Evaluation criteria are the standards against which your proposal will be judged. Understanding these criteria is crucial because they tell you exactly what the client values most and how they will rank competing bids. Tendishas Tender Analysis extracts these criteria and their weights from the tender documents, giving you a clear roadmap for proposal development.
Common evaluation criteria
- Technical approach — The methodology and quality of your proposed solution. This is often the most heavily weighted criterion. Clients want to know that you understand their needs and have a clear plan for delivering results. A strong technical approach demonstrates expertise, innovation, and feasibility.
- Experience — Your past performance and references. Clients want evidence that you have successfully delivered similar projects. Include relevant case studies, client testimonials, and references that demonstrate your track record.
- Personnel — The qualifications and experience of your team. Clients assess whether you have the right people with the right skills. Highlight key personnel, their roles, qualifications, and relevant experience.
- Price — Commercial competitiveness. While price is rarely the only factor, it is always important. Understand the clients budget constraints and position your pricing competitively while maintaining profitability.
How criteria weights affect your proposal
The weight assigned to each criterion tells you how much emphasis to place on different sections of your proposal. For example:
- If Technical Approach is 50% of the score, dedicate the majority of your proposal to explaining your methodology, innovation, and implementation plan.
- If Experience is 30%, include detailed case studies, references, and evidence of past success.
- If Price is 20%, ensure your pricing is competitive but do not sacrifice quality for cost.
Using criteria weights in proposal writing
When using Tendishas Proposal Assistant, the AI takes evaluation criteria into account when generating sections. You can also use criteria weights to manually allocate your writing effort. Start with the highest-weighted criteria and work down, ensuring that each section is as thorough and compelling as possible.