A structure that works
- Answer: one or two sentences that answer the criterion directly.
- How: your approach, people, systems and resources.
- Proof: a past job with the client, scope, value, dates and result.
- Benefit: what it means for this buyer.
Break the criterion into parts
A criterion like "Describe your experience delivering similar services, including your approach to quality and safety" has three parts: experience, quality and safety. Give each its own heading so the evaluator can tick each one.
What scores and what does not
| Scores low | Scores higher |
|---|---|
| Claims with no proof | Named jobs, values, dates and results |
| The same answer pasted into every tender | Answers written to this buyer's scope |
| Long background about the company | The answer first, then evidence |
A worked example
Criterion: Describe your capacity to deliver the services, including staffing and equipment.
Answer first: We will deliver the services with three dedicated crews of two, one supervisor and a backup crew, using our own plant listed below.
Proof: Crew roster, plant list, how absences and peaks are covered, and a similar contract where the same model met every service level.
Example, made up.
Mirror the buyer's words
If the criterion says "demonstrated experience", use the word demonstrated and show it. If it lists sub points, answer each sub point under its own heading. Evaluators often score against a checklist built from those exact words.
A quick test for each answer
Before you finish an answer, check it against three questions.
- Does it answer every part of the criterion, in the order the buyer asked?
- Does it give evidence: a project, a number, a name or a document?
- Would an evaluator who has never heard of you be able to score it highly?
Questions
How long should each answer be?
As long as the limit allows and the question needs. Shorter, specific answers often beat long general ones.
Can I reuse answers from past tenders?
Reuse the facts, not the wording. Tailor each answer to the new buyer's scope and criteria.
What is the STAR method?
Situation, task, action, result: a simple way to describe past work with evidence. It works well for experience criteria.