Why Do Buyers Include Scenario-Based Questions in Tenders?

If you’ve taken a look at a few bid proposals in your time, you’ve probably noticed that many buyers like to include scenario-based questions in their tenders. While the nature of the questions vary from one industry to the next, it’s important to understand why the buyers are asking you these kinds of questions in the first place. As experienced tender writers, we have come across hundreds of scenario-based questions and helped our clients to answer them as part of our bid writing service.

In this article, we’re going to explain why buyers choose to include these types of questions as part of the tender process:

Predicting future performance

At their core, scenario-based questions are all about problem-solving – specifically, about how you and your team will deal with a particular challenge, should it occur during the project. It gives the buyers an opportunity to assess your adaptability, decision making, and leadership, among other important skills that a standard tender proposal might not demonstrate.

Mitigating past problems

This is likely not the buyer’s first tender and the scenario in question might mirror a real-life situation that occurred on a previous project they were involved in. Rather than wait for such scenario to happen again, the buyer is looking to nip the issue in the bud by seeing how you would handle it. This can reassure them that they are making the right decision by choosing you.

Common occurrences

Certain things are common to almost every tender – health and safety, performance, staff management, and so on. Rather than including a generic statement about expecting vendors to show proficiency in these area, a buyer may choose to throw in a scenario-based question where a problem arises in the day-to-day running of the project. This is often a better way to see how prepared you are to deal with hiccups in everyday project management than relying on general assurances that you follow all HSE guidance and regulations, for instance.

Easier for the evaluator

Not all tenders are evaluated by someone with an in-depth technical grasp of the industry. If the bid is comprised of industry accreditations, certifications, and qualifications, that might not mean much to them. Scenario-based questions are more straightforward and require a jargon-free explanation about how you would respond to such a situation.

Easier for the bidder

Buyers want the best company for the job and they know that the best company might not be the best at tender writing. Scenario-based questions are often easier to respond to than other sections of the tender, allowing experienced contractors to shine and demonstrate their suitability for the role, even if the rest of their bid lacks polish.

If you need experienced tender writers to assist you with scenario-based questions or any other bid writing services, contact Your Tender Team today. Call us on 0116 218 2700 to discuss your particular requirements and to receive a free, no obligation quote.