Avoiding Tender Traps
For small businesses planning to respond to government tenders, Thompson advises keeping it simple and sticking to the script:
- Only respond to tenders that are a good match for your business. Don’t waste time and resources replying to tenders you can’t carry out or making half-hearted responses.
- Make sure you have the people and resources needed to fulfil the tender requirements, or solid plans ready to go if you are awarded the tender.
- Thoroughly read the tender instructions and comply to the letter – even things that seem arbitrary, like formatting. Assessing tender submissions is a huge task, so documents that don’t match the specifications usually go straight in the bin.
- Don’t get carried away with marketing or selling your business. Government agencies only want to know about your capacity to deliver and value for money. Forget the fluffy wording and stick to the facts.
- Expressions of interest and registrations of interest are a good opportunity to suggest alternative solutions and new ideas. But once a project has reached the tender stage, the requirements are locked down, so don’t get creative or offer alternatives – just answer the questions.