juggling bids? do you put in multiple bids when you couldn't actually do them all if you won them?

[hatwoman]

I have a bid in for a big piece of work that would keep me busy for most of 2010. it's for a huge organisation reknowned for bureaucracy and we have yet to hear back from them, despite hassling them. someone else has asked me if I want to bid with them for another piece of work. I very much doubt I could do both (not with my sanity, marriage and health in tact). so what do I do? just sit on my hands til I hear about bid 1? It would be pretty awful to get both -as they are both joint bids with different partners it would involve letting down partners (rather than clients iyswim) which, given that my big work comes this way would be really bad. but it would also be pretty bad to have neither (in part through not bidding at all for project 2). any advice?

I thought this was about Ebay

I often click on threads in active convos not having noticed the topic...it definitely makes for a different interpretation of the thread title

Sorry hatwoman, just bumping this for you

When are you supposed to hear back from the first one?

Is it worth beginning to put together a bid with other partner on the proviso that if the other one is offerred you would take that. At least then they have the chance to look for another partner?

When is the deadline for the second bid?

I would personally wait but that's only because I always end up trying to do too much, and am at the moment!

it would seem the second partner has come up with the perfect solution - I help put the bid together but if both bits of work come through I'll act in a senior consultant/adviser role for project 2. perfect.

however, still interested to know how other people manage this issue - I doubt it'll be the last time it comes up.

[senior consultant meaning a few days' work rather than a shed load]