Big opportunities often start quietly. A single line in meeting notes, a mention in a council report; a subtle hint that something big is coming. Whether it'd be a city planning project, a new transport network or a hospital exploring equipment upgrades. Proactive suppliers catch those initial signals early. They take the time to understand what is ahead, make connections, and get ready long before the tender notice. 

Because proactivity is not just about reacting faster. It’s about seeing what others miss and being ready when it matters. Across Europe, thousands of public documents reveal what’s next if you know where to look.

This guide shows you where to find these clues. And you’ll learn why proactivity makes all the difference, what the rules allow, and how to use early insights, data, and teamwork to stay ahead in public procurement.

 

Why you should be proactive as a supplier

Working within the public sector is a chance to build long-term stability and predictable revenue. Public procurement across Europe is worth over €2 trillion each year, representing almost 14% of the EU’s GDP. 

But here’s the catch: by the time a tender is published, the most important decisions have already been made. The budget is fixed, the scope is set, and the opportunity to make an impact has fleeted.

Proactive suppliers get ahead because they act early. They prepare before tenders are published, build relationships, and shape their offers around what buyers truly need. In public procurement, success starts long before a notice appears online.

 

Does proactivity threaten transparency and fairness?

Some suppliers worry that early engagement might seem unfair or even go against the procurement rules. However, that’s not the case. In both national and EU frameworks, suppliers are free to engage with buyers before a tender notice. Once the process starts, the rules tighten, ensuring transparency and equal treatment for all suppliers, so everyone has access to the same information. 

That’s exactly why being proactive matters. It’s your chance to help buyers understand what’s possible. As Fredo Schotanus, Professor of Procurement at Utrecht University, explains: “Early engagement works best when buyers and suppliers have open, focused conversations about real needs and challenges, not endless questionnaires.” The Early Market Engagement report by UNOPS suggests the same: transparent dialogue makes tenders stronger and reduces risk when it’s structured and documented properly.

 

How to be proactive in public procurement

Being proactive means two things: getting noticed early on and being prepared when it counts, while abiding to procurement rules. Let’s break down how to do so, step by step.

 

Suppliers are visible before the tender goes live

Step one: get noticed before the tender is published. The research article ‘Explaining SME participation and success in public procurement’ explains how buyers are far more likely to trust and remember suppliers they already know. Early connections often make all the difference when the actual opportunity comes along.

Here are 5 easy ways to boost your visibility and get on a buyer’s radar early.

1. Engage early through an RFI

Reply to a Request for Information (RFI) to help buyers shape realistic, supplier-friendly tenders. Suppliers who join early are often more in sync with what buyers want — and more likely to be invited again. 

When you write your RFI: 

• Speak the buyer’s language. Use the same words, KPIs and policy terms you see in their previous tenders or strategy papers. It shows you’ve done your homework.
• Be clear and professional. Avoid jargon, check for typos or grammar errors, and be clear. For example: minute differences like by versus for can completely change the meaning of what you're trying to say.
• Show you understand their needs. Focus on how you help buyers reach their goals.
• Ask for help if needed. Parties like a design or marketing agency can make sure your document looks sharp and reads smoothly.

 

2. Discover sales leads early in your bid process. 

Public buyers make investment decisions long before tenders appear. A sales lead worth pursuing is a buyer with a defined need, a budget (now or soon), and a clear timeline. If you see one of those signals, you know that’s your window to build a pipeline and shape demand. 

How do you discover the sales leads early? Track purchase decisions or presale information in council reports, meeting minutes, budget lines and procurement calendars. The best monitoring tools in the field help you easily identify future investments. So you can prepare early and be ready before others even notice.

 

3. Be present at market consultations

Market consultations are where future tenders take shape. The feedback you share during these consultations help shape the final contract — so make it count. Do your homework, understand the buyer, and bring practical examples that show what’s possible.

Good tender monitoring solutions helps you to track when buyers plan new consultations or renew contracts, so you know exactly when to step in. Being involved early gives you a voice. It’s your chance to share your knowledge, influence what buyers ask for, and help buyers write tenders that reflect real market solutions and keeps the process open and balanced for everyone, according to Merja Kortesuo (ICT Procurement Lawyer) and Robert Suurmond (Associate Professor at Maastricht University).

 

4. Be visible and get in touch

Strong relationships make you memorable. Buyers are more likely to reach out when they know who you are and what you stand for. As research shows, suppliers with active networks are better positioned to compete and win — because those relationships help lower barriers and make tendering more worthwhile.

Start simple, here are a few ideas:

• Attend key events like NEVI Procurement Day or Inkopers op de Golfbaan. 

• Join industry meetups or congresses to connect with buyers in your target markets.

• Share useful insights on your website, LinkedIn, or during events. Consider topics along the lines of trends, innovation, or challenges regarding your field.

• Focus on value, not sales. Show that you understand the buyer’s challenges and that you're the one who can help solve them.

 

5. Leverage existing relationships and past procurement data

Past data gives insight into future opportunities. If you’ve worked with a buyer before, absolutely use that knowledge to your advantage — consider how they prefer to communicate, what systems they use, how they make decisions.

Buyers often reuse the same requirements or criteria. Advanced tendering monitoring solutions also help you identify these patterns. You can see which contracts are expiring, which criteria repeat, and where similar tenders are likely to appear next. Here’s what to analyse:

• Review past awards to understand which requirements are used over and over again.
• Analyse data like contract values and bidder numbers to gauge competitiveness.
• Identify contract values and durations so you can estimate the scale and scope of future tenders. 

 

Successful suppliers are well-prepared

Prepared suppliers don’t panic when a tender is published. They’re already ready. They know where every document is, who’s responsible for what, and how to pull everything together. Research shows that suppliers with organised processes bid more often and go after larger contracts. Here’s how to get there: 

 

1. Keep your bid materials ready. 

Being organised saves time and shows buyers you’re professional and reliable. Create a bid library with your key documents: CVs, case studies, company policies, and answers to common questions. Store them in a shared environment, like Mercell, so your team always works with the latest version. Plus, having clear templates and file names means you easily find the right documents and save hours of searching.

You can also build a set of reusable answers. Look at scoring criteria or common questions from past tenders, like quality assurance, risk management, or sustainability, and write short, focused answers that reflect your expertise. They’ll help you respond quicker and keep your messaging consistent.

 

2. Follow up and learn from every tender

Whether you win or lose, you can gather insights from every tender. Ask the buyer for a debrief or evaluation summary so you can see where you scored well and where there’s room to improve. Research shows that suppliers who use each tender as a learning moment, strengthen their bids and improve their success rate over time. 

Here’s how to make most of it:

• Review your scores. See which sections earned high marks and which didn’t.

• Identify patterns. Maybe your answers were too broad, missed key details, or lacked clear proof.

• Improve for next time. Rewrite weak answers, tighten your structure, and add specific examples.

 

3. Bring your experts in early

Writing strong bids is never a one-person job. They’re built with input from your technical, legal, and financial experts — the people who know the details best. This way, you’ll flag risks, check feasibility, and shape answers that reflect your company’s real strengths. 

Use these 3 steps to effectively involve your experts:

1. Kick off as a team: Start with a meeting to clarify roles, review requirements, and agree on the timeline. 
2. Collaborate in one platform: Use one platform to keep your documents, feedback and deadlines organised. 
3. Review your work: Double-check every requirement before submission. Let each expert verify their part to make sure your bid is compliant and complete. 

 

Build a proactive workflow with Mercell

Everything you’ve read so far — spotting the early signals, using data, staying visible, working as a team — comes together here.  We've designed Mercell with the intention to make proactivity effortless, turning every step of your bid journey into one streamlined workflow. 

Let’s go over how each phase fits together and what you can expect from the platform at every stage.

1. Identify
Every opportunity starts long before you see a tender notice. Gathers early procurement indicators through public documents, like meeting minutes or council reports. You’ll see potential projects before tenders are even written, giving you time to research, prepare, and decide what to focus on.

2. Analyse
Once you’ve found an opportunity, dig into the details. Use Explore to find similar past contracts, see contract awards, and what buyers valued most. Then, with Market Intelligence, discover patterns in contract values, buyer behaviour, and competition. This turns raw data into a clear strategy, helping you position your offer in a smarter, more focused way.

3. Collaborate
Use Bid Delivery to bring your team of experts together — assign roles, set deadlines, and manage documents in one shared space. No endless email chains or lost documents. Everyone sees what needs to be done and when, so your bid moves forward smoothly and efficiently.

4. Deliver
By the time the tender is published, you’re ready. All the preparations, analysis, and teamwork come together in a clear, complete bid. You can respond quickly, confidently, and in line with what buyers really need.