Meet … Gemma Jones, Senior Tender Specialist, Brisbane

What's the most rewarding part of consulting as a specialist on tenders?

Offering a fresh external perspective to clients to innovate and challenge how they approach and complete tender packages. Collaborating with clients from different sectors and with varied experiences continuously expands my own knowledge.

How do you adapt to the different subject matter that you deal with on a day-to-day basis?

No matter the industry or project sector, I utilise the same approach to managing and writing tenders, offering a fresh set of eyes to read and innovate tender content for clients. We don’t need to be experts in every industry as we collaborate with many subject matter experts all the time, we just need to be experts in tendering!

What's the best tip a mentor or colleague in the field has given you about tendering and why?

Stay curious, ask many questions, and retain your hunger to seek out information. You’re never too experienced to learn something new or listen to others.

Coffee or tea? (Discuss)

Coffee, preferably 5 or 6 cups per day… or more as required on a deadline!

What's the most important quality that you think you bring to the bids that you work on? Why?

My genuineness, authenticity, and honesty. I care deeply about my clients and the work we deliver as part of their team. I will always be upfront and honest in my approach to tendering for my clients to ensure we build mutual trust and rapport.

What's it like being part of the Tender Plus team?

Absolutely brilliant… we have a dynamic team with such a diverse set of skills between us all. We work both independently and closely together in a really supportive and creative environment.

If you could immediately change one thing about tendering that would make the discipline better for everyone, what would it be?

Improved platforms for sharing of ideas and content between all parties, internal and external. We can only streamline the tender process to a point often before the technology we are using can slow us down or cause hiccups.

What are the top three tips you would give to a client about writing a tender?

1. Empower and engage with the team members who are contributing so that they also have input and feel heard.

2. Don’t sweat the small stuff… we would all like our tenders to have top-notch graphics and look the part, however, if the substance of the content isn’t here, the design won’t win the tender alone.

3. Write in a compelling and relatable manner. Lay the foundations for a positive relationship with the client through the words in your tender.

What's the funniest word, phrase, or acronym you have seen in a tender?

Use of colloquial phrases like ‘bells and whistles’. A tender should toe the line between being professional but also avoiding unhelpful jargon or informal language.

"We came a close second." Thoughts?

At the end of the day, there is no real second or third place when a tender can only be awarded to the number one. Be sure to gain genuine feedback on the edge that the competition had over you so that you can apply this to the next tender and keep innovating.

What's the word you never want to see used in a tender again?

Any slang or jargon that hasn’t been initially written in full or overuse of trite phrases with no evidence or substance behind them. For example, sustainable. Be specific and explain the sustainable elements, the what and the why in your tender rather than being vague.

What is your favourite sector to tender in? Why?

I enjoy crafting highly concise and succinct responses, in particular for Defence or Government projects.

Cat person, dog person or other? If other what?

Any animal (except insects and maybe snakes), but particularly fascinated by marine life.

How do you describe what you do for a career?

More often than not people won’t understand what I do from my title so I then explain that I wear many hats as a professional writer, communicator, strategist, and project manager.

Why do you think that you thrive under pressure? What makes you so resilient?

Very true to my name ‘Gem’, I thrive under great pressure, aiming to continually produce higher quality work and outcomes for myself, with each new project as a new opportunity to strive and improve. I believe my adaptability to be part of ever-changing teams, optimism and innate purposefulness all contribute to my strength and resilience.

"It's all about the price." Thoughts?

Price will genuinely only go so far when it comes to building and sustaining a good working relationship once a tender is awarded. Base your offering on the additional expertise, guidance, and innovation you can bring to the client over your competition.