Communication · Security
Security tender: how to answer the incident reporting and escalation question
Prepared by TenderChecker. Last reviewed 4 October 2026. General guidance only — every buyer's own instructions and criteria take priority.
Short answer
Describe how an incident is recorded, who is notified and in what order, timescales you can commit to, and how the client receives reports.
Align with any escalation contacts or timescales the buyer specifies.
What the buyer might be asking
- How are incidents recorded?
- Who is notified and when?
- How does the client receive reports?
Worked example (fictional)
Everything in this example — company, people and numbers — is invented for illustration.
Example question: Describe your procedures for reporting and escalating incidents. (Max 500 words)
Fictional context: Fictional bidder: Sentinel Site Security Ltd. Supplied fictional notes: officers log incidents on handheld devices; control room monitored 24/7; daily occurrence reports emailed.
Weak draft (fictional)
All incidents are reported immediately to the relevant people.
What the draft misses
- 'Relevant people' and 'immediately' are undefined.
A better version (using only the fictional facts above)
Officers record incidents on handheld devices, which alert our 24/7 control room. [Insert escalation order and timescales agreed with the buyer.] Daily occurrence reports are emailed to [insert client contact]. Serious incidents are [insert additional steps].
Bracketed text marks facts the bidder still needs to supply. Never fill these with invented figures.
Evidence checklist
- ☐ Recording method
- ☐ Escalation order
- ☐ Timescales
- ☐ Client reporting
- ☐ Serious incident steps
Common mistakes
- Undefined 'immediately'
- No client contact
- Ignoring buyer's escalation list