When it comes to writing winning tenders, there’s a vital ingredient that can really take your response to the next level: your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
In this case, SMEs doesn’t mean small and medium enterprises. We’re talking about the people in your business with deep, hands-on knowledge of what you do. Whether that’s the person delivering services day-to-day, a contract manager, your HR lead, or even a sustainability officer, these are the voices that evaluators want to hear. Your Subject Matter Experts bring credibility and evidence into your tender writing.
How evaluators score tenders
Most public sector tender evaluations follow a scoring system where responses are marked from “Good” through to “Excellent”. To achieve the top band, the evaluator is looking for more than just a broad understanding of requirements. They want to see:
-- Evidence that demonstrates competence and successful delivery
-- Considerable insight into sector issues
-- In-depth market experience
-- Added value and innovation beyond the minimum specification
And that’s exactly what your SMEs bring to the table. They hold the detailed knowledge, the real-world examples, and the contextual understanding that can transform a tender response from “adequate” to “outstanding.”
Different Subject Matter Experts bring different strengths
Very few businesses have a single person who can answer every part of a specification in detail. Instead, the strongest tenders are often built by weaving together insights from across the organisation.
-- Frontline staff know what it’s like “at the coal face.” They can highlight customer needs, challenges and practical solutions, giving your responses authenticity and credibility.
-- Supervisors and managers have oversight of contract performance. They can supply the KPIs, evidence of delivery and examples of great contract management that evaluators want to see.
-- Senior leadership or business development teams often spot wider market trends and innovations. They can provide the added value ideas that help your tender stand out.
-- Specialist leads such as HR or sustainability managers bring expertise on areas like workforce planning or social value, both of which regularly feature in tender questionnaires .
The trick is knowing which SME is best placed to inform which part of the response and how to get the best out of your Subject Matter Experts on every tender.
Making the most of Subject Matter Expert knowledge in your tender submission
Having the right Subject Matter Experts is one thing, capturing their expertise for your tender writing is another. Not every SME will be a confident writer, and many won’t have time to draft responses. That’s where tender writers need to step in. The most successful bid teams know how to:
-- Identify the right experts early in the process
-- Ask the right probing questions
-- Use interview and scribing techniques to capture detailed insights
-- Translate technical knowledge into clear, persuasive tender responses
-- Plan ahead so workload and timescales don’t inhibit the rest of the business
-- Manage a tender project effectively to reduce the stress on people involved.
Handled well, SMEs don’t feel burdened. Instead, they feel valued as contributors, and are more likely to support you again on the next tender.
The real key to higher scores in your tender submission
Tenders aren’t won with generic responses or vague promises. They’re won when evaluators can clearly see your organisation’s competence, evidence of delivery and commitment to adding value.
Your Subject Matter Experts are the ones who can provide that. By recognising who they are, involving them early and using structured techniques to capture their insight, you move your tender responses from “Good” to “Excellent”.
The secret to preparing winning tenders isn’t just good writing. It’s about working closely with your Subject Matter Experts to bring your organisation’s real-world expertise, evidence and insight to the fore.
If you are looking for tender writers to work with your Subject Matter Experts to secure your next contract, get in touch.
