Vicky Poole

Vicky Poole

Vicky Poole, with 15 years in strategic sales, specialises in Commercial, Government, and Third Sector tenders. Founder of Tender Response, she leads a team aiding SMEs in public sector bids.

More posts from Vicky Poole

23rd May 2025 How to Find Your PPON (Public Procurement Organisation Number) in 2 minutes

At Tender Response, we understand that navigating new government systems can be daunting, especially when they directly impact your ability to bid for public sector contracts. With the introduction of the GOV.UK One Login, many suppliers are unsure how to access critical information like their PPON or generate a Share Code. That’s why we’ve created […]

16th May 2025 What do you need to know about the New UK Public Sector Procurement Regime?

At Tender Response, we understand that navigating new government systems can be daunting—especially when they directly impact your ability to bid for public sector contracts. With the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, many suppliers are unsure how to access critical information and stay compliant. That’s why we’ve created this practical guide to help you […]

6th May 2025 How to Use the New GOV.UK One Login to Find Your PPON and Create Your Share Code

At Tender Response, we understand that navigating new government systems can be daunting, especially when they directly impact your ability to bid for public sector contracts. With the introduction of the GOV.UK One Login, many suppliers are unsure how to access critical information like their PPON or generate a Share Code. That’s why we’ve created […]

23rd April 2025 Living Wage Certification in Public Sector Tenders

In today’s public sector tendering landscape, organisations need every possible advantage to stand out. As both a Living Wage employer and public sector bid writing specialist managing bids up to £5 million, we’ve witnessed firsthand how ethical employment practices significantly influence tender outcomes. The landscape of public sector procurement is evolving, with social value becoming […]

4th April 2025 What’s the difference between proposals and bids?

Both proposals and tender responses are important forms of sales collateral, but they serve different purposes and are used in different contexts. Here’s a summary: Proposals: These are documents prepared by a business to present to potential clients. They typically include an overview of the business, the client’s pain points, the services or solutions being […]

21st March 2025 6 ways to respond to tenders and bids

The goal is to ensure a seamless process from start to finish, providing a holistic view of the entire bid. To complete a comprehensive bid always coordinate your application with relevant departments and stakeholders, possibly including outsourced project management or marketing teams (where relevant). Supplier Questionnaire: This is a form that collects information about your […]

7th March 2025 Top 3 things all companies need for tender and bid responses

If you’re small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Here are the top three things you should consider for tender responses: Organisation: Having all relevant company information together in one place is crucial. This includes insurance documents and other necessary paperwork that may be required as part of the tender response. Personal Significant Control: If a company […]

7th February 2025 How to Price a Public Sector Tender

Pricing a public sector tender can feel like navigating a maze, but with the right approach, you can make sure your bid stands out and is competitive. Let’s break it down into some key points. The following sections have come from the main questions that our clients have asked us when we have been helping […]

7th February 2025 4 reasons why you need up to date information for your next tender

Are your documents and certificates up-to-date so you are ready to submit bids or tender responses? When you’re busy responding to a bid, the questionnaire of “company information” is usually the last thing to be completed. Why – its supposed to be the easiest… But in reality, what happens is that information is poorly managed […]

3rd February 2025 How to answer a question when writing a bid response

The goal is to clearly respond to each requirement, demonstrate your knowledge and experience, and provide evidence of your claims through client references. There is a simple and easy to follow structure when writing responses to bid questions. Initial Question: Start with the question or requirement from the tender document. It’s really important to specifically […]

Latest Insights From Tender Response

27th October 2025 How to Write a Good Response to a Public Sector Tender Question

For SMEs bidding into the public sector, success often hinges on one thing: the quality of your written responses. While pricing matters, most public contracts are awarded based on best value — and that means achieving a strong score in the quality section of your tender. Crafting a high-scoring response isn’t about creative writing or […]

Bid Writing & Tender Management
17th October 2025 How to make your bid better (before submission)

In the final hours before a bid submission, it’s tempting to rely on instinct and experience. But even seasoned bid teams can miss critical marks, especially when frameworks evolve, scoring matrices shift, and buyer expectations become more nuanced. Experienced bid teams leave nothing to chance… we like to evaluate our bids against the tender requirements […]

Bid Writing & Tender Management
17th October 2025 Getting ready for G Cloud 15

With G-Cloud 15 applications opening on 23 October 2025, the race is on. But while some consultancies are pushing urgency, at Tender Response, we believe in strategic calm, not last-minute scrambles. Why should you apply to G Cloud? G-Cloud remains the UK public sector’s flagship cloud procurement route, with over £16 billion awarded since 2012. […]

Bid Writing & Tender Management