Frequently asked questions

How does it work? How does it work?
If you've got a question about any aspect of bidding, for instance a bid that's approaching that you might need help with writing, or one that you'd like us to review before you submit it, simply drop us a line or call us! Having discussed your bid and the support you need, we'll then send you a written no-obligation quote.

How much does it cost? How much does it cost?
Each piece of work that we undertake is different, so we don't have a 'one size fits all' pricing schedule. Some projects require 'light touch' input, others are highly intensive and more complex. Our rates will reflect the amount of input and expertise required, however you will not be under any obligation to accept our quote, and we'll work with you to shape a package that meets your requirements.

Do you work on a no-win, no-fee basis? Do you work on a no-win, no-fee basis?
No - we don't offer 'no win, no fee' pricing as it would be misleading to promise that each client will win every bid that we support them through. Sometimes procurements are cancelled, sometimes surprising contract awards are made, and sometimes competition is extremely high with exceptional bids submitted by competitors. What we do promise though is that we will ensure our clients' bids are as good as they can possibly be within the areas of work that we undertake.

Which sectors do you work in, and how will you know what to write about us in our bid? Which sectors do you work in, and how will you know what to write about us in our bid?
We work across a range of business sectors and with organisations of different sizes. Our track record tells us that process and collaboration are more important factors in successful bid outcomes than experience in a particular sector.

Whatever sector your organisation lies in, we'll apply robust bid processes and work in close collaboration with your subject matter experts, who know more than anybody about your organisation's strengths and USPs in its sector. We'll liaise closely with you to get the information we need to create a winning bid for you.

I really don't have much time to give. How much time and input would you expect from me if you managed my bid? I really don't have much time to give. How much time and input would you expect from me if you worked on my bid?

The extent to which we help you is entirely up to you: we can manage the nose-to-tail process from pre-bid to submission, including bid writing, bid process, clarification questions, solutioning, design, production, submission, along with design and delivery of any presentation to your client involved in the tender's process.

In any element of service to you we would, however, depend on you for knowledge about your solution and pricing of that solution. We'd ensure that any engagement with you to gain content or sign off would be well planned to minimise disruption to you.

How do I know that any information I share with you is safe from our competitors? How do I know that any information I share with you is safe from our competitors?
Confidentiality is fundamental to the integrity of our business. We never share information about our clients' business with parties which the client has not authorised as a third party. Similarly, we will never accept a commission to work on the same tender if we are already engaged by another bidder on that tender.

Do you work throughout the UK? Do you work throughout the UK?
Yes - we have bases in York and Bristol and can cover the UK. We'd be happy to work at your premises or our own bases and will always agree the most appropriate location of working with each at the start of each project.

We have our own bid team, so why would we need Gimlet Associates? We have our own bid team, so why would we need Gimlet Associates?
Several of our major clients are organisations that have their own bid writers and bid managers. They approach us because they know, through experience, the benefit of engaging us as a fresh pair of expert eyes to improve their responses and give their bids the extra competitive advantage.

We can also provide other services to improve your win rate including mentoring of individual team members or delivering workshops to groups to improve their confidence in bidding and the quality of their output. If you have a 'bid bottleneck', we can also provide additional bid writing or bid management resource from our experienced team to support you through your bids.

We don't do many bids because they take up too much time, so how can you help us? We don't do many bids because they take up too much time, so how can you help us?
In the first instance, we can reduce the amount of time bidding takes by doing much of the bid work for you. This way, you can continue with your normal work whilst we use our experience and expertise to help you win more contracts through successful bidding.

We can also coach and mentor you so that your own expertise in bidding improves. You'll become better at producing winning bids, and you'll create them more quickly and with less pain as your own win rate improves.

If you have any other questions about our services or how we may be able to help you produce winning bids, please contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!


“Be curious.”
Stephen Hawking

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Bid training:      Training & workshops
Testimonials:      What our clients say
About us:      Who we are     |    Why choose Gimlet Associates?
FAQs:      Frequently asked questions
Contact:      Tel: 07795 451429     |     Email us