Incorporating subject matter experts (SMEs) into the bid process is crucial for creating compelling and competitive proposals. Given SMEs often have full-time day jobs to juggle alongside the many demands of ad-hoc proposal requests, bid managers and proposal managers now have the opportunity to utilise AI tools to streamline their engagement effectively. Here are some ideas on how AI can support SMEs and bid teams in the bidding process:
1. High-level summarisation of RFT documentation
One of the challenges SMEs face is sifting through extensive Request for Tender (RFT) documents to discern relevant information. Often, SMEs only have time to have a cursory look at the documentation (which also places significant risk of missing key requirements). AI tools can offer summarisation capabilities to provide SMEs with concise, high-level overviews of these documents. This enables them to focus on critical aspects – and mandatory requirements – without wading through extraneous details.
Implementation example:
Utilise an AI summarisation tool to extract key points, objectives, and requirements from the RFT, delivering a summarised report to SMEs. This summary can serve as a quick reference guide, making it easier for them to grasp the scope and priorities of the tender.
2. Key theme extraction and discussion guides
Generative AI can analyse RFT documents to pull out key themes and topics. This analysis can be used to generate structured discussion guides, which can facilitate in-depth interviews and brainstorming sessions with time-poor SMEs. These guides can help keep the team focused on essential aspects such as storyboarding and win themes.
Implementation example:
Leverage generative AI tools to identify recurring themes and critical points within the RFT. Create discussion guides or outlines based on these insights and use them in strategy meetings or first drafts to align the team’s approach and key messages/themes.
3. AI assistance for drafting responses
AI can assist SMEs by generating initial drafts of proposal sections. By creating sophisticated AI prompts that respect the SMEs’ expertise and incorporate their unique insights, bid managers can ensure the responses are both accurate and persuasive.
Implementation example:
Employ AI writing tools to draft preliminary responses based on input parameters defined by the SMEs. These drafts can then be reviewed and refined by the SMEs, ensuring the final content is precise, expert-driven, and compelling.
4. AI knowledge bases for solution generation
Building a centralised AI-powered knowledge base that includes SMEs’ thought leadership articles, solution methodologies, technical papers, and previous successful bid responses can be immensely beneficial. AI tools can use this knowledge base to generate innovative solution ideas tailored to specific bid requirements.
Implementation example:
Create an AI repository of all relevant technical papers and past responses. When faced with a new RFT, the AI tool can scan this repository to suggest potentially viable solutions and strategies, which SMEs can then evaluate and tailor accordingly.
Conclusion
Engaging SMEs efficiently in the bid process is essential for crafting winning proposals, and doing it efficiently while respecting their time and expertise. By integrating AI tools, bid managers and proposal managers can reduce the workload of SMEs, enable them to focus on critical tasks, and ultimately enhance the quality of the bid. AI can summarise complex documents, extract key themes, assist in drafting detailed sections, and generate innovative ideas from a well-maintained knowledge base. These advancements not only support SMEs but also drive the overall productivity and effectiveness of the bid team. Embracing these technologies can lead to more informed, efficient, and successful bidding processes.
Consider implementing these AI strategies in your next bid; the benefits for your team and the quality of your proposals could be substantial.
