Global leading rail manufacturer

Together with the client, Fortlane Partners developed and implemented a robust Bid Management operating model, enabling the client to deliver multiple multi-billion bids per year. The operating model design included a reorganization of the Bid Management function as well as a re-design of core bid processes, their governance and respective roles and responsibilities, enabling a more efficient and standardized yet flexible and result-oriented setup. In addition, Fortlane Partners supported developing core tools and databases along the bid process, further strengthening steering, decision-making and reliability. The developed operating model was successfully implemented together with the client in initial bids.

Bid and Tender Management

Strategy and Growth

Mobility, Transportation, and Infrastructure

Reading Time 2 Minutes

Key Results

Sustainable reorganization and strengthening of the bid management organization

for winning profitable bids more efficiently

Establishment of a robust end-to-end bid process

with clearly defined responsibilities

Introduction of best-in-class tools

enabling synthesis, optimization and steering of all core bid elements

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The challenge

The client is a globally leading manufacturer of rolling stock and related services, responsible for the development, production, and commissioning and maintenance of rolling stock. Hence, the client’s business model is fundamentally based on winning public tenders.

Public tenders are becoming increasingly complex: with higher technical and commercial bars, tighter compliance, and granular evaluation schemes that go far beyond price.
Accordingly, the demands on the bid function rise sharply: winning now requires rapid synthesis and iteration of strategic, commercial, technical, industrialization/supply-chain, legal, and risk aspects into a coherent, compliant, and competitive offer.
The bid operating model must reflect this reality: cross-functional squads, clear ownership and decision rights, stage-gates, and an integrated cost/schedule/risk model as a single source of truth.

The solution

The project followed a parallel approach: (1) joining forces in delivering complex, large bids and (2) building the new operating model concurrently. Thus, not only improvements in running bids could be secured, but also the operating model development followed identified, concrete operational optimization potential. In addition, newly defined structures and processes were introduced and validated quickly and iteratively in respective bids. This practical implementation secured organizational buy-in, created acceptance, and allowed for immediate validation of the new approach. As a result, the new bid management setup enables effective and efficient bid execution, enabling the client to win bids profitably.

Fortlane Partners supported us in restructuring our Bid Management and embedding it within the organization. Since then, we have worked with far greater clarity, traceability, and stability in bid development.