Impossible tender requirements Thread poster: Miranda Drew
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Miranda Drew 
Italy
Local time: 22:39
Member (2009)
Italian to English
Yes, I work with agencies (don't judge). I usually refuse to participate when they want to bid for client tenders because the end rates will not be viable for me. Though I have participated at times with long-term clients of mine.
I don't understand what's going on with tenders now. They are asking me to spend hours adapting my CV to the specific tender requirements, provide letters of reference (!!! - not happening because of confidentiality agreements which I take seriously) and ... See more Yes, I work with agencies (don't judge). I usually refuse to participate when they want to bid for client tenders because the end rates will not be viable for me. Though I have participated at times with long-term clients of mine.
I don't understand what's going on with tenders now. They are asking me to spend hours adapting my CV to the specific tender requirements, provide letters of reference (!!! - not happening because of confidentiality agreements which I take seriously) and just now, asked me to provide a CV in a language I don't even speak!
Obviously I say no to these requests, but I don't understand all these ridiculous requirements, especially because we all know the end client usually just chooses the cheapest bid. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | For the sake of appearances? | Sep 8, 2022 |
Like you, I don't bother with these requests. Years ago, I used to occasionally for long-standing clients, and I did actually get a bit of work that way, but I haven't had any requests for ages now.
My guess as to the point of requesting these armfuls of documentation is that they want to go through the motions of looking terribly thorough, perhaps to avoid litigation from disgruntled losing bidders who might allege that the tender procedure was flawed because the translators used f... See more Like you, I don't bother with these requests. Years ago, I used to occasionally for long-standing clients, and I did actually get a bit of work that way, but I haven't had any requests for ages now.
My guess as to the point of requesting these armfuls of documentation is that they want to go through the motions of looking terribly thorough, perhaps to avoid litigation from disgruntled losing bidders who might allege that the tender procedure was flawed because the translators used for bids weren't vetted properly and/or weren't used for the work in the end. Or maybe there are procurement rules that require scrutiny of subcontractors' track records and qualifications. In any case, like you, I believe that cost tends to be the overriding criterion when it comes to awarding contracts, so as you say, it's usually going to be a huge waste of time. It amazes me that any agency would seriously expect us to jump through all these hoops on the off-chance.
The cynic in me sometimes wonders whether the point of requesting letters of reference from satisfied customers is to have a go at poaching our clients. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | I've stopped responding too | Sep 10, 2022 |
In decades of translating, I don't remember any client coming back to me and saying we won that tender. They must be relying on bids from younger and less experienced translators who don't realise they're wasting their time.
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:39
Member (2008)
Italian to English
philgoddard wrote:
In decades of translating, I don't remember any client coming back to me and saying we won that tender. They must be relying on bids from younger and less experienced translators who don't realise they're wasting their time.
Same here
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Lingua 5B
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 22:39
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| Impossible etc. | Sep 10, 2022 |
They are impossible because it’s the list of requirements issued by the procuring body.
Otherwise, I don’t respond to those offers, it’s a waste of time like said previously in the thread.
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 23:39
Member
English to Turkish
| Oddly enough | Sep 10, 2022 |
I received the same test piece from two different agencies for apparently the same tender this week. I translated one slightly different than the other. I wonder if I did the right thing... they were both paid tests.
| | | | AnnaSCHTR
United States
Local time: 15:39
English to Czech
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| Waste of time | Sep 11, 2022 |
Unless they pay for the test and unless there are no excessive requirements, it makes no sense for me. I cannot and would not offer any "lowest possible rate", which is mostly what all those bidding wars are about.
| | | | Panopticon
Spain
Local time: 22:39
Member (2012)
Spanish to English
| I get these from time to time too | Sep 12, 2022 |
I get a lot of these requests from agencies wanting to bid for EU tenders. Coincidentally, I was checking the EU Tenders page the other day and noticed a document announcing the winning bidders for translation services. I thought I would download the document and find out which agencies had been awarded the Spanish to English contract, with a view to introducing myself and offering my services to them. And guess what? One of the winning bidders (there were only three) was a translation agency fr... See more I get a lot of these requests from agencies wanting to bid for EU tenders. Coincidentally, I was checking the EU Tenders page the other day and noticed a document announcing the winning bidders for translation services. I thought I would download the document and find out which agencies had been awarded the Spanish to English contract, with a view to introducing myself and offering my services to them. And guess what? One of the winning bidders (there were only three) was a translation agency from Greece that had recently sent me an email asking me if I would like to participate in an EU tender with them to which I had agreed but told them that they would have to fill out the CVs and any documentation themselves! That was the tender from 2019, and to date I have never heard from them again!
I think a lot of these agencies just use you and your CV to win customers but never actually intend to give you any work. ▲ Collapse
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Miranda Drew
Italy
Local time: 22:39
Member (2009)
Italian to English
TOPIC STARTER
Martin Henderson wrote:
I think a lot of these agencies just use you and your CV to win customers but never actually intend to give you any work.
This is what I've always thought. That's why I've only ever agreed to maybe 2 tenders, with clients that I'd worked with for a very long time.
I'm just amused (and confused) at the increase in completely impossible and ridiculous requirements. Especially this time, asking me for my CV in a language I don't speak and don't work in!
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philgoddard wrote:
In decades of translating, I don't remember any client coming back to me and saying we won that tender. They must be relying on bids from younger and less experienced translators who don't realise they're wasting their time.
I once participated and had a paid test which I passed easily according to the agency (it won the tender) but then, after the first job, no longer contacted me for the other translations when the tender was for 3 years, so they must have passed on the work to someone else, hence it's definitely not worth wasting your time and sending certificates when you do not really know how they are going to be used. No thanks then.
| | | | | I'd write a CV in German or French, e. g. | Sep 12, 2022 |
Even though I don't technically work with those languages; it's not a problem these days with MT engines and internets. If they asked me to provide a CV in Chinese, I'd order a tranalstion (I know, I know, there's always a risk of having your leg pulled when the target language is Chinese and you can't verify the translation quality, the only thing you can do is run the text through a couple of MT engines to see if it's not pure MT). My question is if the whole thing is worth it. I did translati... See more Even though I don't technically work with those languages; it's not a problem these days with MT engines and internets. If they asked me to provide a CV in Chinese, I'd order a tranalstion (I know, I know, there's always a risk of having your leg pulled when the target language is Chinese and you can't verify the translation quality, the only thing you can do is run the text through a couple of MT engines to see if it's not pure MT). My question is if the whole thing is worth it. I did translation tests for bids; they were huge and difficult. My company paid me for doing them, so I didn't mind. I know of two instances where my translations won the bid, but I'd never bet they would. The only thing the procurement people care about is the price tag. There's always an Asian who will do the same thing better for cheaper. Maybe it's not so with European tenders, I have no experience there ▲ Collapse
| | | | Adieu
Ukrainian to English
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| How does that even work? | Sep 12, 2022 |
If YOU'RE the one doing the bid, using your name and credentials, what exactly are they bringing to the table for their presumably-huge cut?
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