From checklist to conversation: how to make your law firm’s bid/no-bid process more strategic
Most law firms now use some kind of bid/no-bid checklist or framework - even if it’s informal.
But too often, these tools are treated as a box-ticking exercise. The bid proceeds, regardless of red flags or uncertainty, because no one wants to be the one to say no.
And when the green light is given too early (or too vaguely) problems follow.
Teams aren’t locked in.
CVs and case studies don’t get tailored in time.
The response gets built around guesswork.
“Let’s get BD to work something up and see how it looks” becomes the default.
Hope is not a strategy.
When yes is too vague: finding the right shape for your bid
Sometimes a speculative bid can be justified, but not at full scale.
If the opportunity is marginal, you can limit risk by shaping the response more strategically:
Narrow the scope: Don’t bid every service line - drop weak or less relevant practice areas.
Limit the geography: Avoid overreaching with national coverage if you can’t truly support it.
Strengthen the team: Avoid using “B teams” or unfamiliar colleagues unless you can back it up with evidence.
Avoid land grabs: Overpromising to look more impressive often backfires later.
Better to bid well for a smaller, credible scope than stretch too far and miss the mark.
The real cost of prevarication
When firms delay the real decision - or say yes without direction - it costs:
Time: BD and marketing waste hours developing generic sections that later get cut.
Confidence: The team gets frustrated by shifting instructions or unclear expectations.
Quality: A fuzzy start means the proposal ends up bland, incoherent, or unfocused.
Credibility: A bid that looks and reads as cobbled together at the last minute isn’t persuasive and doesn’t inspire trust.
Turning the checklist into a conversation
A simple checklist isn’t enough. Use it to spark a discussion:
What information advantage do we have (e.g., insider intel, strong relationship, competitive insight)?
Can we win and deliver?
What are we bidding to win; and what are we willing to walk away from?
Are we sure of the team, scope, and strategy?
If the answer to most of these is “we don’t know yet,” it’s not time to bid - it’s time to gather more intel or reconsider, and quickly.
Final thought: say a better yes, or a faster no
Not every tender requires a hard no. But every bid deserves a clear, confident decision and some considered strategic thinking.
Use your checklist as a conversation starter.
If the bid is going ahead, define its shape early and make it real.
That’s how you improve quality, save time, and keep your bid team focused.
About the author
Amy Burton-Bradley is a legal tender strategist and the founder of Bidtique. Law Firm Tenders is her resource site for firms who want to sharpen their approach to tenders, bids, and proposals.