Answering some FAQs about Construction Tenders

At Bidsmith, we come across our share of construction tenders. In fact, the construction industry is one of the biggest industries we write tenders for, and most of our clients come to us with the same questions. So, in this blog, we aim to answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to construction tenders as well as our tender writing services.

What is a construction tender?

A tender is a public contract opportunity that allows contractors to present a case for their services to the tendering organisation. In simple words, it is an open invitation to companies to bid for open projects and contracts. You are likely to be competing with companies and independent contractors, with budgets and resources of all sizes to win the contract. In the construction industry, a private or government organisation may send out Invitations to Tender (ITT) for projects ranging from small projects like the renovation of a single house to multi-million dollar construction projects for large scale buildings. To win a construction tender, it is important to not just offer the lowest price but also have the right experience and expertise, the resources to get the job done and offer the tenderer value for money.

Where can I find construction tenders?

There are several ways to find construction tenders in your area. If you’re looking for a government tender, the most common way is to head to any of the official government tendering websites (listed below) and search for the right tender opportunity for you. Here are the official websites by state:

• Commonwealth: AusTender
• Victoria: Buying for Victoria Tenders Portal
• New South Wales: e-Tendering
• Queensland: QTenders
• Western Australia: Tenders WA
• South Australia: SA Tenders and Contracts
• ACT: Tenders ACT
• Northern Territory: Quotations and Tenders Online (QTOL)
• Tasmania: Tasmanian Government Tenders

Want to work closer to home in your own LGA? Local government tenders may not be advertised on the state’s official portal, so you’ll have to either go to their website or get in touch with your local council to find out if there are any open tenders or upcoming projects that may be open to tender.

Alternatively, you can use our free Find Tenders tool to search for the right tender opportunity for you or set up a daily alert that lets you know when a tender opportunity that best suits your requirements becomes available.

How do I get construction tenders?

Finding the right tendering opportunity for you is one thing and winning it is another. Winning a construction tender requires months of planning, research, organising the required documentation, and creating case studies of previous projects completed; all before actually writing the proposal. And when it comes to writing the tender proposal, that is a whole other ball game of finding the right balance between being persuasive and playing up your strengths and what sets you apart from the competition, and boasting about your accomplishments and making your proposal all about you. Your tenderer wants to know what you can do for them, not the other way around! If you are submitting a tender proposal for a construction project for the very first time, it is highly recommended to get in touch with a tender writing service like Bidsmith to help you get off on the right foot and maximise your chances of winning the contract.

What are the types of construction tenders?

Construction tenders are typically divided into two main types, although there may be other types as well. Here they are:

Government tenders:

The scope of government construction tenders can range from fixing a pothole to renovating a small district office to building a trillion-dollar multi-storey library, but all of them fall under the same category. When it comes to government tenders, if a project exceeds a certain dollar value, it is required to go to tender to allow for fair bidding and transparency. It can be tough to win a major government contract without the appropriate experience and manpower, mainly due to the amount of competition, but bidding for smaller projects is a great way for newer businesses to get their foot in the door. Additionally, many state governments also offer terrific resources to small and new businesses to help them on their tendering journey, which can help them get tender ready.

• Private tenders:

Unlike government tenders, there is no obligation for the private sector to publish their tenders or make them public. They may send Requests for Tender (RFT) to a selected body of contractors who they have previously worked with and use their own procurement policies to make a decision. Contrary to popular belief, it can actually be more difficult for newer contractors to win a private tender than a government tender, simply because there are fewer regulations and less obligation upon private tenderers to choose new contractors. There is also no central notification system, which can make it tougher to find a tender opportunity in the first place.

Whether it’s your first time tendering for a construction contract or you have tried your hand at it without much success, getting a tender writing service like Bidsmith on board can help you understand your proposal’s shortcomings and boost your chances of winning your next tender.