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- Tender Training Course: Secure Business for a New Venture (3 days)
Tender Training Course: Secure Business for a New Venture (3 days)
Your business bids for the right tenders at prices that make money, with responses that show evaluators why you should win.
Winning a tender at a price that loses money is worse than not winning at all. New and growing businesses often bid on gut feel: they chase every advertised tender, guess at their costs and send a response that does not show what makes them different. This tender training course replaces guesswork with a method for choosing the right opportunities, pricing them profitably and presenting a convincing bid. It covers tender preparation from the first search for opportunities to the final submission.
Day one looks outward: where business opportunities and new markets are found, how to research customers and competitors, and how to analyse a tender document for viability from a new venture's point of view. Day two is the numbers: direct and indirect costs, overheads, break-even, costing and pricing methods, profit margins, cash flow and the financial analysis behind a bid decision. Day three is the response: completing the tender documents professionally, writing a persuasive case that shows your capability and value, and preparing to negotiate on price.
Delegates work with a real tender and their own cost figures, and leave with a pricing model, a viability checklist and a response they can adapt for future bids.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Bids aimed at markets and tenders the business can win and deliver
- Prices that cover all costs and protect the margin
- Stronger tender responses that score well on functionality
- Bid/no-bid decisions based on numbers, not hope
For your delegates
- A method for finding opportunities and new markets
- Confidence calculating costs, break-even and profit for a tender
- A viability checklist for any tender document
- Practical writing techniques for a persuasive tender response
What delegates will be able to do
- Identify information sources for available business and new markets
- Research customers, competitors and market segments for a new venture
- Analyse a tender document for viability, resource needs and risk
- Separate direct and indirect costs and allocate overheads to a tender
- Calculate break-even, revenue and profit for a specific tender
- Choose a costing and pricing method that is competitive and profitable
- Complete tender documentation accurately and professionally
- Write a tender response that shows capability, value and difference
- Prepare to negotiate on price without giving away the margin
Who should attend
Entrepreneurs, owners and managers of new, small and growing businesses; business development and sales staff who prepare tenders; tender administrators who compile and submit bids; and anyone in a start-up or SMME responsible for bringing in contract work from government or corporate buyers. Basic numeracy is enough – the finance is taught from first principles.
Course outline
Day 1 – Finding opportunities and judging viability
Tendering as a growth strategy
- How tenders fit a new venture's business plan
- Government, state-owned and corporate buyers compared
- Common reasons new businesses lose tenders
- Case: a profitable win and an unprofitable one
Information sources for business and new markets
- Tender portals, bulletins, supplier databases and industry bodies
- Networking, supplier days and enterprise development programmes
- Market research: segmentation, customer profiles and competitor analysis
- Spotting trends and gaps that suit your venture
Analysing a tender for viability
- Reading the scope, specification and conditions of tender
- Resource requirements: people, equipment, cash and time
- Risk: penalties, payment terms, guarantees and capacity
- Matching tender requirements to your capability
- The bid/no-bid decision with a viability checklist
Day 2 – Costing, pricing and profit
Costs and revenue
- Direct costs: materials, labour and subcontractors
- Indirect costs and overheads
- Fixed and variable costs
- Revenue and payment timing in a tender
Break-even and profitability
- Calculating the break-even point for a contract
- Profit margins and mark-ups
- Cash flow over the life of the contract
- Worked example: pricing a tender from first principles
Costing and pricing methods
- Cost-plus, market-based and value-based pricing
- Unit rates and lump sums
- Escalation, contingencies and risk allowances
- When a low price is too low
Financial analysis for decisions
- Simple ratios and scenarios
- Sensitivity: what if costs rise or payment is late?
- Presenting the numbers to partners or funders
Day 3 – Writing and presenting the tender response
Gathering information for the response
- Questions, briefing sessions and clarifications
- Evidence of capability: references, CVs, case studies and certificates
- Organising information to match the evaluation criteria
Completing the tender documents
- Forms, declarations and returnable documents
- Pricing schedules and arithmetic checks
- Common disqualification errors and how to avoid them
- Submission requirements, deadlines and formats
Writing a persuasive response
- Understanding what evaluators score
- Showing value, capability and what makes you different
- Clear structure, plain language and helpful visuals
- Proofreading and peer review
Negotiating on price
- Preparing your walk-away price and concessions
- Responding to requests to reduce the price
- Protecting margin and scope in post-award discussions
- Personal action plan and close
How it is delivered
Three days, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Delegates can bring a current tender and their own cost figures; workbook, a pricing model, a viability checklist and response templates are included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
★★★★★ 4.8 on Google from 790+ reviews · word-for-word quotes from signed letters of reference, from clients on this and/or related BOTI courses
“All training programmes were delivered in a highly professional manner, with effective coordination and strict adherence to our scheduling requirements. The facilitators demonstrated a commendable level of expertise, and the quality of delivery consistently met our expectations.”
“Throughout both interventions, BOTI demonstrated a high level of professionalism, subject matter expertise, and commitment to quality training delivery. Their ability to effectively manage virtual learning environments and engage participants contributed significantly to the success of the programmes.”
“[The organisation] was satisfied with the quality and professionalism of the training services provided by BOTI and would recommend Business Optimization Training Institute (PTY) Ltd as a competent and reliable training provider”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. We train at your premises anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Do I need a finance background?
No. Costing, break-even and pricing are taught from first principles with worked examples. Bringing your own cost figures makes the exercises more useful.
Is there a shorter tender course?
Yes. The two-day Tender for business or work in a selected new venture course concentrates on the mechanics of preparing, pricing and submitting a compliant tender. This three-day course adds market research, profitability analysis and writing a persuasive response.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
Related courses
Ask a consultant for a written quote
A BOTI consultant emails you a written quote, usually within 15 minutes (Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00). After hours, we reply on the next working day. To speak to someone now, call 011 882 8853.
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