100 11 E Bidding in partnership ven if you are in business on your own, there are occasions when you may want or need to join forces with others. The tender documents may state that the expertise required for the contract is unlikely to be obtained from a single source; parts of the work may demand skills outside your competence; the contract may be too big to undertake by yourself; or your analysis of the competitive situation may reveal areas where links with organ- izations in related fields could add credibility and substance to your bid. Whatever the type and size of the group ­ whether it combines several firms with complementary expertise as well as, say, public sector authorities