Adaptability is my superpower
What are the Tender Plus team members really like? We asked them to fill you in.
Meet Roshan Sahukar, Tender Specialist (Sydney)
What's the most rewarding part of consulting as a specialist on tenders?
The people! It’s so nice getting to know our clients’ teams and working together on a bid to achieve something special. Even when we encounter people who are unsure about our role in the bid or are a little wary of our help: I know we’ll end up getting along and I really enjoy winning them over. And something magical happens in a team when you’re working together on something bigger than all of you. Once you’ve worked together on a tender, you’re bonded for life!
How do you adapt to the different subject matter that you deal with on a day-to-day basis?
Adaptability is my superpower. It’s something I’ve done a lot in my diverse working life, and it’s made for an interesting career. You don’t go from environmental projects to magazines to eventually writing tenders for high-profile clients without being adaptable. I really enjoy learning from the subject matter experts on a tender and I love going on the journey during a tender from knowing little about a topic to being able to write in detail about it. And there’s always more to learn.
What's the best tip a mentor or colleague in the field has given you about tendering and why?
My colleague Tania recites this one like a mantra: Bids are messy. I love it because it’s reassuring to remember during times of uncertainty or when things aren’t working out the way we expected. Sometimes in bids, things naturally get worse before they get better, and when a solution isn’t forthcoming or there is conflict within a bid team it’s easy to feel despondent or like things aren’t going to work out. “Bids are messy” reminds us that these setbacks are part of the process. It also serves as a gentle reminder that in tendering, as in life, if we expect perfection, we’re likely to be disappointed. Doing our best, however tricky or complex the situation, is far more rewarding.
Coffee or tea? (Discuss)
It depends on the time of day! I’m useless without my morning coffee but I quite enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon. If I had to choose, I would pick coffee no question. Or champagne.
What's the most important quality that you think you bring to the bids that you work on? Why?
Gosh, there are so many, ha! Probably my ability to work well with different personalities, I really enjoy the human dynamics of tendering and getting the best out of people. But I also love to write and edit. Distilling complex information into plain English is so satisfying.
What's it like being part of the Tender Plus team?
It’s fantastic! We’re based across three cities – Sydney, Brisbane and Perth – but even though we are separated by distance there is a lovely culture in the team. Everyone is clever and kind and supportive, everything you want in your colleagues.
If you could immediately change one thing about tendering that would make the discipline better for everyone, what would it be?
Flatten the curve. This is another thing that we say a lot at Tender Plus: our aim is to smooth out the process so that we work consistently throughout the life of the bid rather than relying on frantic bursts of activity ahead of every milestone. If we could achieve this it would benefit everyone on a bid team.
What are the top three tips you would give to a client about writing a tender?
Beware the blank page: Get your thoughts down on paper, you can always change your mind. Bullet points – or even a wrong answer – are so much more helpful to us as tender writers than no solution and the fear of getting it wrong. Sometimes you need to get it wrong before you get it right.
Say it to my face: Emails are great for introducing a topic or gathering a team but sometimes it’s quicker to get on a Teams call or pick up the phone or – gasp! – walk around to someone’s desk. A lot of time can be wasted waiting for a reply to an email.
A picture tells a thousand words: Get the graphic components of a bid sorted early. At least in first draft form. And if you can mock them up in Powerpoint first that’s even better.
What's the funniest word, phrase, or acronym you have seen in a tender?
There are so many I’ve started a list! Some of the components and concepts in rail infrastructure have the most delightful terms, and a few would even make you blush! I like a hot standby, I mean, who wouldn’t?
"We came a close second." Thoughts?
As consultants we go into a tender wanting to do our best for the client. And of course that means aiming to win. But tendering is a tricky thing and there is a lot that is out of our control. So I think if we can truly say we’ve done our best for the client with the resources we have then we’ve done our job well. And we’ll absolutely learn things along the way that will help us do better next time.
What's the word you never want to see used in a tender again?
SFAIRP. Not a word exactly, but an abbreviation or phrase that seems to sneak in more often than I’d like. If we could minimise its use So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable – or ban it entirely – we’d all be better off.
What is your favourite sector to tender in? Why?
I’m partial to a large infrastructure project, especially those that we know will have a positive impact on a city for many years to come.
Cat person, dog person or other? If other what?
Cats all the way. I love their independence and their quiet company. Plus, the memes are better.
How do you describe what you do for a career? (Serious or funny)
I like talking about the many hats that we wear as tender specialists. I don’t necessarily look great in a hat but I enjoy trying these on for size: diplomat, risk manager, writer, counsellor, project manager, communications professional, strategist, negotiator. The variety of skills we use as tender consultants means it’s always interesting.
Why do you think that you thrive under pressure? What make you so resilient?
I love a deadline. Pressure keeps me motivated. No pressure, no diamonds, isn’t that the saying? Especially knowing that it’s temporary. The pressure is the thing that pushes me to do my best work. Am I resilient or just determined to get the damn thing done? I couldn’t do it without a supportive team around me as well, that makes all the difference.
"It's all about the price." Thoughts?
If something, including price, seems too good to be true, it probably is. I think that if it’s all about the price you’re probably not getting value. Whatever it is – a building or a blazer – I’d prefer to pay more and get a high-quality product with beauty and longevity rather than paying less and having to reinvest – or worse, start again – down the track. Cheap and cheerful will only get you so far.
Our team of tender specialists can help you win work. Click here to learn more about the talented Tender Plus team.