This pillar highlights the importance of a clear, shared vision with regard to bids. A well-defined strategy ensures that all efforts are in line with the broader goals of your organization, leading to a more efficient use of resources and a higher chance of winning.

The bid process is determined by the steps that organizations take from finding an opportunity to submitting their final proposal. A mature process is well documented, bid managers work closely together, use technology and the process is continuously being improved.

This pillar focuses on human capital in bid management. As maturity in the bid process increases, organizations move from dedicated bid staff to specialized bid teams. With ongoing training, mentoring programs, and a culture of knowledge sharing

Knowledge management in bid management means capturing, organizing, and using the organization’s expertise and information on bids and winning strategies. A mature knowledge system makes insights transparent and ensures that learnings are systematically captured and accessible to relevant stakeholders, promoting continuous improvement.

Tools include the software and applications that help improve the bid process. As these tools become more advanced, organizations move from using basic software to specialized bid management tools. These advanced tools offer features like analytics, automation, and proactive updates based on user needs.

Artificial Intelligence offers a competitive edge in bid management. This pillar focuses on moving from intuition-based decisions to data-driven strategies. A mature organization uses analytics and AI for predictions, recommendations, and proactive strategy optimization.