Thoughtful bid and submission support for design-led organisations.
Response by Design provides calm, structured support for bids and submissions in design-led contexts. Working collaboratively with architecture, cultural and specialist design practices, we help teams interpret briefs carefully, bring order to the procurement process, and shape responses that are coherent, evidence-led and representative of how they think and work. Support is typically provided at key moments within a pursuit, offering senior-level input across bid strategy, bid management and business development, alongside the development and refinement of core bid resources and processes. The focus is on thoughtful decision-making and clear communication, helping practices pursue the right opportunities and respond with confidence without adding unnecessary noise to an already demanding process.
Services
Support is shaped around each practice and each opportunity. The services below reflect typical areas of support, provided individually or in combination depending on the studio’s needs at the time.
Bid and submission strategy
Clarifying positioning, priorities and approach at the outset of a pursuit.
Opportunity review and go / no-go decision-making
Supporting early assessment of opportunities, including the design of clear and practical go / no-go templates to guide decision-making.
Bid management and coordination
Providing structured support to plan, manage and coordinate submissions through to completion.
Bid plan template design
Developing clear, usable bid plan templates that support realistic programming, responsibilities and milestones.
Response shaping and review
Developing, reviewing and refining bid narratives to improve clarity, coherence and alignment with evaluation criteria.
Process mapping and working practices
Bringing clarity to bid processes, roles and workflows to support smoother delivery and reduce friction.
Core bid resources and templates
Developing and refining templates, text libraries, CVs and case studies to improve consistency and quality.
Pipeline management design
Supporting the design of clear, proportionate pipeline tracking tools that help practices prioritise opportunities and plan resources effectively.
File structure and content organisation
Helping establish clear, logical approaches to file storage, version control and content accessibility.
Interim and ad hoc support
Providing senior-level input during busy periods, transitions or gaps in internal capacity.
How we can work together
Introductory call
We usually begin with a short introductory call to discuss your studio’s needs, the context of the work, and what support would be most useful. Introductory calls are complimentary and typically last around 30 minutes. For existing relationships or time-sensitive bids, this step may be abbreviated or skipped where appropriate.
01 Proposed scope and approach
Following the discussion, a short proposal is prepared outlining the suggested scope of support, priorities and approach. For specific bids or established relationships, this may be agreed more informally.
02 Agreeing timescales and ways of working
Timescales, key milestones and ways of working are agreed, including points of contact, review cycles, and how inputs and decisions will be managed.
03 Delivery and collaboration
Support is delivered in a calm, structured and collaborative way, working closely with directors and bid or design teams as needed. Work is primarily undertaken remotely, with in-office support in London available by agreement where it adds value.
04 Review and next steps
At the end of the piece of work, we review what has been delivered and capture any learning or updates to resources, templates or processes. Further support can then be agreed if required.
Commercial approach
For ad hoc bid support, work is typically charged on a day-rate basis. The rate may vary depending on the nature and complexity of the submission, such as a PQQ, tender or design competition.
For more proactive pieces of work, including process design and the review or update of resources and templates, support is usually provided on a fixed, time-bound basis. This allows for a clearly defined scope, agreed timescales and certainty on cost from the outset.
In all cases, the approach is agreed in advance and shaped around the needs of the studio and the specific piece of work.