Tender and bid tracker

What the tender and bid tracker does

Winning tenders takes organisation. This tracker lists each opportunity with its client, closing date, estimated value and your bid price, follows it from identified to won or lost, counts the days left to close and shows the value submitted, the value won and your win rate.

Who it is for

Contractors, suppliers and consultants who bid for work from companies, county governments and agencies, and bid managers who coordinate the team.

How to use the workbook

1. Type today's date at the top of the Tenders sheet.
2. Add each tender with its reference, client, description and closing date.
3. Enter the estimated value and your bid price, and update the status as work progresses.
4. Read the days left to close, the value submitted and won, and the win rate.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Days left until each tender closes
• Status from identified to won, lost or withdrawn
• Value of bids submitted and value won
• Win rate worked out from won and lost bids
• Summary of tenders by status with a chart

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Tenders, Summary. The main table has the columns Tender reference; Client; Description; Closing date; Estimated value; Your bid price; Status; Days to close. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Check every tender for required documents, such as tax compliance and registration certificates.
• Start the bid at least a week before it closes.
• Record why you lost; it improves the next bid.
• Keep copies of all submissions and receipts.

Why keep this record

Running a business on memory works until it grows. Writing the numbers down turns opinions into facts you can compare month to month, and shows early which products, customers or costs deserve attention. Even a simple workbook, used every week, usually beats a sophisticated one that is opened once a year.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

A plan is only as good as the numbers you put in. Start with honest estimates, update the workbook as real figures arrive, and compare the two so your next estimate is better. Save a dated copy each month so you can see how your thinking changed.

Read how to build a cash flow forecast for the wider picture. Free calculators that go with it: Vat calculator. See more business templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Free calculator: VAT Calculator
• Guide: VAT invoices and quotations in Kenya: what to include and common mistakes
• Guide: Buying off-plan property in Kenya: the risks and the checks to run
• Guide: Import VAT in Kenya: how to claim it back on your VAT return
• Another template: Pricing and markup calculator
• Another template: Product price list with VAT
• Another template: Product profitability analyser

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.