Partnership Peaks and Pitfalls
This podcast features a question from an entrepreneur about how to manage partnerships in business. This is an excellent question and our group had a lot to say about [...]
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Win that Government Bid! Serenity Now For Entrepreneurs
This podcast featuring Tess Menges, Manager of Procurement Assistance Canada (previously Office of Small and Medium Enterprises) offers a master class in bidding for government contracts. Tess leads the Serenity Sisters panel through this master class (typically an online workshop) where we were able to complete a short exercise which mirrors the basic competitive procurement process format used by the Federal Government to award contracts. The Serenity Sisters were split into teams and played the role of departmental officials with a requirement to purchase 25 dogs. In this class, three fictitious companies submitted bids to provide those dogs. Our task was to recommend one for contract award.
Join us in the mock exercise along with us to better understand the process of applying for government bids. In utilizing a real life case study and acting as the evaluators, we were able to gain a greater understanding to the daunting federal procurement evaluation process. Along with gaining a true understanding of the process, the entire system is simplified as we learn some tips along the way to maximize your chances of success.
Masterclass Overview
Companies or a group of individuals can sign up for the Masterclass that we were lead through. For those that take the class, sample materials are provided.
We were given these materials as well and prior to the podcast, we reviewed the following documents.
| Title | Description | Link |
| Solicitation Documents | Published on buyandsell.gc.ca by government to describe the requirements & criteria, and the process for submitting bids & selecting a winner. | PDF of Solicitation Document |
|
Bid Example A (Rita – Peggy) |
Bid from fictional company “A+ Dog Trainers” | PDF of Bid A |
|
Bid Example B (Nina – Kathleen) |
Bid from fictional company “Gud Boi Doggos” | PDF of Bid B |
|
Bid Example C (Candance – Stephanie) |
Bid from fictional company “Deutscher Schäferhund School” | PDF of Bid C |
| Worksheet | Used as a guide to evaluate each of the 3 bids. Print out and complete on your own, or follow along during the session. | PDF of Worksheet |
Using the Worksheet, we evaluated each Bid Example against the criteria set out in the Solicitation Documents.
The Serenity Sisters were given these documents a few days ahead of the podcast to review.
On the day that the podcast was to be recorded, we received an email with an “amendment“. This twist illustrated the importance of reading all amendments before submitting your bid and even checking if there are any amendments prior to the bid closing.
After reviewing all the materials, we discuss the distinction between mandatory and point-rated criteria, when to ask questions and how it can make or break your chances, and how much (or little) information to provide when submitting.
Tune in to gain some valuable insight into how to land your next government contract!
Maybe you know someone who could benefit from this podcast? Please share it with your business community and perhaps it could give an entrepreneur you know some “serenity now”.
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