However, the landscape is shifting. Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful tool, particularly for SBMs. While larger firms benefit from existing document management systems and established processes, AI offers SMBs a chance to bridge the gap and compete more effectively.

The challenges of starting from scratch

It is a common scenario. A promising tender arrives at a small firm. Unlike their larger counterparts with readily available libraries of past proposals, they lack a pre-existing pool of relevant content. Each bid becomes an exercise in redundancy – rewriting boilerplate text, searching for relevant past experiences, and ultimately facing tight deadlines.

An initial draft takes an unnecessarily long time to put together, and the hands-on principal is too caught up with case work to give the bid the proper attention it deserves – four or five days towards the due date. The RFP asks for environmental, quality assurance, and other policies, which the firm doesn’t have in place – and takes a long time to put together.

AI: A powerful ally for SMBs

AI steps in here, offering SMBs valuable assistance in several key ways:

• Automated content retrieval: AI can analyse a firm’s existing legal documents and past proposals. It then identifies and extracts relevant sections that address similar legal issues or client needs. This pre-populated content provides a strong foundation for the new proposal, saving countless hours compared to starting from a blank page or manually reviewing previous proposals.
• Smart search functionality: Imagine having a research assistant on steroids. AI-powered search tools can delve into your existing document management system, pinpointing past project experiences, client testimonials, and legal precedents directly relevant to the new tender. This allows you to build a compelling proposal that demonstrates your expertise and directly addresses the client’s specific requirements. It can also help you search through previous emails to find testimonials from clients – something bid and tender writers love to insert into bids, but clients often have a hard time finding them in previous email communication.

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The benefits of AI extend beyond streamlining bid writing. Here are other impactful ways AI can be harnessed by SMBs:

• Building big and content libraries: The dream of a curated library of past successes is becoming more and more achievable for small firms that don’t already have Sharepoint, Microsoft 365 or some form of bid library in place. AI can assist in efficiently organising and classifying your existing proposals, content, and legal documents. This allows you to build your own valuable resource library over time, rivalling the established systems of larger firms.
• Creating professional graphics: Let’s face it, presentation matters. AI-powered graphic design tools can help create infographics, charts, and other visual elements that enhance your proposals and make them stand out. Even without a dedicated design team, you can create professional visuals that add polish and impact to your bids.
• Shifting focus for tailoring responses: With AI taking care of the heavy lifting of content retrieval and organisation, lawyers can dedicate more time to what truly matters: crafting compelling and personalised responses to the specific needs outlined in the tender. This allows you to showcase your firm’s unique value proposition and demonstrate why you are the ideal partner for the client.

Jason Cooney is the director of The Tender Team, a bid-writing and marketing consultancy helping law firms win tenders and bids.