Thursday, October 4, 2018

Getting a Bid Deck Ready for Leadership Review

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about finally getting a slow delivery expert to review my solution deck, then submitting it for a leadership review I had not prepared for. I have rewritten it into advice on getting a deck ready for senior review.

The delivery expert had promised updates within an hour or by the end of the day, and neither came. I went home frustrated, and she did not respond the next day either. I called and asked for a few minutes, and she finally reviewed the deck and suggested some changes. I was relieved that my draft covered everything the client had asked for. What I did not realise was that it would go to leadership next, and I submitted it for their review without preparing.

What does a leadership review look for?

Different things from a technical review. Leaders ask whether the solution wins the deal, whether the price and risk make sense, and whether the story is clear to a client executive. A deck that answers every requirement can still fail if it does not say why the client should choose you.

How do you prepare a deck for senior review?

Open with a one-slide summary: the client's problem, your answer, the price range and the main risk.
State assumptions plainly: leaders will probe them first.
Know the numbers: effort, team size and how they were estimated.
Have the expert on the call: so solution questions are answered by the person who owns them.

What should you do after heavy feedback?

Write down every change requested, agree an owner for each, and confirm the list by mail. Re-review with the delivery expert before resubmitting, so the changes do not create new gaps.

Why is it worth asking about the review path early?

Because each organisation has its own gates. Knowing at kick-off that leadership will review, and when, lets you plan the draft for that audience instead of reworking it at the last minute.

Was the frustration worth it?

The deck was submitted and the process worked. The lesson I took was to ask the review path at the start of every bid.