CRM, bids & contract management

Why

A sales team needs to find its contacts, work already undertaken, and next actions for each opportunity. CRM organizes this tracking; the Contracts module then brings together the bid and delivery of the awarded contract, through to preparing invoices in the ERP. Information stays linked throughout the work, with a clear distinction between expected revenue, an awarded contract, and an invoiced receivable.

How, in the application

Qualify the opportunity. CRM brings together organizations, contacts, opportunities, and activities. An opportunity can originate from a notice or direct entry. Its owner tracks sales stages, tasks, discussions, and the expected closing date. Probabilities and weighted amounts are indicative forecasts; they represent neither an award nor a payment received. Account and contact imports can bring in an existing portfolio, with a report of accepted or skipped rows.

Prepare the bid. The application file brings together the notice, company profile, checklist, documents, staffing requirements, price schedule, and requested guarantees. Preparation status identifies missing items. The company remains responsible for deciding whether to proceed. Analysis and drafting assistance, when available, produces suggestions for review: it validates neither legal eligibility nor bid compliance.

Track submission and outcome. Marking the bid as submitted records its progress in Tauraco; it does not submit the bid to the buyer's external portal. The manager then records the outcome. An award can open a draft contract, to be completed with dates, amount, ERP customer, and contract terms.

Execute the contract. The contract brings together amendments, milestones, work statements, budget, and resource assignments. Statements detail the period, retention, and advance recovery according to the entered parameters. The calendar and dashboard show upcoming steps. Invoicing can be prepared from a delivered or accepted milestone, or a validated work statement, after linking the ERP customer.

Safeguards

• The amount of a notice, opportunity, or contract does not automatically become an invoice eligible for financing.
• Checklist templates and suggested guarantee requirements must be checked against the tender documents; they are not a universal legal checklist.
• An awarded contract does not by itself prove signature. Signature evidence and the banking product's requirements still need to be completed.
• To finance an invoice or use inventory as collateral, follow the procedures in the “Financing request” and “Collateral & borrowing base” modules.