Tender Writing Secrets: What Buyers Really Want (Bid Expert Explains)

Welcome to a new episode of I'm The Gaffer 👷‍♂️ If you're a contractor, construction business owner, project manager, engineer, estimator, consultant, or SME looking to win more government and public sector work, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply to your next tender. In this episode, Jason Cooney, Director of Tsaks Consulting, joins Gavin Coyle to break down the tender process—from deciding whether to bid, writing stronger responses, pricing competitively, using AI effectively, and understanding what buyers are really looking for. You'll learn: How to quickly assess whether a tender is worth pursuing The biggest mistakes businesses make when bidding for government contracts Why social value has become a major scoring factor How to structure stronger, more consistent tender responses The role of AI in tender writing—and where human expertise still matters Why buyers don't always choose the cheapest bid Practical pricing strategies that protect your profit while remaining competitive How to improve your chances of winning government and public sector contracts 🎯 Episode Highlights / Timestamps 00:00 Check the mandatory criteria first 01:30 Introduction to Jason Cooney 05:26 First steps after receiving a tender 10:37 Tender trends: innovation, AI & whole-of-life costs 13:10 Why social value can make or break your bid 18:06 Building consistent tender responses 21:35 Creating a winning tender response library 25:28 Inside the buyer's mindset 31:19 Why buyers want you to succeed 37:09 Pricing strategies and pricing buffers Connect with Jason Cooney Tsaks Consulting (Australia) https://thetenderteam.com.au/ Tsaks Consulting (UK & Europe) https://tsaks.com/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-cooney/ About Coyle Group Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction. With 25+ years of experience, 100+ safety professionals, and over 1 million safety hours completed, Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly. Learn more: https://coyle-group.com/ About the Podcast I'm The Gaffer, hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, and project delivery. Listen on: Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer Spotify https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ImTheGafferPodcast Website https://www.imthegaffer.com Subscribe for more conversations on construction, tendering, procurement, leadership, safety, engineering, and business growth. #ImTheGaffer #GovernmentTenders #TenderWriting #Construction #Procurement #ConstructionBusiness #PublicSector #BusinessGrowth #ProjectManagement #ConstructionLeadership #Contractors #Engineering #SMEs #TenderManagement #GovernmentContracts