity.

● Partners can market a much more compelling package and share the overheads of doing so without compromising their expertise.



ONLY DO WHAT ONLY YOU CAN DO

Collaborating with carefully selected, robust businesses with shared values and complementary capabilities:

● allows each business to keep its own identity and reputation● ensures each business concentrates on doing what it is really good at ● reduces risk ● increases flexibility ● delivers a quicker return on investment for all concerned



CHOOSE WHO YOU WORK WITH

It takes Ace Pilots to fly in formation - Ace Pilots who can utterly rely on each other because they have:

● Shared Values

● Congruent Purposes

● Overlapping Value Propositions

● Distinct Responsibilities

● Clear Processes

● Fair Contracts

If you don't choose who you work with, your client will.


How to do it – The IdealHow to do it – The IdealHow to do it – The IdealHow to do it – The Ideal


Identify Opportunity

Step 1 – Identify an opportunityStep 1 – Identify an opportunityStep 1 – Identify an opportunityStep 1 – Identify an opportunity

Identify an opportunity that fits with your own Value Proposition and Plan but which you do not currently have the resource or capability to exploit as you would like.


Make sure your own business is ready to fly in formation, with all the following in place:

● A clearly articulated Value Proposition.● A Vision and a Target Number, plus a Plan for

getting there● A Marketing Strategy and Marketing Plan that

will deliver the Vision and the Target Number.● An efficient, scaleable business that can grow

and still deliver on its promises.

Ensure Your Business Is an Ace Pilot

Step 2 – Ensure you are an Ace PilotStep 2 – Ensure you are an Ace PilotStep 2 – Ensure you are an Ace PilotStep 2 – Ensure you are an Ace Pilot


Look for other businesses who concentrate on doing the things you can't. Make sure that they are also ready to fly in formation with:

● A clearly articulated Value Proposition that overlaps with yours by at least 50%

● A Vision and a Target Number, plus a Plan for getting there

● A Marketing Strategy and Marketing Plan that will deliver the Vision and the Target Number.

● An efficient, scaleable business that can grow and still deliver on its promises.

Identify Potential Partners

Step 3 – Identify Potential PartnersStep 3 – Identify Potential PartnersStep 3 – Identify Potential PartnersStep 3 – Identify Potential Partners


Set up a collaboration vehicle (e.g. joint venture, LLP) that has the following in place:

● A clearly articulated Value Proposition and Vision

● A Target Number and a Plan for getting there● It's own 'Haynes Manual' - documented

processes that show how each participant contributes to delivering the Value Proposition and Plan.

● Service Level Agreements to reassure prospects.

● A mechanism for funding development

Set up Collaboration

Vehicle

Step 4 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 4 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 4 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 4 – Set up a Collaboration Vehicle


Practice flying together on a trial project – perhaps work you've already won or already do.

Use this trial to clarify responsibilities, mesh business processes and iron out glitches.

Run a Trial

Step 5 – Run a TrialStep 5 – Run a TrialStep 5 – Run a TrialStep 5 – Run a Trial


Once you are all happy that the Collaboration is working well and fairly:

● Refine the Value Proposition and Vision● Refine the Target Number and Plan● Finalise your 'Haynes Manual' ● Finalise your Service Level Agreements● Finalise the funding mechanism

Formalise Your

Collaboration

Step 6 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 6 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 6 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 6 – Formalise your Collaboration


How to do it – The PragmaticHow to do it – The PragmaticHow to do it – The PragmaticHow to do it – The Pragmatic


● Get together with 2 or 3 complementary businesses you know like and trust.

● Explore how you you can work together to deliver what's needed.

● Define the Value Proposition and Vision for your Collaborative together.

● Define the Collaborative's financial target and draw up a plan for getting there.

Explore Opportunity

Step 1 – Explore the OpportunityStep 1 – Explore the OpportunityStep 1 – Explore the OpportunityStep 1 – Explore the Opportunity


● Agree how you will work together● Then nail it down by defining the 'Haynes

Manual' for what the Collaborative does - documented processes that show how each participant contributes to delivering the Value Proposition and Plan.

● Provide at least outline Service Level Agreements to reassure your prospects.

● Agree how you will initially fund and underwrite the collaborative.

Set up Collaboration

Vehicle

Step 2 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 2 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 2 – Set up a Collaboration VehicleStep 2 – Set up a Collaboration Vehicle


Practice flying together on a trial project – perhaps work you've already won or already do.

Use this trial to clarify responsibilities, mesh business processes and iron out glitches.

Run a Trial

Step 3 – Run a TrialStep 3 – Run a TrialStep 3 – Run a TrialStep 3 – Run a Trial


Once you are all happy that the Collaborative is working well and fairly:

● Turn it into a proper legal entity

● Refine the Value Proposition and Vision

● Refine the Target Number and Plan● Finalise your 'Haynes Manual' ● Finalise Service Level Agreements● Finalise your funding mechanism

Formalise Your

Collaboration

Step 4 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 4 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 4 – Formalise your CollaborationStep 4 – Formalise your Collaboration


Make sure each participating business is ready to fly in formation for the next project, with all the following in place:

● A clearly articulated Value Proposition.● A Vision and a Target Number, plus a Plan

for getting there● A Marketing Strategy and Marketing Plan

that will deliver the Vision and the Target Number.

● An efficient, scaleable business that can grow and still deliver on its promises.

Ensure each Participant

Is an Ace Pilot

Step 5 – Ensure you are all Ace PilotsStep 5 – Ensure you are all Ace PilotsStep 5 – Ensure you are all Ace PilotsStep 5 – Ensure you are all Ace Pilots


Where Gibbs & Partners fits inWhere Gibbs & Partners fits inWhere Gibbs & Partners fits inWhere Gibbs & Partners fits in

WE OFFER:● An extensive network of business contacts● A process for identifying and matching Values, Purposes and Value

Propositions● A process for creating Ace Pilots● Practical help to get into Formation● Ultimately a platform for creating new and ongoing collaborations with

a squadron of Ace Pilots


Want to know more?Want to know more?Want to know more?Want to know more?

● Talk to me

● Email me: [email protected]

● Phone me: 0845 5820 144


Thank youThank youThank youThank you