Insights from Nigel Dennis

Nigel Dennis explores a curious paradox in the proposal profession: seasoned practitioners are focused on strategic influence, while newcomers seek connection and purpose. For Bidding Quarterly's 22nd issue, he argues that balancing Head’s logic with Heart’s passion is essential to shaping a thriving, united future.

Reflecting on three decades of bidding for Bidding Quarterly's 'Coming of Age' themed issue, this letter from Nigel Dennis to his profession charts bidding's growth from admin task to strategic powerhouse. It explores how bidding has evolved, the challenges ahead, and why bid professionals must embrace innovation, data, and AI to thrive.

Prompted by Bidding Quarterly's 'All I Want For Christmas' theme for Issue 20, Nigel Dennis spells out what the BidWrite team would like to see wrapped up and placed under their professional Christmas tree every year – creating a blueprint for a high performing ‘bid sleighing’ team!

Commercial terms are an aspect of bidding often overlooked by proposal professionals. Nigel Dennis explains a more effective approach to categorising and presenting commercial clarifications in tender submissions, to improve your chance of success.

In one of 24 international articles contributed to Bidding Quarterly Issue 18, Nigel Dennis provides a systematic approach to creating better customer focus and developing compelling, relevant and impactful tender responses with just four letters - ISBP®

After reading an article where a Labor party senator described 'power maps' as an attempt to “inappropriately influence the public service” during the tender process, Natalie Schroeder and Nigel Dennis explain why stakeholder mapping is actually a logical part of the standard pre-tender ‘positioning’ process – essential to building strong relationships and preparing persuasive bids.

Nigel Dennis looks at emerging tendering technology through the lens of the Kodak company’s failure to embrace digital photography. He details his concerns about the risks current technology presents and whether, at this pivotal moment, we should embrace it or shy away from the threat it poses to our profession.

Nigel Dennis introduces the concept of Maximum Possible Product (MPP) as a form of best practice when striving to craft the ultimate submission. He explains how good bidding professionals can use this concept to stack the dice in your favour, rather than rolling them and leaving so many things to chance.

When Nigel Dennis was invited to contribute a piece to Issue 13 of Bidding Quarterly, a discussion about ‘riding the wave’ with a salt-water-loving colleague saw him drawing connections between surfing and his three decades of professional bid writing and consulting.