Common sections in government tenders
Tendering to government
A professional, well-considered tender addresses each detail of the tender request. Good tender writers polish every criteria statement and thoroughly address every required element. Gathering as much information as you can about the tender request and accurately understanding the request documents will help you prepare a winning tender.
Review these common sections in tender request documents and consider how you will approach them. Tender request documents may include some or all of these sections, as well as many others.
Tenders will always provide the terms and conditions of offer and the terms and condition of supply. By submitting your offer, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of supply. You may wish to seek legal advice prior to making any commitment.
Description of procurement, specification and terms of reference
A description of procurement, or 'statement of requirements' describes the goods or services required, outlines any associated expectations about delivery, technical, pricing or performance requirements and indicates expected timeframes.
Conditions for participation and tender response schedules
This section outlines the conditions providers must meet to be considered for the contract including professional licences, insurance requirements, necessary experience, expertise and qualifications.
Mandatory criteria and evaluation criteria
The criteria statement describes the capabilities you need to demonstrate to win the business. Some criteria may be weighted according to their importance. This section will also indicate the method that the selection panel will use to decide the wining tender. For example, some methods include tenders being shortlisted before the winning bid is chosen.
Referees
Before submitting your tender, you will need to supply references from peers and customers who are well positioned to comment on your business and the products or services you provide that are similar to those proposed in the tender.
Minimum content and format requirements
This section outlines the documentation you need to include, which could include elements such as contributors' CVs, samples of work, proposal overviews, business registrations and insurance certificates. It also describes the format you should follow and provides any templates you may need to use.
Process rules
Process rules indicate the closing date, tender timelines and the time and place for lodging your response. The section also tells you how to submit your tender by providing, for example, online submission and postal details. It will also indicate protocols and procedures for distributing information to tender applicants.
Policies and principles
This section describes any warranties or commitments the provider must make to meet the terms of the contract such as confidentiality obligations and fair work standards.
Draft contract and terms and conditions of supply
Tender documents provide information on the rights and responsibilities of the organisation and successful provider and the terms and conditions of the contract that will secure the work.
