Bid Teams are complex entities and even more so when they comprise of virtual team members. This presentation looks at a few aspects of these virtual bid teams and their actual members.

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Thinking about the Virtual Bid Team
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham CP.APMP
June, 2014
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za

2. Craft Proposal Client AdjudicationIdentify Qualify DeliverySubmit
The Client Engagement Process & a few Points to Ponder
• Solid Win Strategy
• Bid Centre Support
• Organisational Teamwork
• Relevant Solution
• Selling on Value and not Price
• Industry
Knowledge
• Understanding of
Client’s Business
Strategy
• Good relationship
with Key
Decision-makers
• Resonating Win
Themes
• Solution
supporting
Client’s Business
Imperatives
• Building Track
Record
• Execution
Investment
• Robust Service
Delivery
• Professional
package
• Word Perfect
• On-Time
Submission
Robust Capture Plan Relevant Solution Resonating Submission
Professional Proposal / Bid Management Process
2
Underpinned by a Virtual Team

3. A Bid Manager liaises with the Virtual Team
Sales
[incl. AM]
Product
Specialists
Commercial
Prospect Lead gen. Qualify
Design
Craft Bid
Pricing
P&L
Review Submit
Bid Management
Legal/
Contracts
Regulatory
Regions Cost/Price
Sales
Technical
Design
Finance
Legal
Partners
Specialists
SMM/SME
3
Non-Standard Solution
Account & Bid Management work as a Team
Underpinned by a Virtual Team

4. Market
Management
Relationship
BuildingPrompts:
• Global trends
• Industry knowledge
• Unfolding
opportunities
• Emerging risks
Prompts:
• Pedigree/s
• Preferences
• Requirement/s for
advancement
• Resource alignment
• Communication plan/s
Prompts:
• Wants vs. needs
• Resourcing
requirements
• Solutions vs. Risks
• Ability to deliver
• Competition
Account Managers
should be “Thought
Leaders” in specific
industries
Account Managers
need to be
articulate & be the
Single Point of
Contact [SPOC]
Account Managers
need to understand
the clients’ needs
and deliver against
this need
The identified Client Solution defines the Virtual Team
Abundance
of
Solutions Selection
of
Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
Source: Sales Synthesis
4
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam
Opportunity
Scouting

5. 5
The Virtual Bid Team is Resourced from Units Providing Value
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam
Different Virtual Teams for Different Opportunities
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam

6. Core Team
• Bid Manager
• Commercial
• Product Specialists
• Solutions Architect/s
• Finance
• Legal
Optional Team Members
• Marketing
• Regional Management
6
The Virtual Bid Team is Resourced from Units Providing Value
‘Other’ Team Members
• Content Writers
• Quality Assurance
• Third Parties
• Partners
Workstream Leaders
selected from this team
Professional Proposal
Producers
Professional
Consultancy
Virtual Team
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Client
Definesthe
VirtualTeam
Covering the
Complete
Opportunity
Requirements

7. Core Team
• Bid Manager
• Commercial
• Product Specialists
• Solutions Architect/s
• Finance
• Legal
Optional Team Members
• Marketing
• Regional Management
7
A Steering Committee (Steerco) is useful for Large Complex Bids
‘Other’ Team Members
• Content Writers
• Quality Assurance
• Third Parties
• Partners
Workstream Leaders
selected from this team
Professional Proposal
Producers
Professional
Consultancy
Virtual Team
Covering the
Complete
Opportunity
Requirements
Bid ManagementSteerco
Steerco
• Opportunity Sponsor
• Commercial Executive
• Business Development
Executive
• C-Levels (optional)

8. Core Team
• Bid Manager
• Commercial
• Product Specialists
• Solutions Architect/s
• Finance
• Legal
Optional Team Members
• Marketing
• Regional Management
8
The Bid Manager must Monitor the Team Member Relationships
‘Other’ Team Members
• Content Writers
• Quality Assurance
• Third Parties
• Partners
Virtual Team
Bid ManagementSteerco
Steerco
• Opportunity Sponsor
• Commercial Executive
• Business Development
Executive
• C-Levels (optional)
A Steerco adds
another level
of relationships
and complexity
- and must also
be managed

9. 9
Team Conflict will occur and must be Managed
The Thomas-Kilmann model looks at the ways people deal with conflict in two dimensions: assertiveness and
cooperativeness. The Bid Manager needs to understand this concept and how to manage an intervention.
Future Virtual Team
members will be recruited
based on past experience
in terms of co-operation
and teamwork
Such selection will
potentially dilute the skill
base but will result in a
more productive team
Outcome
Negotiation may be the answer

10. 10
Sometimes negotiation does not work, especially in a conflict situation, where we need other
skills and solutions:
• Giving in
• Instruction
• Coercion
• Problem solving
• Persuasion
• Arbitration.
The Bid Manager must also be Adept at Negotiation
1. Everybody wants something from someone, and different methods can be used to get what
you want. Negotiation is just one of the methods
2. Negotiation:
a) Implies receiving and giving
b) Is a synonym for trading
c) Can be seen as the process where parties agree to get what they want, through
proposals and bargaining
3. All parties must have a ‘need’ or ‘want’ and must be willing to bargain
4. Wanting something from someone can also be considered as conflict behaviour, especially
if the other does not want to part with it.