Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about a bid that looked small, needing only estimates, until on the first early-morning call I learned my team was also expected to produce a deck. I have rewritten it into advice on reading a bid's scope correctly from the start.
I was assigned a bid with a delivery contact, and it seemed tiny: only estimates were needed. I expected a quiet week. The first call was at 9:30am, and waking early for an office call is my least favourite start to a day. The call covered what each of the three teams involved needed to provide. I was not paying much attention until they mentioned my team and said they might need a deck as well as estimates. Now I had real work to do.
Why do small bids turn out bigger?
Because the assignment note often describes the minimum. The kick-off call is where the account team sets out what it actually wants, and several teams' needs are combined.
How do you get the scope right early?
- Read the RFP before the kick-off: note anything your team might own.
- Listen for your team's name: and ask about deliverables directly.
- Confirm by mail after the call: what your team will provide, and by when.
- Ask about format: slides, a written response, a pricing sheet, or all three.
How do you prepare for early calls?
Set out what you need the night before, join a few minutes early, and keep the RFP and your notes open. Being alert for the first 15 minutes matters most, because that is when scope is set.
What if the scope grows after the kick-off?
Raise it quickly, with the extra effort it needs, so dates can be adjusted or help added. Silent scope growth is how bids end in late nights.
What did I learn?
That there are no small bids until the kick-off call says so.
How do you avoid missing your team's part on a crowded call?
Ask the organiser at the start whether your team will be asked for anything beyond estimates. A direct question in the first minutes saves you from hearing it for the first time halfway through.
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