Procurement networks are a fantastic way to stay on top of a variety of government contracting opportunities. A procurement network that specializes in government contracts is probably your best bet, and one that offers eBidding is even better! This just means that you can submit your bid online through the platform. Here are a few tips on successfully using a procurement network.
Put effort into your profile – When you create your account, make sure to thoroughly fill out every field. Not only will this give government procurement agents reviewing your profile a good idea of your capabilities, but it will allow the procurement network itself to crawl your profile and match you with potential jobs.
Stay on top of notifications – We know how many emails you get every day. While it might be tempting to let notifications from your procurement network pile up, it’s better to stay on top of what’s being sent. If you at least review the notification quickly, even if you can’t respond right away, you can make a note of the type of contract being suggested and more importantly the bid deadline. While you’re at it, make sure these notifications go to your inbox and not to your promotions or spam folder.
Submit a competitive bid – Procurement networks are a great way to learn about new projects, especially if they come directly to your inbox. Keep in mind, that they are also going to other vendors’ inboxes as well. So, not only will you want to submit your bid in a timely manner, but you’ll want to make sure that your bid is competitive.
Take advantage of other features – Some procurement networks offer additional features, and often they are left unexplored. If you want to get a competitive edge, make sure to utilize all the features offered by your procurement network. Something to look for is a competitive intelligence feature that will allow you to see which other vendors have downloaded the bid documents and submitted a response. This will help you create the most competitive bid and show what skills you have for the procurement project.
Conduct your own search – While having notifications of RFPs sent right to your inbox is certainly convenient, you might be leaving money on the table if you aren’t also searching for opportunities on your own. It’s still a good idea to log in and check for new RFPs that might fit your services.
Work smart – One of the best things about eBidding is being able to access previous bids that you’ve created. Don’t reinvent the wheel, simply use previous bids as a template for future submissions.
Procurement network success
Making the most of a procurement network is easy! With a little bit of effort and staying on top of time-sensitive notifications, you can make sure you’re submitting competitive bids that will catch the procurement agent’s attention.
Have you found success using a procurement network? What are your tips for making the most of this resource?