The Tender Plus team is an exceptional bunch. So, we thought you might like to get a peek at what we are like.

Meet … Anna Cornwall, Senior Tender Specialist, Sydney

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

Enabling clients to implement process improvements. A structured and methodical approach frees up a bid team to think critically. This means they can design and articulate a compelling offer, because they’re not drowning in a sea of documentation and deliverables.

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

We work closely with subject matter experts, who are responsible for delivering the technical components of a response, so the nature of the work I do doesn’t change that much from one industry to another. However, it takes time and immersion to get a good handle on each new tender. So, you need to have faith in the process and appreciate that compelling solutions and responses come together as the team’s understanding deepens.

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

Bids are messy. It’s a deadline critical environment, there are often big dollars at stake, and the bid team can be under enormous pressure. We do the best job we can to support the best outcome with all of those constraints, which are significant.

Coffee or tea? (Discuss)

Definitely coffee. I like it strong and first thing in the morning. Although the ritual of tea is very appealing, I’ve never been tempted to take it up.

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

Meeting clients where they’re at. Best practice looks different in every organisation. Understanding and implementing what works best for the individual client delivers the best outcome and therefore the greatest value. 

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

I work in the Sydney office, which looks out across to Centrepoint Tower and down over St Marys Cathedral. It’s a great space to work in. The team is very supportive, and available to jump in when extra hands are needed. We work on a wide range of opportunities, including high value infrastructure and construction bids that might require submission of 100+ documents, so that flexible support model is critical to our success.

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

Respect and honour deadlines.

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

1. Consider what information the reader needs to give you the highest possible score against the criteria. This approach supports the creation of a client-centric response that’s concise and remains on point.

2. Use numbered headings to create wayfinding in your documents. This provides a visual guide for the reader to easily navigate your response schedules.

3. Use images to help tell the story but make sure they’re relevant to the content on the page. When images are used for the sake of making a document ’pretty’ they’re more likely to add clutter to the page and distract the reader.

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

SFAIRP – so far as is reasonably practicable. I understand the importance of the term, but I don’t agree it’s acronym worthy.

"We came a close second." Thoughts?

To quote an old boss, “There are no prizes for coming second.”

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

Demonstrable.

What is your favourite sector to tender in? Why?

I don’t have a favourite sector but I love working with clients who are really engaged in the process and make themselves accessible. The value of the work we can deliver through collaboration is exponentially higher than what we can deliver by working in silos.

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

I’m a dog person.

How do you describe what you do for a career?

If I tell someone I’m a Bid Manager, they will often hear that as Bin Manager, and then it’s just an awkward conversation.

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

I wouldn’t say I thrive under pressure, but when I get to work with a highly engaged team, I definitely do my best work, because individual performance is always elevated in that context. I’m well practiced at riding the waves of a tender cycle, and haven’t missed a submission deadline yet!

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

Getting your price right is extremely important. But don’t’ overlook the rest of your offer. It should evidence value for money, and present a low risk, credible solution for the client.