A lot can be learnt from Australian Survivor All Stars.

Despite putting in the hard yards and making it to the final two across two different series of the show, Sharn failed to consider that the fellow contestants she had vetoed and under impressed would become her jurors and ultimately decide her fate in the game.

Like the tender process - play the wrong strategy and (cue Jonathan LaPaglia and dramatic tribal music) your torch will be snuffed.

It doesn’t just come down to the last week. Strategy needs to be considered throughout the entire bid process. A strong bid will be underpinned by a strategy that evolves across the bid term and continuously considers the key audience (the client) and the competition.

• How can you meet the current and future needs of your client?

• What have you learnt from the client that could impact your solution?

• What distinguishes your bid from that of your competitors?

• How can you better an offer that your competitor will put forward?

Regular strategy review meetings scheduled throughout the bid period provide an opportunity for key bid team members to reflect on client need and the competitive environment to make necessary strategy adjustments to ensure that you’re the player with a flame burning at the end.

Happy bidding

Lauren (currently on maternity leave with additional time to indulge in reality television)