The furlough scheme in the UK has given employers breathing space, but with an end in sight, as reported in The Guardian (here) recently, the unemployment outlook is grim. And the UK is not alone. Countries from the United States to Australia and Japan to Portugal are all struggling to address unemployment in the post-pandemic world.

At the same time, travel restrictions and lockdowns have given people time to think – with many considering their options.

What coronavirus has taught us is that in a number of industries flexible working arrangements are not only feasible, but also preferable, with or without a pandemic. We need to prepare for this.

At the end of this crisis, bid professionals can benefit from working together and acting as a collective.

Alone is hard, together is better.

That’s why BiD Masters has accelerated its long-term plan and is launching a new opportunity for bid and proposal professionals.

Why now?

There are going to be increased job losses and there are going to be bid professionals looking for opportunities. At the same time, large-scale industry projects are being encouraged. Project Speed has been developed to boost investment in infrastructure and accelerate progress and the Construction Sector Deal is an example of existing government support to bolster the economy. This means bids and proposals are back on the table – in a big way.

What’s the opportunity?

Currently, the three options to work in the bid and proposal profession are: as a company employee, employed by an agency or as a freelancer.

BiD Masters is set to change that, providing opportunities for like-minded bid and proposal professionals to share in the success and financial rewards BiD Masters brings by becoming a Network Partner.

This franchise model provides Network Partners with the satisfaction and security of being an integral part of delivering best-practice for the profession, as well as the freedom of running an independent business while being a part of a much bigger team. Sharing the opportunity leverages the skills, experience and connections of experienced professionals to accelerate growth for everyone involved.

What does that really mean?

It means there are opportunities for bid and proposal professionals – bidmasters of all kinds – to work together as Network Partners under a common methodology with consistent standards. BiD Masters Network Partners benefit from the ability to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and ambitions – whether that is by using contacts and experience to bring in work from a diverse range of sectors, delivering some or all of that work, with a qualified team to support all aspects, or simply delivering specific skills in support of other Network Partners.

It benefits industry, too.

As a burgeoning profession, there is a lack of consistency and best practice for outsourced support, which is, delivered predominantly by independent contractors using their own standards. The Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) consistently strives to share best practice across the industry, but adoption is key. In response, BiD Masters developed its REWARD^® methodology, which delivers consistency across all areas of bid and proposal production.

If you’re interested in learning more about what it takes to become a Network Partner, drop us a line here. If you think this sounds interesting, but you’re not ready to commit, stay tuned for more details.