Understanding Bid Manager Challenges: Survey Findings and Practical Solutions

We recently surveyed dozens of bid managers to better understand the realities of working with government tenders. 

What we found was telling: opportunities are not scarce, but navigating them is complex. 

The real challenge lies in three areas:

• Navigating the complexity of tendering processes
• Finding the right tenders at the right time—ideally in advance
• Filtering large volumes of information quickly and effectively

Across organisations, the same themes emerged. Bid managers are resourceful, but they are often working with inefficient systems and limited support. The survey revealed four insights that stand out:

• 74% do not use tender tracking software. This is surprising given that free tools exist. Relying solely on email notifications is inefficient and often floods users with irrelevant data.
  
  
• 72% only search for tenders weekly. We believe this should be a quick daily task, taking no more than 5–10 minutes if supported by the right tools.
  
  
• 95% agreed that a consolidated list of DPS frameworks would be valuable. To address this, we have provided one free of charge at www.bid-able.com.
  
  
• 67% said organisational support exists but comes with caveats. This shows the need for stronger executive recognition of bid management as a core business function.

These findings highlight both the challenges and the opportunities. With small changes in approach, organisations can reduce wasted effort, empower their bid teams, and ultimately improve success rates.

Detailed Findings

How Bid Managers Find Tenders

Most bid managers rely on a limited set of sources. Around 52% use online portals, while 48% depend on email notifications.

Alternative channels play only a minor role. Interestingly, none of the respondents said they learned about tenders through direct engagement with buyers. This supports our ethos of “people-first tendering” where meeting buyers and attending events can be just as important as scanning listings.

A consolidated, centralised source of tenders would immediately improve efficiency. At the same time, over-reliance on online portals and notifications increases the risk of missing opportunities, particularly Requests for Information (RFIs) and genuine early-stage supplier engagement.

DPS Framework Awareness

Half of respondents said they know where to find DPS opportunities beyond Crown Commercial Service; the other half do not. This knowledge gap represents missed opportunities and highlights a need for training or consolidated DPS listings. Without clarity, organisations risk overlooking viable routes to market.

Search Habits and Workload

Tender searches are a regular part of the job. Three-quarters of bid managers search weekly, and just over a quarter check daily.

Searching only once a week is slow in such a competitive environment. Opportunities can be missed, and competitors who monitor tenders more closely gain an advantage.

Automation could ease this burden. By reducing manual searching while maintaining market coverage, bid managers could shift their focus from administration to strategy and decision-making.

Features That Matter

The most valued feature is speed. Real-time notifications are rated highest, with 52% prioritising them. More advanced tools such as detailed tender analysis or filters were each selected by 24%, while integration with project management tools showed little demand. The message is clear: relevance and timeliness matter more than feature complexity.

Paying for Services

Despite the challenges, 74% of bid managers do not pay for tender-finding platforms. The remaining 26% use services such as Contracts Advance or Tracker Intelligence.

This highlights a gap between need and perceived value. Providers must demonstrate measurable improvements in efficiency or win rates before expecting widespread adoption.

What surprised us was that this pattern held true even among larger, more established organisations. For SMEs just starting out, we often advise against paying for expensive platforms until the basics are in place. But for experienced players, we would expect at least some adoption of free tools to avoid inefficiency.

Information Access Challenges

Limited access to comprehensive information is the single biggest barrier, reported by 51% of respondents. A further 24% said searches are too time-consuming, and 25% identified other obstacles. 

These gaps drain resources and reduce success rates. Improving information architecture including better search options, improved listing quality, faster access would address the most pressing operational issue facing bid managers.

Organisational Support

Every respondent reported some form of support for bid management, but only half felt it was clear and adequate. The other half noted restrictions or limited backing. 

This indicates that bid management is not always treated as a core business function. Stronger executive recognition and consistent resourcing would directly improve outcomes.

Recommendations

From these findings, seven practical actions stand out:

• Centralise tender information to remove inefficiency and reduce risk of missed opportunities.
• Prioritise real-time notifications and accuracy over complex functionality.
• Automate regular searches to ease workload and maintain coverage.
• Provide analytical tools that go beyond listings and offer meaningful insight.
• Improve DPS visibility through training or consolidated frameworks.
• Strengthen organisational backing by recognising bid management as a strategic function.
• Demonstrate measurable ROI before investing in or offering paid services.

Conclusion

Bid managers face systemic challenges rooted in fragmented information and limited support. The solutions are straightforward: improve access, speed, and organisational recognition. 

Organisations that address these areas will not only reduce wasted effort but also position themselves to win more tenders with greater efficiency.