Bid writers are busy exploring the potential of AI tools like ChatGPT to
help them craft their tenders.
It’s a tricky area. Are tools like this really the bid writer’s best
friend? Or just the kind of buddy who talks the talk, but fails to deliver?
The answer lies somewhere between the two. AI can support the early
stages of bid writing, but it can leave you open to the risk of plagiarism,
inaccuracies and plain missing the mark.
Here are the pros and cons for using AI to write your bid response.
On the plus side:
Time
AI is fast. If you routinely submit lots of bids, AI tools can speed up
your research and streamline the process. You save time on standard documents
and repeatable responses, helping you to manage a higher volume of tender
submissions. The key is having a strong internal document library for AI to draw upon.
Ideas
AI is a great kick-starter for tender writers staring at a blank page.
With so many research suggestions at your fingertips, you have a good
foundation for your proposal. You can also develop early drafts from company
content libraries or previous bid submissions.
Research
AI makes it easier to assess your tender compliance. You can use
keywords to search the tender document, confirming your eligibility. By
inputting the word ‘turnover’ or ‘accreditations’, you can identify bid
requirements.
Competition
AI tools can be used to identify and gather information on your main
industry rivals. Valuable facts relating to risk mitigation, innovation and
sector expertise help you shape a winning bid.
Flexibility
AI is available around the clock. You can access it 24/7, without having
to wait for people and teams to do their thing.
On the minus side:
Human touch
Successful bids rely on a high degree of perception, nuance and
judgement. It’s hard for AI to prioritise responses or interpret obscure language.
It takes skill and years of experience to navigate a complex, highly
specialised process.
Custom answers
Much information yielded by AI tools is generic. Tender submissions require the
opposite, a custom approach. A real person can
tailor content, addressing each question in detail and converting answers into
brand voice. This way, every response is shaped to meet specific demands.
Updates
Don’t assume that AI systems will give you up-to-the-minute information.
AI doesn’t always keep pace with fast-changing government and industry
regulations.
Plagiarism
A lot of the text and data scooped up by AI is of unknown origin. You
may plagiarise someone’s work without realising it, if you use it wholesale.
The only way to find out for sure is to run it through a plagiarism checker.
Accuracy
How do you know your AI-generated information is accurate? Too often,
it’s a rehash of half-truths and errors, endlessly circulating the web. You
need to check your facts to ensure they are facts, which burns up time.
Security
In April this year, Samsung banned the use of ChatGPT and
generative AI chatbots, after an employee uploaded sensitive material by
accident. ChatGPT is open-source software, allowing public access. Once
entered, it is available to anyone who uses the tool. That’s scary!
When it comes to tenders, the AI bot doesn’t know your customer, or the
specific demands of their project. On top of that, it doesn’t know you, your
organisation, or the unique qualities you bring to the table.
If you need an expert human to support your bid, get in touch! We’d love to help.