Never Miss a Deadline
Meeting deadlines is imperative in the bid environment, although more often than not there seems to be a last minute rush to complete the submission and meet the deadline set.
There are various methods that professionals use to try and combat this rush and improve productivity. This article by Alina Dizik explores the question – Can you really trick your brain to work more efficiently?
For most workers, shortening a deadline to tackle repeat tasks can be a trick to boost productivity, said Craig Smith, founder of Trinity Insight, an internet optimisation firm in Philadelphia. Last year, Smith experimented with shaving off a week from a project deadline for a team of 17 employees. It turns out that his long-time employees didn’t miss the extra time originally allotted for the project. “The more familiarity, the more you can push the envelope,” he said.
But when it comes to work that’s perhaps repetitive in process (interview, research, write, edit, deliver) but not in content (it’s a new topic every single time), it’s not as easy, I found. In some cases, simply creating a stricter time limit has made it easier to stay productive when I work against a deadline. But more often, I’ve found myself missing these marks — some, like getting a chatty interview subject off the phone at minute 31 have been hard to achieve. Then I feel as if I’ve failed when the work (inevitably) takes longer.
It’s easy to get caught up in [only setting] short term goals. You can suffer burnout.
To be sure, fake deadline-setting isn’t a new concept. Parkinson’s Law, the idea that workload expands to fill whatever time is available for completion, originated 60 years ago. The inverse — tasks will take up as little time as you have — can be true as well.
In theory, that means any of us should be able to simply sprint through a daily schedule full of short lead deadlines. But we’ve all seen how that plays out in practice. Not so well, usually.
It’s not deadlines, it’s how you set them
It turns out that it might not be the deadlines themselves, but the way we try to trick ourselves into getting work done without scrambling last minute. There’s an art to setting shorter deadlines and it’s not as simple as I had imagined.
There are many advantages to purposely setting short deadlines properly, Bradley Staats, associate professor at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School in the US told me during a conversation I’d allotted 25 minutes for (5 minutes less than I would have in the past).
“By restricting ourselves, we force ourselves to get it done and we can often streamline things and cut corners where it’s not a problem,” said Staats, who studies the behavioural science of learning and productivity. And of course, setting tighter limits can give workers (myself included) a sense of discipline and self-control. “We probably underestimate the benefits we get from this,” he added.
For most workers, shortening a deadline to tackle repeat tasks can be a trick to boost productivity
Building a schedule entirely of short deadlines, though, is unproductive in the long term, because it doesn’t leave time for ‘slack’ time – the period of so-called wasted time that helps us come up with innovative ideas and solutions, Staats explained.
“Without that slack, we’re likely to see less creativity and less innovation,” he said. “There’s a chance that what we throw out [by working quickly] was important to the effectiveness or the solution.”
A happy medium
Finding a balance is key, according to Ryan Holiday, an Austin-based media strategist and author of The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. Holiday balances writing with the day-to-day tasks of running a creative agency. His entire calendar is structured around the idea of setting stringent deadlines. But the blocks of time are more fluid, with certain types of work filling the blocks, but not just, say 30 minutes for one thing and 45 for the next on the list.
When working from home, Holiday spends the first half of his day doing long-term work, including writing or brainstorming, without strict time limits. After lunch, he focuses on tasks with shorter deadlines including calls, meetings and setting aside time to answer emails in 30-minute increments. Working on the most important stuff in the mornings allows him to power through the short deadlines he sets for easier tasks. “It’s easy to get caught up in [only setting] short-term goals,” said Holiday. “You can suffer burnout.”
Deadline-setting is important, though, with longer projects, especially creative things which never feel quite finished without imposing limits, Holiday said. “With short-term deadlines, you can’t get consumed with the endless possibilities,” Holiday said. Creating more stringent timing on tasks also gives a sense of accomplishment (something I can attest to when deleting tasks from my daily to-do list).
The key, above all, is not to set yourself up for playing catch-up. Prior to setting shorter deadlines, track how long the task typically takes (online tools such as Rescuetime.com or the Toggl app). Since most of us are repeating similar tasks, knowing the length of time these typically take can make it easier to set a more accurate deadline or whittle down a time-frame you think is too wide.
Staats recommended that I power through the initial tasks I have under a tight deadline (like the first draft of a story) and then leave less structured time to review and analyse my writing. This applies more widely than writing. In tech, for example, a programmer can write an initial round of code under a short deadline and then leave unstructured time to edit and refine it, he said.
Of course, the question of whether to even set a stricter deadline is a little trickier. If you know the intended outcome, it pays to set a shorter time limit, Staats said. “Someone needs to understand what is it that they are trying to accomplish,” to take more control of the time it takes, he said.
For more expert advice, industry news and more, visit our Bid Hub.
Which Font?
There can be few subjects that cause more heated discussions among proposal managers, marketing executives and graphic designers than fonts. Everyone has an opinion, but what are the grounds for making a bid design decision?
As with many matters concerning proposals, the answer has to start with what the customer has asked for: If the customer has indicated a preference, then the sensible option is to adopt it.
If the customer has not indicated a preference, can the proposal match the customer’s documents? The more familiar your proposal seems to the evaluator, the better.
Your third option is to adopt best practice, which will vary depending on whether the submission is a printed document or by way of an online portal. For a printed document, best practice suggests the use of a sans serif font for headings, with a serif font for main text.
Rationales for Choice of Font in Bid Design
The rationale is that the solid lines of sans serif fonts, such as Arial, portray confidence and authority, whereas serif fonts, such as Times, render large volumes of text more readable due to the visual cues on each letter. Readability is a contested point, but there is no denying that the majority of newspapers and books still use serif font for the main bodies of text.
For online submissions however and documents that are going to be read on screen, the opposite convention applies; serif fonts for headings, san serif for main text.
There is another option when deciding which font to use: adopt your organisation’s own corporate style. Your organisation has invested in developing a corporate style which portrays the organisation’s values and which is used for all marketing and internal communications. Does it not make sense to adopt the same style for your proposals?
The short answer is no.
Your corporate style may clash with your customer’s, subliminally reinforcing the differences between you on every page and injecting an element of discomfort and doubt in the mind of the evaluator. By contrast, a proposal with a familiar look and feel has the potential to make the evaluator feel comfortable and in rapport with the writer.
Although these points may be subjective, someone in your organisation has to decide which font to use. Choosing to look at your document through the eyes of your customer, rather than adopting a business as usual approach, might yield significant additional insights which themselves could lead to more wining proposals.
Author: Ian Sherwood CPP.APMP, Bid and Proposals Director, twentysix2
To learn more about our bid design and print services, click here.
Ethos, Pathos and Logos – APMP Guildford
It was another interesting session at last night’s APMP Guildford event, with Sarah Hinchliffe promoting the use of Aristotle’s three persuasive appeals within proposals. Following Nigel Thacker’s discussion of Machiavelli and rebidding last month, it was another example of how historical teachings can provide inspiration when writing compelling proposals.
Sarah outlined each of the appeals, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos and discussed how bid professionals should use each when responding to questions. Ethos will build credibility; Pathos will demonstrate an understanding of how the customer is feeling; Logos is used to create a logical argument. It is crucial to use all three in tandem, ensuring they are balanced and reflect the customer’s needs.
It was an interactive session with interesting ideas being presented by the audience.
We’re interested in hearing your thoughts. Are there any other historical figures whose teachings you use when managing or writing bids? Email us at enquiry@bidsolutions.co.uk or join the discussion on our LinkedIn group.
For more expert advice, industry news and more, visit our Bid Hub.
The procurement net spreads wider
Some of us are aware of the shenanigans that certain public bodies can get up to, to avoid the fairness and transparency demanded by the Public Contracts Regulations. It is well established that bodies that are governed by public law are required by the EU to follow its procurement regime when they purchase works, services or supplies above the current value threshold.
Nowadays, most of these purchases are covered by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, but certain tenders run by Utilities (such as Network Rail, the National Grid and others) have so far escaped the full implications of this net.
Introducing the Utilities Contracts Regulations
We await the introduction of the new Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, which is due to be in force from 18th April this year. This legislation will do much to bring the activities of Utilities under the same control as other Public Sector procurement. While the changes are not extensive, there is certainly enough for the bid team to demand that they get the same treatment as they would in any other Public Sector contract competition. Moreover, the regulations will open up the new dialogue and innovation procurement routes for Utilities contracts, which should be welcome to all involved.
Author: Andy Haigh PPM APMP Director and Public Sector Bid Consultant, Sixfold International Ltd
We have no doubt that mid-April will still bring some surprises, so watch this space. If you would like to discuss the forthcoming changes please do get in touch on 020 8158 3952 or enquiry@bidsolutions.co.uk
To view our latest vacancies for bid and proposal professionals, follow this link. To help us connect you with a winner to add to your team, follow this link.
Ghosting: Competitive advantage or unnecessary distraction?
Ghosting is the subtle method of casting doubt in the minds of the evaluators over the solutions, approaches and track records of competitors, without naming them. Ghosting draws attention to their weaknesses and provides an opportunity for bidders to emphasise their own strengths.
How common is Ghosting?
Once you become aware of Ghosting, you may find it occurs more frequently than you first imagine:
- Politicians use Ghosting to draw attention to the potential problems associated with the policies of their opponents – this is particularly evident at the moment during the run-up to the referendum on Europe
- A well-known car rental company uses Ghosting to emphasise their commitment to providing superior customer service when compared with their larger competitor
- A national broadcaster uses Ghosting to show how their breakfast radio show provides a potentially more enjoyable experience for the listener than the other available options
Do you ever use Ghosting in bids?
Ghosting can be used throughout the proposal lifecycle; in the capture phase, when developing the solution and at the proposal stage. And if you’re drawing attention to the weaknesses of your competitors, you can be sure that they are doing the same to you. Any Ghosting strategy, therefore, needs to take into account your own organisation’s perceived weaknesses and how your competitors might exploit them.
How effective is Ghosting?
Some people are not convinced of the effectiveness of Ghosting and question whether it has any influence over buyers and evaluators at all. This is difficult to assess because, when executed well, Ghosting is imperceptible to the reader.
Author: Ian Sherwood PPM.APMP Bid & Proposals Director, twentysix2
What do you think about Ghosting?
Our partner Ian Sherwood, twentysix2 will be presenting at the APMP UK event in London on 23rd May and is interested in your views on Ghosting.
You can contribute to the debate and share your favourite ghosting story by sending an email to support@twentysix2.co.uk or taking part in a short survey here. The best Ghosting anecdote will be presented on 23rd May and will win a bottle of something fizzy.
Related article – Exploiting weaknesses in your competitors approach
For more expert advice, industry news and more, visit our bid hub.
Rail, Construction and Infrastructure Update
This week’s Rail, Construction and Infrastructure News:
Contractors have been invited to tender for the construction of a new cruise ship berth in Belfast Harbour. A notice about the work has been published by Belfast Harbour Commissioners in the Official Journal of the EU’s Tenders Electronic Daily supplement. The contract value is expected to be between £12m and £15m.
If you live in Liverpool you can find out more about the proposals for the future of the A5036 Port of Liverpool route at a series of public events over the next few weeks. The Highways England team are looking at 2 options; improving the current route through Litherland and other communities which link the M57 and M58 at Switch Island to the port or linking the port and motorway network with a new road through Rimrose Valley, north of the existing A5036, with a new junction on the Thornton to Switch Island link road.
The NHS has selected 10 sites for its Healthy New Towns programme. They plan to build more than 76,000 new homes including Ebbsfleet Garden City and Barking Riverside. The NHS hopes to achieve healthier environments for the residents and some of the ideas include fast-food-free zones near schools, safe and appealing green spaces, dementia-friendly streets and digital access to GP services.
Two contractors (Brookfield and Mace) are going head to head for the Great Portland Estate’s Hanover Square Estate project in London’s West End. The 247,354 sq ft development has an estimated value of over £100m.
This week Bristol City Council selected Kier Living to deliver a £50m housing development at their 13-hectare site at Hengrove Park. Kier Living’s proposal is for 260 homes, ranging from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses, with 30% affordable housing. Although the plans are still subject to public consultation and planning consent.
Bam Nuttall, Carillion, and Skanska have been selected for the £250m framework contract for highways development and civil works by Hampshire County Council on the behalf of 44 local authorities from Reading to Devon. The project value is between £8m and £25m and can be used by more than 40 local authorities spanning an area from Devon to Kent.
To view our latest vacancies for bid and proposal professionals, follow this link. To help us connect you with a winner to add to your team, follow this link.
Public Contract Regulations – Could your organisation benefit from self-cleaning?
As we pass the one-year anniversary of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015), any student of the legislation may still be overwhelmed with the changes and their implications upon the bidding and tendering community. However, for some companies who have been excluded from competing in parts of this lucrative marketplace, one significant change could have been overlooked.
If your company has any previous conviction in relation to environmental, social and labour legislation or has been shown to be guilty of some type of professional misconduct, a Contracting Authority has always been able to exclude you for up to three years from the date of the conviction.
However, a prior civil or criminal conviction for a company is now no longer calamitous for Public Sector tendering opportunities. Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) usually demand that the bid team discloses a company’s conviction record. This is normally a mandatory “pass / fail” question which can mean that your company decides not to bid on the basis of some, perhaps trivial, incident long past.
However, now PCR 2015 allows such companies to answer positively to such “pass / fail” previous conviction questions by providing information about the company’s actions for rehabilitation and the steps taken since the conviction, through a “self-cleaning” process. This means that companies with prior convictions can bid for public tenders, safe in the knowledge that Contracting Authorities must weigh the company’s response in a fair and transparent manner. Then they must allow them access to the remainder of the competition unless they have demonstrably strong reasons not to do so.
How does self-cleaning for public contract regulations work?
If you have had a problem in the past and you can show you have been properly rehabilitated, the Contracting Authority must consider your bid further. So, our approach is that you should still bid, but you must also include the evidence showing that you have:
- Paid compensation in respect of any damage caused by an incident or otherwise put matters right.
- Actively collaborated with all the investigating agencies (such as the police, Health and Safety Executive, or the Environment Agency), fully clarified the facts behind an incident and what led to the problem.
- Taken clear, significant and relevant technical, personnel and organisational measures to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.
Give lots of information and show the actual actions taken, with their results. Make it clear that you are contrite and the circumstances will not and cannot ever reoccur. Then, get on with the rest of your bid.
Of course, the Contracting Authority can still use its discretion when assessing whether or not to give further consideration to your bid. However, if they believe that your response is unsatisfactory and does not demonstrate sufficient reliability, it must give you a full statement of the reasons explaining why. At a minimum, this will allow you to improve your tender qualification analysis for future opportunities. In addition, it will allow you to put the steps in place so that future exclusion cannot happen!
Author: Andy Haigh PPM APMP Director and Public Sector Bid Consultant, Sixfold International Ltd
Of course, the exclusion may not be just. If you encounter any of these situations or wish to talk through your options before your next bid please do get in touch on 020 8158 3952 or enquiry@bidsolutions.co.uk
For expert advice, industry news and more, visit our Bid Hub.
APMP UK Events
Lavanya Ram, one of our Senior Consultant’s attended the APMP UK event “Machiavelli and others on rebidding” at the Tata Communications office last Thursday 25th. The event was hosted by Tata Communications and the evening was presented by Nigel Thacker, Managing director of Rebidding Solutions.
“Nigel gave a thought-provoking presentation on rebidding and how the teachings of Machiavelli and other historical figures are relevant. We were given real examples of rebidding gone wrong and quotes from figures to inspire incumbents. During the evening we discussed our interpretations and looked into the culture of our own organisations, identifying techniques to secure contract extensions. It was an insightful evening with lots of different views and opinions shared by other APMP members.” – Lavanya
We are looking forward to the next APMP UK event in Guildford on Tuesday 8th March 2016. Our Senior Consultants Ben Hannon & Lavanya Ram will be attending where speaker Sarah Hinchliffe will be discussing how to write more compelling proposals by using Aristotle’s three persuasive appeals, Ethos, Pathos and Logos.
To view our latest vacancies for bid and proposal professionals, follow this link. To help us connect you with a winner to add to your team, follow this link.
Bid Team Training & the New APMP Foundation Course
Training is critical for bid and proposal specialists looking to continually enhance their skills. April 2016 brings the UK’s first open course for the updated version of APMP Foundation Course.
To date, over 6,000 bid and proposal specialists worldwide have attained formal certification from APMP. Following extensive research into current best practice by a team of leading experts in the profession worldwide, the Association’s syllabus has just been refreshed. It includes new competencies – such as proposal graphics and virtual teams – as well as significantly updated material for the rest of the course.
APMP Foundation Course Updated
There’s a brand-new APMP Study Guide and Glossary – replacing the old Proposal Guide textbook – and a new set of exam questions. For those attending a course to prepare for the exam (by far the best way to pass), there’s also a completely new set of course slides to help you to study the necessary material. As a result, participants should pick up a wide range of good ideas to sharpen their proposal processes, as well as gaining a recognised certificate to demonstrate their professional credibility to colleagues.
If you’d like to be one of the first to pass the new version of APMP Foundation, our partner Strategic Proposals is running a course in central London on 1st April. This is priced at £535 + VAT per head, including the training, exam, Study Guide, Glossary and printed course materials, as well as refreshments and lunch on the day. (You need to be a member of APMP to quality for this rate, and that costs $150 via APMP’s website). Further courses will take place on 8th July and 8th September.
The course is presented by Jon Williams, a Fellow of APMP; many of you will have seen Jon’s sessions at conferences, and will know that he’s recognised for his engaging style of presenting.
If you’re interested in registering, please contact one of the team on 020 8158 3952.
The APMP syllabus is a great grounding in good practice bid processes. However, it doesn’t allow for detailed work to build your proposal writing – something many organisations see as an even higher priority in terms of improving quality and hence win rates. Bid Solutions offer award-winning in-house courses to help with that. Again, please ask us for details on 020 8158 3952 or, enquiry@bidsolutions.co.uk
