Writing bids is no small feat. It’s fast-paced, deadline-driven, and high-stakes. Whether you’re tendering for government contracts, responding to commercial RFQs, or submitting funding proposals, bid writing can be intense and mentally taxing. So how do you keep your team energised, focused, and working together like a well-oiled machine?
The answer might be simpler (and more fun) than you think: team games.
No, not trust falls or awkward away-day icebreakers—but strategic, engaging, and sometimes silly team-building games designed specifically to improve collaboration, encourage communication, and ultimately boost your win rate.
Let’s explore how gamifying the bid process and introducing the right activities can make your proposal team stronger—and more successful.
Why Bid Writing Teams Need Team Building
Bid teams often work in high-pressure environments with long hours, tight turnarounds, and last-minute curveballs. Teams are usually cross-functional too—made up of writers, subject matter experts, project managers, finance leads, and graphic designers. While everyone has their own expertise, seamless collaboration is what wins bids.
Here’s where team-building games come in:
- They break down silos
- Improve interpersonal trust
- Encourage creative thinking
- Sharpen problem-solving skills
- Add levity to long days
And when your team works better together, your bids don’t just go out the door—they stand out.
5 Fun And Effective Team Games For Bid Writing Teams
Below are five easy-to-run, low-cost games that build real skills while injecting energy and humour into your bid-writing environment.
1. The 30-Minute Mock Bid-Off
How it works:
Split your team into two or more groups. Give each team a mock RFP (request for proposal)—real or fictional—with a silly twist (e.g. “Supply of tea to intergalactic bases”). Each team has 30 minutes to prepare a short written response or pitch. Include basic evaluation criteria like clarity, persuasiveness, creativity, and use of technical language.
Why it works:
It encourages rapid collaboration, smart delegation, and thinking under pressure—mirroring the real bid experience. Plus, it’s a great way to involve junior team members in a low-stakes, fun setting.
2. Proposal Pictionary
How it works:
Just like regular Pictionary, but with a bid-specific theme. Create a list of common bid terms or industry jargon (e.g. “value-add”, “mobilisation plan”, “Gantt chart”, “innovation”). One person draws the concept while the rest guess.
Why it works:
It reinforces shared language, adds a humorous twist to dry terminology, and makes learning fun. It’s also great for mixed-experience teams or onboarding new colleagues.
3. The Deadline Domino Challenge
How it works:
Set up a Rube Goldberg-style challenge using everyday office items (paperclips, staplers, coffee cups, etc.). The goal: build a chain reaction that ends with a symbolic “bid submission”—like pushing a paper into a tray or clicking a mouse.
Why it works:
While this seems purely playful, it’s actually a great metaphor for bid writing: sequential tasks, timing, and coordination. It’s a brilliant break activity that subtly reinforces project flow.
4. The Word Ban Game
How it works:
Pick overused or cliché bid terms (like “world-class”, “cutting-edge”, or “seamless integration”). Ban those words for an hour, a meeting, or even a whole day. If someone uses a banned term, they earn a (fun) forfeit—like doing a tea run or telling a joke.
Why it works:
This helps writers become more aware of lazy language and encourages originality and clarity. It also brings a bit of light-hearted pressure to communicate differently.
5. Tender Trivia Time
How it works:
Host a mini quiz at the end of a long writing session. Include questions about past bids, company knowledge, client facts, or industry regulations. Include a few ridiculous or pop culture questions for balance.
Why it works:
It tests recall, boosts team memory, and encourages knowledge-sharing. If your team often works remotely, this is a great way to keep the social energy flowing in virtual environments too.
How Team Games Affect Performance
It’s easy to dismiss team games as distractions from the ‘real work’. But evidence shows that teams who play together, perform better. In high-stress environments like bidding, small morale boosts and creative breaks can:
- Reduce burnout and mental fatigue
- Improve concentration
- Boost communication clarity
- Strengthen team dynamics under pressure
Even better, a relaxed, trusting team is more likely to challenge bad ideas, offer honest feedback, and collaborate more freely—the exact qualities needed to craft a winning bid.
Practical Tips For Introducing Team Games
- Time It Right: Use games as icebreakers at kick-off meetings, energisers during long writing days, or rewards after major deadlines.
- Keep It Inclusive: Make sure games don’t favour extroverts or senior team members—everyone should feel welcome.
- Link It To Learning: Whenever possible, tie the activity back to a bid skill or process so it feels relevant.
- Don’t Overdo It: A 15-minute game here and there goes a long way. It’s team building, not summer camp.
Take A Break From Your Bids!
Bid writing is serious business—but that doesn’t mean your team has to be serious all the time. Injecting a little play into the process can build a stronger, sharper, and more connected team—one that works more efficiently and with greater creativity.
So the next time you’re knee-deep in a 100-page tender, consider taking a break not just for a cuppa, but for a quick game of Proposal Pictionary or a mini bid-off. It might just help you work better—and win more.
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