Free Bid Presentation Checklist
A free one-page checklist for bid teams: everything to check before your shortlist presentation, from evaluation criteria to the day itself.
Sarah Coburn
11/9/20262 min read
The shortlist presentation is often where contracts are won or lost. Use this free checklist to make sure nothing is missed, from the evaluation criteria to the moment you walk into the room. Print it, share it with your bid team, and tick it off as you go. Download the printable PDF version.
Before you build the deck
Get the evaluation criteria and weightings, and note the order the panel will score them in.
Confirm the format: time allowed, Q&A length, in person or remote, and who sits on the panel.
Write down the client's top three problems in their own words.
Agree the one sentence you want the panel to remember about your team.
Structure and slides
Open with the client's problem, not your company history.
Map each section to a scoring criterion, so evaluators can tick boxes as you go.
Use evidence: case studies, outcomes and named examples rather than claims.
Keep slides lean: if the panel is reading, they are not listening.
Close with a short summary of why you, tied back to their priorities.
People in the room
Bring the people who will actually deliver the work.
Give the opening and closing to one strong lead presenter.
Agree who answers which topics: price, risk, technical detail, delivery plan.
Rehearsal
Run at least one full timed rehearsal, with a buffer for overruns.
Practise every handover between speakers so it flows as one story.
Hold a mock panel with the hardest questions you can think of, including price and past problems.
Test the tech: laptop, adapters, clicker, video links and a backup copy of the deck.
On the day
Arrive early and check the room, screen and seating.
Introduce everyone briefly and state the agenda and timings.
Watch the clock and protect time for Q&A.
Leave behind a one-page summary if the format allows.
For more detail on each step, read Bid Presentation Tips: How to Win the Room When the Contract Is on the Line.
Need a confident lead presenter for your bid?
EPCS provides professional presenters who deliver the core narrative while your specialists handle the technical questions. For a confidential conversation, contact Sarah Coburn at sarah@executivepresentation.org or 07508 031644.