I’m not afraid of hard work and take pride in everything I do.

The Tender Plus team is an incredible bunch of professionals with so much to give and share, so we thought that we would give you an insight into what makes them tick as a tenderer.

Meet … Tania Field, Principal Tender Specialist, Sydney

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

Managing the submission in a way that supports the full team to give their best. Getting to know the client and becoming an integral part of the team working together to problem solve the tender requirements.

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

I try to compartmentalise each subject matter and choose from different techniques to get granular on the solution. This might involve facilitating workshops, interviews, or conducting independent research, dependent on what is needed to frame up a response.

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

Back yourself. My understanding of this is, as long as you can argue your point well and prove it, you should be able to confidently cut through lots of conflicting opinions and noise that occurs in large Tender teams. No one likes to constantly box at shadows.

Coffee or tea? (Discuss)

Both. I enjoy the morning ritual of coffee, and then I turn to different types of teas at different times of the day - green, dandelion, peppermint and camomile.

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

Drive. I strive for momentum and to derisk the process and outcome through concerted effort, a steady hand, early engagement and ongoing decision making. I try to ensure all bases are covered early in the process so we leave time to refine the offer and put our best foot forward.

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

Good craic and also great to be in a focussed and professional team. Everyone cares about their work.

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

Focus more on the strategy and content. I do love a design concept that can elevate the submission response but I don't believe design should drive the outcome. It's certainly not going to help you win from second place. A poor choice made on document design has potential to lead/interfere in the timeline and impact the freedom of a strong written response. Although in saying all of this, the two disciplines need to work well together.

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

Think about what's important to the client in answering the question. Be succinct in your response. Validate your answer with real examples and case studies.

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

There are lots of confusing phrases or words used in the heat of the battle and I think it's a result of the subject matter experts being emotionally charged and trying to convey how excellent their solution is. But I can't call out anything specific because we've all fallen into that trap of getting excited and not considering the message.

"We came a close second." Thoughts?

Disappointment followed by, "What did we miss?" Followed by "When can we talk to someone?" Followed by "What do we need to change?"

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

Safe pair of hands.

What is your favourite sector to tender in? Why?

Property development. It provides opportunity for creativity.

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

Dogs, always. But I'll pat moggies for that hit of serotonin or dopamine.

How do you describe what you do for a career?

I help people win business.

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

I like to face challenges head on because I believe I can get a good outcome by pushing through the discomfort. Plus, most things worth doing are hard. I’m not afraid of hard work and take pride in everything I do.

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

Depends on the size of the tender. However, if it's a weighted tender it's not all about price. And even if that is the view, the tender strategy, innovative methodologies, etc, all impact the price, so it's best to view it as integral to the offer and not the sole component. People still like to do business with the people / organisations they trust, and place value on the long term partnership. If all tenderers are equal then price will of course be key. That's why we constantly look for and call out the differentiators and how our client’s offer is value for money. We have documented evidence that it's possible to win from second place on price.