A lot of work goes into putting tenders together, especially when they are all entirely different. It is a demanding and painstaking process, which is why, here at Flow, we speak of “being tenderised” after completing them.
One of Flow’s graphic designers, Neo Male, worked on compiling a tender for South Africa Tourism several months ago, which Flow ultimately won. “As with any tender it was a matter of putting content together showcasing what Flow is capable of doing and how, through our portfolio and experience in the field, we could add value to SA Tourism,” explained Neo.
She went on to add, “It was refreshing as it was something a little different [this time]; it wasn’t a design or website development tender but one focused purely on writing.”
The process is demanding and unpredictable; producing what the client wants can be tricky. Expectations can range: we can be give carte blanche on the design concept or instructions to create an innovative yet simple design, or we have to follow strict and complex guidelines on what we can and cannot do.
Given the hard work and late nights that go hand-in-hand with this process, you might guess that Flow Communications has been a very busy place in the last couple of months. You’d be right, and now we’re reaping the rewards. Flow has won three tenders in a very short space of time: the Housing Development Agency (HDA), the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) and South Africa Tourism.
Flow will be working on two annual reports, writing parts of the GEPF’s and designing, laying out and printing that of the HDA. We’ll also be working on the HDA’s website design, content and development.
Another of Flow’s graphic designers, George Xafis, worked on the HDA tender, which was his first project at Flow. “Working on my first project (on my first day of work) was a tad nerve-wracking as I was in the spotlight [and under pressure] to create something worthwhile. However, I enjoyed the responsibility of creating the tender for HDA and now I look forward to designing their annual report,” he says.
Flow also won a three-year contract for the South Africa Tourism website, focused on writing and sub-editing travel- and tourism-related content on three provinces: the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
Flow’s junior project manager, Zintle Mtyeku, has assisted on numerous tenders and enjoys the thrill of putting it all together. “The fun side is the adrenalin rush you get when you are racing against the deadline. In the end, it’s all worth it,” she says.
We are excited about our new clients and look forward to fruitful and long-lasting relationships.