Position to Win (PTW), or sometimes called Position to Win Strategy (P2W), is one of the most overlooked but impactful concepts in the UK public sector procurement world. While many bidders focus on writing a great tender response, PTW is about everything that happens before the bid lands on your desk.
It’s the secret weapon that can help boost your win rates (PWIN) significantly, especially for suppliers targeting government contracts.
What is PTW?
Position to Win refers to a proactive strategy where suppliers engage early in the procurement lifecycle—well before the formal tender is published. It involves shaping the buyer’s thinking, influencing the scope and requirements, aligning your offer with stakeholder needs, and ultimately making sure your organisation is the clear and obvious choice before the official competition begins.
PTW typically includes:
- Stakeholder Alignment: Building relationships with decision-makers.
- Problem Shaping: Positioning your solution around emerging problems.
- Market Education: Educating the buyer about industry trends.
- Requirement Influence: Influencing specification design and evaluation criteria.
- Competitive Mapping: Analysing and modelling competitor strategies and financials.
Why Is PTW Important for Improving PWIN?
In competitive bids, most suppliers start from the same line: reading the spec and crafting a response. The problem is—the winner is often decided long before that.
The APMP Body of Knowledge states that up to 80% of bid outcomes are determined before the RFP (Request for Proposal) is even released. That’s why your win rate (PWIN) won’t increase significantly unless you engage early.
Strategic Advantages:
- Reduces Surprises: You already know what’s coming, so you’re prepared.
- Aligns Your Proposal: Your solution reflects the buyer’s real-world challenges.
- Filters Dead Ends: You focus time and energy on deals you can realistically win.
- Differentiates You: You become a trusted advisor, not just another bidder.
PTW and the MEAT Method: Bidding Smart in a Blind Game
The UK public sector often evaluates bids using the MEAT method (Most Economically Advantageous Tender). This means your proposal is assessed on both price and quality, but bidding is blind—you don’t know what others will submit.
PTW helps you anticipate:
- How competitors are likely to price.
- Where others might be strong or weak on quality.
- What the buyer is most likely to value.
Think of it like Game Theory. If you go too low on price, you might sacrifice too much quality. Too high on quality, and your price might push you out of contention. PTW gives you the data to make strategic trade-offs and pick the optimal place to sit on the scoring matrix.
How to Apply Position to Win in Practice
Implementing PTW requires structure. Here’s a five-step approach:
01. Identify Strategic Opportunities Early
Monitor pipeline data from portals like Contracts Finder or Find a Tender. Use intelligence tools to monitor future opportunities months in advance.
02. Build Stakeholder Relationships
Engage key stakeholders long before the ITT is published. Focus on understanding their pain points. Participate in early market engagement or soft market testing.
03. Influence Requirements
Share thought leadership and case studies. You want the buyer to start envisioning your solution as the model to follow, potentially shaping specs or criteria.
04. Map and Neutralise Competitors
Understand who else might be bidding. What are their strengths and weaknesses? Use past award data and FOI requests to build comparative models.
05. Pre-Write Win Themes
Use what you’ve learned to prepare early drafts of your win themes. Align your messaging with what matters most to the buyer.
Real-World Insight for UK Suppliers
Many UK suppliers, especially SMEs, don’t invest in early positioning because it feels “too early.” But in reality, not positioning is what’s risky:
- Recycled Specs: Government buyers often recycle specs. If you weren’t involved last time, you’re already behind.
- Risk Aversion: If a buyer trusts your understanding of the problem, they’re more likely to write specs that match your offer.
- Low Attendance: Market engagement sessions are rarely well-attended; showing up and adding value has disproportionate influence.
Summary
Position to Win isn’t about gaming the system—it’s about being genuinely helpful and creating alignment. If your bid win rate has been stuck below 30%, the answer might not be better writing. It might be better timing.
Our PTW Services: We offer advanced Position To Win services to give you tailored recommendations based on the specific capture and competition to submit compelling, winning bids.