Last verified 2026-06-27
Why a scorecard beats a gut call
Chasing every tender burns the time and money you need for the ones you can actually win. A bid/no-bid scorecard forces the question early and consistently: is this worth pursuing? By scoring each opportunity against the same factors, you stop over-weighting the exciting contract in front of you and start comparing it fairly against everything else on your desk.
How to read the score
Each factor contributes points equal to your rating out of five times its weight, and the total is normalized to 100. A score of 70 or more is a strong signal to bid. A score from 50 to 69 is a review zone: pursue it only if you can lift the weak factors before the deadline. Below 50, the opportunity is probably not worth your bid budget. Look past the headline number to the breakdown, which shows exactly which low-rated factors cost you the most points so you know what to fix or accept.
The weights are a starting point
The default weights put the most emphasis on win probability and capability, because winning and delivering matter more than fit on its own. But they are only a starting point. Tune them to how your business actually makes money and wins work. A firm that guards its margin should weight profitability higher; a firm trying to break into a new buyer might weight relationship and strategic fit up. The honest part is the rating: score the opportunity as it is, not as you wish it were.
What this tool leaves out
This is a planning aid, not a guarantee of the outcome. It cannot see the competition you do not know about, a buyer relationship you have not built, or a number you rated optimistically. Use it to structure the decision and the conversation with your team, then make the final call with judgment.