We are mobilising a new weekly blog, going out each Friday by email to our subscribers and posted in our thoughts section of our website. These will wrap up what we have found working with clients and government in the week, news and issues of the day and guest content from industry and discipline leading lights. Do reach out if you would like to be a contributor in the future.

Top Tip - Beware of Senior Terrorists!

Having senior people strolling in towards the end of the bid and throwing a bit of a wobbly when it isn’t going well doesn’t help anyone. In the short term it’s unpleasant but in the medium to long-term it creates a downward trend in win rates as your best athletes shy away from wanting to be involved in bidding.

Make sure you create a safe environment for people to work on our bids and proposals, with senior people properly engaged early and effectively sponsoring the activity through the lifetime of the bid and displaying the right constructive behaviours throughout.

Tell us what's going on - our new anonymous tip line.

I'm in the privileged position of not being linked to an employer, with the fear of retribution from procurers where I call them out for their poor behaviour.

We have opened a new anonymous tip line on our website where you are very welcome to tell us about poor practices and behaviours from clients you are bidding to. I commit to calling out poor behaviours where appropriate and endeavouring to take up common issues with government departments and authorities on your behalf where possible.

We have a strong relationship with Cabinet Office and Dept for Business and Trade, so can raise issues we see with confidence.

Tip Line Link

Crown Commercial Services feedback / questions

I have managed to book a call with Crown Commercial Services for later this month regarding their next main construction framework.

Please do feel free to use our tip line above to make points or raise questions about this or other procurements that I should ask them.

I'll do a little video and a blog / email to talk through the answers I find etc at the end of February.

PIE Partnership

The main news this week is the initial announcement of our new partnership with our friends at Proposal Industry Experts (PIE).

From March onwards their members will be able to access our training content and book me for training sessions at a discount with a percentage of the proceeds also going back to the community for its development. More news on that to come.

PIE members can register their interest via the button in the email they got on Wednesday.