Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about enjoying two quiet days on a light bid after weekend work, until my manager added a second bid with real work late on a Friday. I have rewritten it into advice on handling two bids at once.
After working weekends to finish a proposal and receiving appreciation from the delivery expert, I had a few relaxed days. My manager put me on a new opportunity where the delivery team only needed to send estimates to the account team, so I had almost nothing to do and spent two days enjoying the quiet. On Friday I logged in expecting the same. By the afternoon, my manager had added a second opportunity that did need work.
Why do bids arrive on Friday afternoons?
Clients often issue requests at the end of their week, and account teams pass them on as soon as they arrive. For offshore teams in India, time zones make Friday afternoon a common hand-off point. It helps to expect it rather than resent it.
How do you run two bids without dropping one?
- List every deadline: including internal reviews, in one place.
- Rank by risk, not size: a small bid with a close deadline comes first.
- Delegate what you can: if one bid only needs estimates, let the delivery team send them directly, with you copied.
- Tell both account managers: that you are on two bids, so neither is surprised.
Is it wrong to enjoy a quiet spell?
No. Recovery after a weekend push is healthy. The useful habit is to spend part of a quiet day preparing for the next bid: updating standard content, tidying templates or reading the account's history.
What should you say if you are overloaded?
Tell your manager what you are working on and the dates, and ask which bid takes priority if they clash. A clear question gets a clear decision, and the decision is then theirs to defend.
Does being kept busy mean you are valued?
Often it does: managers give live bids to people they trust. It is worth noticing, and mentioning at appraisal time.