Before becoming an entrepreneur, I spent approximately 16 years managing units involved in RDI projects, international consulting projects in the education sector, and international expert service projects. During my years as an entrepreneur, I have also gained insight into how my clients manage their project and tender activities.

A Generic Model for Project and Tender Actvity Management

Drawing on these experiences, I have outlined a generic model for managing project and tender activities. 

In this context, project activities primarily refer to externally funded, non-profit projects. Tender activities refer to commercial activities that usually involve an open or restricted national or international competitive tendering process. The model is “generic” because different project portfolios, project types, and forms of tendering naturally have their own specific characteristics. My model has been developed particularly on the basis of experience gained from RDI activities in higher education institutions, the education services business, and education export. 

However, I believe the model can also be applied in higher education institutions, vocational education and training providers, municipalities, and companies offering expert services. 

Project and Tender Management

By project and tender management, I mean project portfolio management. This includes formulating a strategy for RDI, development, or service business activities delivered through projects. The strategy guides project activities and decisions, including project selection. 

Management also involves dividing project and tender activities into distinct stages and developing the processes, responsibilities, and tools required at each stage. 

The purpose of project and tender management is to guide, in practical terms, the selection, planning, implementation, and closure of projects and tenders, as well as organisational learning from completed projects. 

Objectives of Project and Tender Management

Project and tender activities naturally have partly different objectives. Objectives also vary between organisations such as companies, higher education institutions, and municipalities. Despite these differences, project and tender management also has several common objectives, including: 

- Increasing revenue from project or tender activities 

- Improving the profitability of commercial projects 

- Covering development costs through externally funded projects 

- Improving customer and stakeholder satisfaction by clarifying and enhancing project and tender lifecycle management processes, including communication, document management, and contracting practices 

- Strengthening the organisation’s reputation as a professional project and tender operator 

- Using the resources allocated to project planning and tender preparation more efficiently by improving processes, tools, and organisational arrangements 

- Improving the efficiency of project implementation and closure by developing the relevant processes and tools 

- Enhancing competence, motivation, and job satisfaction by clarifying processes, introducing appropriate tools, and learning from projects 

- Allocating resources more effectively by committing only to the planning, implementation, and tendering of projects that support the organisation’s strategy and meet the established criteria 

- Reducing the likelihood of risks materialising by improving risk management throughout the entire project and tender lifecycle 

Ways to Improve Project and Tender Management

The most appropriate development measures naturally depend on the organisation’s situation. However, a good practice at the beginning of the development process is often to assess the current state of operations and involve employees working in different roles across the organisation. An external facilitator may also be engaged to support the assessment. The assessment should provide a comprehensive picture of the organisation’s current project and tender management practices. 

Measures for improving project and tender activities may relate to: 

- Developing the strategy and its implementation 

- Improving processes and clarifying responsibilities 

- Developing organisational arrangements and support structures 

- Developing partnership structures and making use of outsourcing 

- Developing tools 

- Building a comprehensive understanding of the activities, for example by dividing project-based work into clearly defined lifecycle stages 

- Developing competence and identifying effective approaches to professional development