Tender Evaluations: Why you don't score well on innovation (and how to fix it)

When a tender asks about innovation, many of you may think this is all about:

• Expensive technology

• Complex digital systems

• Big, disruptive ideas

In reality, that’s not what most evaluators are looking for.

Innovation questions are not about who has the flashiest idea. They are about who can deliver better outcomes in a practical, low-risk way.

Why buyers ask about innovation

Procurement teams include innovation questions because they want to know:

• Can this supplier improve on “business as usual”?

• Will this contract get better over time, not just stay the same?

• Is this supplier proactive or purely reactive?

• Can they reduce cost, risk, or inefficiency through smarter ways of working?

Innovation is about value, not novelty.

What innovation actually means to evaluators

To evaluators, innovation usually means:

• A better way of delivering the service

• A smarter process that saves time or money

• A method that improves quality or reliability

• An approach that reduces risk or rework

• A system that improves visibility or reporting

It does not usually mean:

• Untested ideas

• High-risk experiments

• Over-engineered solutions

• Technology for its own sake

Evaluators want simple solutions, not disruption.

What strong innovation answers focus on

High-scoring innovation responses tend to show three things:

1. A clear improvement on current practice

Evaluators want to see:

• What you do differently

• Why it is better than standard practice

• What problem it solves

Strong answers explain:

• What normally happens

• What you would do instead

• How that change improves outcomes

This makes innovation tangible, not theoretical.

2. Practical and deliverable ideas

Innovation must be realistic.

Evaluators look for:

• Ideas that can be implemented within the contract

• Methods that fit the client’s environment

• Improvements that don’t introduce unnecessary risk

They will score higher for:

• Simple, well-thought-out improvements

• Ideas that build on proven methods

• Approaches that are easy to adopt

If it sounds too complex to deliver, it usually scores poorly.

3. Evidence that it works

Claims alone don’t score.

Evaluators prefer:

• Examples from previous contracts

• Measurable results

• Lessons learned from real delivery

Strong responses show:

• Where the idea has been used before

• What changed as a result

• How it improved cost, time, quality, or safety

This turns innovation into proof, not promise.

What weak innovation answers usually look like

Lower-scoring responses often:

• List generic buzzwords (digital, smart, agile, automated)

• Describe tools instead of outcomes

• Repeat standard processes and call them innovative

• Propose ideas without explaining the benefit

• Suggest untested approaches without risk controls

These answers feel vague and give evaluators nothing solid to score.

How to structure an innovation answer

A simple structure that works well is:

• What is the challenge?

• What is your innovative approach?

• How is it different from standard practice?

• What benefit does it create?

• Where has it worked before?

This keeps the focus on:

• Improvement

• Practicality

• Evidence

Which is exactly what evaluators are assessing.

Innovation is about outcomes, not ideas

The strongest innovation answers are not the most creative ones.

They are the ones that:

• Improve delivery

• Reduce risk

• Save time or cost

• Increase quality

• Make performance easier to manage

Innovation in tenders is about doing things better - not just doing new things.

Still need further guidance? Get in touch and we can help!

Reach our team on enquiries@kiwibidsupport.co.nz or use our online enquiry form.